Horse Puncher sacked from teaching job

It is never acceptable to hit, kick, punch, or otherwise hurt an animal.

Barmeyoldbat

So Trish its ok to lose your temper and lash out, I don't think so, there are other ways of calming the horse rather than hitting and kicking it. Would you say this was ok to do to a child who was doing the same thing? Your comment is disgusting.

I haven't said she was right. I have said I don't know. And neither does anyone else. It is highly unlikely that the truth will ever be known. Why? for the simple reason that anyone who suggests that judgement by social media is unacceptable is instantly jumped on and told they would accept all sorts of things.
I don't think that a woman who hunts is someone to be admired. I don't like hunting at all. But neither do like people who equate one incidence of someone attempting to control a horse with child abuse. As I have said many times. She wasn't just a teacher she was a team leader and if she was so bad the Trust needs investigating.

Good! I am so pleased to hear this. A nasty piece of work that shouldn’t be allowed near animals let alone children. I cannot abide animal cruelty.

A vile individual.

On the face of it what she did was horrible, but as trisher says, we don't know the full story. I would say that she should definitely be banned from keeping horses (or possibly any animals) - that seems a proportionate response to the offence.

I'm not sure that huntspeople (is that a word?) have any business condemning animal cruelty from others.

I also really dislike trial by media, and social media in particular. It is a very worrying trend. When people do something wrong, they should be dealt with by the courts, calmly, with all the information to hand, and where appropriate a jury of their peers. Punishment should be limited to what has been decided and is on the statute.

Criminals should, IMO, be able to pay the penalty for their offence, learn the error of their ways, and get on with life, other than in very extreme circumstances. For someone to suffer death threats as well as losing their career, livelihood, and reputation is way over the top, I think. Public shaming is barbaric, and saying that is not to suggest that hitting animals isn't. We had moved on from public whipping and putting people in the socks, but in many ways we are returning to that sort of behaviour. 'Cancelling' people with whose views we don't agree, police forces using Facebook to show mugshots of criminals (not to mention the baying for blood in the comments) and attacking the families of those who have transgressed is, IMO, a retrograde step.

This is an interesting read on the subject, and things have got worse since it was written.

Animal cruelty is never acceptable. I have no knowledge about horses, only what l have read that tells me that they are really sensitive creatures. We need to listen to GG and Zoejory who know about them in detail just what damage this awful woman can cause by her cruelty.
Yes she did deserve to be sacked as she cannot control her temper.
No she didn't deserve death threats.

Her actions towards the horse were unforgivable and unacceptable - but should she have lost her job? Not sure about that. She has been a teacher for several years, is there any record of her losing her temper with or harming a child? Perhaps an unpaid suspension and attendance on an anger management course would have been more appropriate.

For gods sake trisher, I couldn't give a f... whether she was a team leader, the head or anything else, she was kicking and hitting a defenseless horse and deserves to be sacked.
The circumstances are such, she kicked and hit a horse in a temper, not fit to be near animals, children or anything else for that matter.
There are no excuses although I expect you will come up with some spurious reason!

Trisher you really are clutching at straws here in your defence of one of your own. Such bias and hypocrisy. I’m sure, as a self avowed leftie, you’d be going in all guns blazing if she wasn’t a teacher. Especially as she’s no doubt a Tory.

Your point about protecting the children being kicked is nonsense. Those children are out hunting and around horses all the time and run the risk of getting kicked/thrown off every time they’re around horses. I’ve spent a lot of time around horses in the past and it’s a dangerous pastime; not necessarily because of the horse but just the fact that you’re sat on top of one. Recently a two yr old died when she came off a pony at a hunt. Yes 2 yrs of age!

I don’t believe this woman was protecting children. She lost her temper and behaved appallingly. The fact that the anti hunt guys were in attendance and filming proves how angry she was. If she had been in control of herself she wouldn’t have behaved as she did in front of them.

I don’t agree with witch hunts but politicians, police officers and all sorts of people are being caught out these days with mobile phone footage so why should she be exempt. She shouldn’t have received death threats and be forced to leave her home but that’s not because of anything posted on here. We aren’t responsible for the nutters out there. We aren’t all Piers Corbyns inciting others to violence are we?

I would remove my child from a school where she was allowed to teach.

I agree her behaviour was unacceptable and the woman has been punished. I think for the RSPCA to now take up the cudgels seems like a bit of a witch hunt.

There is unfortunately much cruelty in the hunting and horse racing fraternities. The way she treated the horse is indefensible and I hope she will be prosecuted. Someone who reacts in that way to an obviously difficult and stressful situation should not be working with either animals or children. It’s a very short step from cruelty to animals to cruelty to children.

She was viscous towards that horse. The look on her face was horrible. I would want her teaching any member of my family.

She wasn’t attempting to control the horse Trisher. She already had hold of the reins. She was punishing it for leaving the horsebox.

I don't think kicking a horse and punching it in the face is 'trying to control' it.

I think for the RSPCA to now take up the cudgels seems like a bit of a witch hunt.

The RSPCA were involved from Day 1

Although I am appalled by the death threats and such that she received ( if true, and not just reported for sympathy), I think that being sacked from looking after children is appropriate, I wouldn't want her looking after my children with that temper. I also have a problem with people who hunt for fun, but that is another matter.

She had hold of the horses reins while she was punching it.
It had got loose, made it's way back to her, and she had hold of it.

I can't believe anyone is actually attempting to defend this! I've also been around horses all my life and there is no way you could ever excuse this kind of behaviour. It is utterly indefensible. Would I want someone capable of losing their temper and treating an animal in this way in charge of my child? No I would not.

Blondiescot

I can't believe anyone is actually attempting to defend this! I've also been around horses all my life and there is no way you could ever excuse this kind of behaviour. It is utterly indefensible. Would I want someone capable of losing their temper and treating an animal in this way in charge of my child? No I would not.

Nobody has defended what she did . It was indefensible.

It should, however, be dealt with in the courts, not on social media. That way, all the facts would be on the table, and she would have a chance to attempt a defence herself. If she couldn't (as is likely) she would suffer the legal penalty. That is what separates us from vigilante societies and those without the rule of law.

Another horse owner here. I've just watched the clip. The horse had got loose, wandered round to find its mates, stopped dead to be caught then she kicked it and hit it around the head.

Every single one of my horse owning friends and acquaintances would immediately condemn what she did. Not only was it completely unnecessary but you never, never, never hit a horse round the head (or anywhere else). The kick was absolutely stupid and unnecessary. (But, remember, horses 'discipline' each other by kicking and biting)

It wasn't a crisis situation, no-one, including the horse, was in any danger. Most horsey people would have just caught the horse, maybe laughed at themselves for not tying it up securely in the first place, and that would be that.

What makes me more cross is that there was a child there watching. What a dreadful example to give a child.

I think that sacking was her employer's only course of action. She'd have had the incident hanging over her and commented on for ever and what a poor example for her pupils.

As others have said, there is a lot of cruelty, deliberate and incidental in the horse world both racing and leisure. I've seen it first hand and it is sickening. Horses are sensitive, willing, trainable animals who deserve better than being kicked and punched when a human is angry with them.

It's all very well to talk about trial by social media but this isn't a one-off, it happens all the time and how do you think anyone would find out if it hadn't been filmed this one time?

I'm glad this woman was sacked. I wonder if she beats her own children when she's upset? Even if she doesn't, by her actions she is teaching them that it is fine to abuse an animal when it doesn't do what you want.

So this trial by media thing is just as equivalent to letting off a bomb. It has effectively ruined her life and she's gone into hiding. Feel proud of yourselves.

I haven't done anything that would affect this person.

To be honest, Doodledog, I don't think this would have got as far as a court of law.

Doodledog

Blondiescot

I can't believe anyone is actually attempting to defend this! I've also been around horses all my life and there is no way you could ever excuse this kind of behaviour. It is utterly indefensible. Would I want someone capable of losing their temper and treating an animal in this way in charge of my child? No I would not.

Nobody has defended what she did . It was indefensible.

It should, however, be dealt with in the courts, not on social media. That way, all the facts would be on the table, and she would have a chance to attempt a defence herself. If she couldn't (as is likely) she would suffer the legal penalty. That is what separates us from vigilante societies and those without the rule of law.

Had this footage not been taken and made available nothing would ever have happened. This woman would have carried on her life thinking it's perfectly acceptable to kick and slap a horse.

So whilst I agree that trial by media is unacceptable in most cases. I'm pleased that this was made public.

I'm sure she will never do it again and perhaps it will make like minded people think twice before. they lash out at a defenceless animal.

MaizieD

To be honest, Doodledog, I don't think this would have got as far as a court of law.

Agreed, MaizieD