Threat to hit

[DanthewoMAN]

Me and my husband just had an enormous row about something absolutely ridiculous. We are both very short-tempered but it's never spiralled to threats of violence.

I left the house and walked round our garden in order to try and cool off and my husband followed me. I asked him to leave me be in order for us to both cool off from arguing. He followed me and kept banging on about what we were arguing about and I ignored him because I'd asked him countless times to leave me be because arguing is exhausting. He was standing about 2 metres away from me when he suddenly came out with 'Do you want me to smack you round the face?!' As he pointed to his fist.
I was so shaken up that I just burst into tears

Do you want me to smack you round the face?

Response "Do you want me to call the police and report your threat of violence?" "Because I'm prepared to do if you don't apologise right now."

He's bang out of order and that was abusive behaviour.

Oh OP, I'm so sorry. What a horrible thing to experience. Not ok and you need to remove yourself from him straight away. The threat of violence is but a short step away from actual violence. It's about intimidation and control.

Nobody ever has the right to threaten - it's not normal. Get to somewhere safe. Don't put up with this. If you do, it's a green light for the physical abuse to come.

Thanks both!
What makes this situation so difficult is that we really do love each other and in other ways, he's a good husband.
He just had to ruin everything

i also forgot to mention that a couple of years ago, he pushed me to the ground because he was angry at me.
Now I realise I should've left then. I was naïve

If he threatens to hit you then he isn't a good husband. Not even remotely.
Separate and both work on your tempers. Adults shouldn't make a habit of having enormous rows over little things. It happens sometimes but it's not healthy.