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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Sir Mark Todd - where’s the outrage? Animal cruelty

179 replies

ConasAtaTu1 · 12/02/2022 15:13

Just watched a disgusting video of this man whipping a clearly terrified horse ten times to get it to go into water. Cowardly running back each time so the horse couldn’t kick him to rightfully defend itself from the beating. Total scum.

I hope he will get similar fines/outrage/RSPCA investigations as ongoing for Kurt Zouma.

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10505319/Sir-Mark-Todd-caught-whipping-horse-branch-TEN-times-make-water-obstacle.html

OP posts:
JayAlfredPrufrock · 12/02/2022 18:08

@thewheelofthehamster

What is wrong with breaking in yearlings?

AllOfUsAreDead · 12/02/2022 18:12

[quote JayAlfredPrufrock]@thewheelofthehamster

What is wrong with breaking in yearlings?[/quote]
Maybe doesn't know what that means exactly, but considering he's happy to do that to someone else's horse, god knows how he trains his own..

PinkSyCo · 12/02/2022 18:23

The worst part is the people watching on and cheering. It just proves how normalised the ill treatment of horses is. It’s so sad Sad

Giraffesandbottoms · 12/02/2022 18:24

It’s disgusting. Absolutely disgusting.

Riding is about the trust between a rider and a horse. Beating a horse diminishes the trust. Can’t believe Mark Todd behaves like this.

thewheelofthehamster · 12/02/2022 18:30

A yearling is a horse up to 1 years of age
Horses skeletons don’t fully fuse until around 5/6

They will be used for racing. They are just babies horses aren’t usually ridden until 3/4

As a respected horse person he clearly doesn’t respect animals just the money they may bring

PattesDuRhino · 12/02/2022 18:33

[quote JayAlfredPrufrock]@thewheelofthehamster

What is wrong with breaking in yearlings?[/quote]
As far as I'm aware it's unusual to "break" (more acceptable term these days would be to "back", as in, to prepare a youngster for being a riding horse) a horse until it's at least rising 4.

I'd be surprised if a yearling had the bone and muscle for carrying a rider - got a feeling they can be raced over short distances with a light jockey but I'm not speaking with any real knowledge.

PattesDuRhino · 12/02/2022 18:35

Ah cross-posted there @thewheelofthehamster. I've not done much with horses for 20 years!

thewheelofthehamster · 12/02/2022 19:00

Sorry yes for non horsey people breaking in means teaching a horse to learn to be ridden
It absolutely does not involve any actual breaking Blush well who knows with mark todd but more normal horse people it would be done with kindness, patience and praise

purpleboy · 12/02/2022 19:04

I hadn't seen this either. I'm horrified. Animal abusing bastards Sad

Roselilly36 · 12/02/2022 19:06

I was absolutely disgusted watching this, cruel to the horse, and potentially endangered the rider.

Blessex · 12/02/2022 19:09

all those so called ‘animal lovers’ who come out and say that this is the way to train animals. Well that’s what we said 50 years ago about beating kids. Look what happened to that. Illegal.

AmberLynn1536 · 12/02/2022 19:09

Absolutely horrified, If he does this in public what does he do in private? That poor poor horse, anyone who hurts an animal are absolute scum and I hope he is prosecuted for this.

lastqueenofscotland · 12/02/2022 19:12

I imagine the vast majority of “professional” yards have welfare practices that would make most people wince.
Not turning out, working young horses very hard, very physical discipline. Etc etc etc.
I’m saddened but never surprised when things like this come out.

bluewanda · 12/02/2022 19:14

I’m absolutely fuming after watching this. How could anyone be so cruel?!! Sad The man is an absolute disgrace, he needs to be prosecuted.

FrippEnos · 12/02/2022 19:26

I like those on here am upset that this has happened and am also happy that the footballer is still in the frame but the bare minimum that should happen is what happened to the teacher.

Not one rule for sport people, teachers and others.

Latara · 12/02/2022 19:29

Oh no poor horse.
Was disgusted by the cat video too.

ALL animal cruelty needs to be prosecuted.

MinorWomensWhiplash1 · 12/02/2022 19:39

Absolutely sickening and I hope the disgusting prick is prosecuted and stripped of his knighthood. I also think horse racing should be completely banned, it’s inherently abusive and I have no doubt a lot of horrible behaviour goes on behind the scenes. Animals aren’t entertainment or for making money, it shouldn’t be allowed.

nancy75 · 12/02/2022 19:40

I freely admit I know nothing about horses, but if you need to wallop an animal like that to get it to do something maybe it shouldn’t be doing the thing you’re trying to get it to do.
Shame the horse didn’t kick him, hard.

powershowerforanhour · 12/02/2022 19:41

I didn't think a "Mark Todd in whipping video shocker" story would have involved animals.

Leftbutcameback · 12/02/2022 19:44

I'm so disappointed to see this. I've seen him ride and was a fan of his. Shocking. Glad to see he has apologised, it doesn't make it better but it was the very least he could do.

ConasAtaTu1 · 12/02/2022 19:46

An apology is not enough.

OP posts:
turnitonandoffagain · 12/02/2022 20:01

[quote ConasAtaTu1]@nancy75 apparently video is from 2 years ago. Said she felt too scared at the time to go up against a giant in the industry. Now she’s coming out public about it.

Lots coming out these days about powerful men and people being too afraid to call them out on their behaviour.[/quote]
Many years ago I took my young horse to a dressage clinic with an advanced dressage rider - big name at the time.

At one point she took my schooling whip off me and whacked my horse very hard because she wouldn't do (read young and didn't understand my request to move sideways). I had no idea what was coming - expected gentle encouragement but had no control of it at that point. My horse fly kicked her (good girl) and she said something along the lines of 'how dare you' and went to whack her again. That didn't happen, I dismounted, told her that she would not hit my horse again, that it was no way to treat a young horse and she was a disgrace. We went home.

All her 'fans' present were mortified turniton was clearly an unhinged tree hugger type. I didn't give a stuff what they thought about me.

Many years later I successfully competed against this rider/trainer, as she brought various horses through the ranks. I always thought, poor bloody horses 😞!!!

It is endemic I'm afraid. I can understand why the rider didn't want to speak out against the great MT. I don't know anyone else who spoke out about the woman I went to locally, she was fairly revered, I suppose a lot of people didn't know any better/thought achieving moving sideways was the aim, never mind the methods.

I don't think for a minute that this is a powerful men thing. It isn't confined to men at all.

Hoppinggreen · 12/02/2022 20:04

I used to ride a lot and this is horrible
Even if people carried a whip it was for “encouraging” stubborn horses. You didn’t hit the horse with it, at most you lightly touched them with it (I didn’t do that)

GucciBear · 12/02/2022 20:05

Absolutely appalling. He was a great hero of mine - no more. Horses are naturally suspicious of water - they don't know if it is a proper surface to walk on. Reluctant horses can be given a "lead" in by an older, sensible horse. Horrified by it but glad the film was taken.

Is it too much to ask that HM - who adores horses - takes away his Knighthood. He is training racehorses now: What on earth might he try to "encourage" them.

MrsTimRiggins · 12/02/2022 20:06

@Thunderpunt

Mark Todd has been a lifelong hero of mine, has achieved such amazing things in his long equestrian career, but this is awful and has completely changed my opinion of him.
Same, as a lifelong horse owner and rider, I feel very upset by this. That’s not a true horseman.
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