Primary teacher filmed kicking and hitting horse found innocent

[SushiSuave]

I never start threads about things in the news but this has shocked me. How on earth has this woman been found innocent when she was filmed kicking and hitting the horse?! I don't believe she caused lasting injury but surely being found innocent is condoning treating animals in this way?

I own a horse and keep her in a yard full of other owners and horses.

If anyone there treated their horse even 1/4 as badly as this person treated hers it would be seen as utterly shocking and despicable. It would also be viewed as exceptionally poor horsemanship.

Horses are extremely sensitive, sentient and emotional animals and they are flight animals so running away is kind of what they are pre-programmed to do in times of pain stress or uncertainty, punishing that is futile and cruel. Our job as owners is to set the horse up to feel safe and succeed

Ask yourself-.if it was a dog or cat being abused in this way would there be more outcry? I think there would, but why?

Punching a horse IS going to cause harm even if it isn't apparent at the time. Of course the horse then complied because otherwise it would probably have got another punch! They are flight animals so won't fight back.
There is a serious concern with the social licence around horse riding at the moment and this does nothing to help the cause!

Another factor as to why it could be argued that jury trials should be replaced with more qualified experts.

You don't need to be in court to see that footage and make your own mind up that it's disgusting behaviour. Absolutely no excuse for it. Wonder what she does behind closed doors without witnesses.

We just don't know that's the point.

I called the RSPCA out to a case where a dog was being left out chained in the snow and was seriously underweight and cowering . They did nothing and those owners were at the opposite end of the scale . The reason for the decision is out there and personally I do think the verdict should have been guilty with a nominal punishment because of the bigger picture that was presented .

Outrageous

Exactly this

I saw her lose her temper with an innocent animal. She's a massive cunt!

Sorry, you've lost me. What do you mean by my OP not mentioning her class? I don't know her class, only her actions caught on film.

I haven't read the whole thread but saw this in the news . It is a truly shocking verdict . I get the usual trope of we didn't hear the evidence but there is a video of her beating her horse up . What more evidence do you need . I don't understand this at all .

Evidence shows a clear link between animal cruelty and child cruelty.

didums got hate mail and lost her job!

I feel this can be the only answer.

Absolutely appalling.
When can kicking and punching an animal ever be ok ?

This. I have no sympathy at all with her . As a lifelong horse owner I have never felt the need to beat up an animal. Horses can be intensely frustrating but they will learn nothing being treated like this .

how do you tell off a horse for running away?

Horses are used in equine therapy because of their beautiful sensitivity and accepting nature. I used to have a rescue dog who wet themselves and hid whenever they saw a man in a high Vis jacket. Never a woman though.

Bar some horses who are pains but that's their temperament and wouldn't be suitable. But the fear on that horses face is clear. I don't know about the social media stuff. But that photo is so upsetting if she does that in public what would she do in private??? 😐

@NeverDropYourMooncup exactly.

I know someone who used to go and monitor fox hunts; they advised me never to go and help, not because I'd be distressed about the killing of foxes but because I would have been extremely distressed and angry at the way the majority treated their horses. Many riders of their ilk seem to think the horse is 'there to do its job' and needs controlling; bullying, abusive, aggressive behaviour towards them is the only way they know to dominate an animal that is bigger than them.

I am disgusted, and like many of you would never want someone who could behave like this - and think it's ok! - in charge of teaching my children.

But, we're a 'nation of animal lovers', don't you know. 😡

You don't punch it when you catch it!
They are flight animals so it is their first instinct to run away from danger.
You basically don't tell it off for running away as then you are negatively associating coming back. Same with dog training.

Mine has buggered off in the horsebox parking of a big show before and when I finallg caught him he got a polo as a reward for being caught.
Punishing a horse for running off will only serve to reinforce the horse not wanting to be with you.

She's an abuser...?

@Willmafrockfit are you serious??? How do you 'tell a dog off'? Would it be ok to punch and kick it when you caught it???

sometimes horses get things 'wrong' from our point of view; they are too busy being a horse. Everything they know about being around humans is from what we have taught them. Just think about it for a few seconds, can you?

@twistyizzy sorry cross-post. You put it better :)

"Many riders of their ilk". Please can you clarify what you mean?

Leicestershire: Pony-kick woman cleared of animal cruelty www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leicestershire-66605870

Why did the court have to hear about all the shit that's been thrown at her since? Irrelevant surely. She was being tried for animal cruelty, not whether or not she's been punished enough.

She's a fucking evil animal abuser and I hope she never works again.

Scum.

@twistyizzy the ones who treated their horses in the way we are talking about. It isn't a one-off, or unusual. Them lot.

And yes, anyone who hunts with hounds is an evil cunt