Teacher sacked for punching and kicking horse has gone into hiding
Content warning: This article contains mentions and depictions of animal abuse.
A UK school teacher has been fired after footage emerged of her seeming to kick and hit a distressed horse.
The graphic footage shows Sarah Moulds striking the white pony after it ran out onto the road in the UK’s East Midlands, The Sun reports.
Following the circulation of the footage, it was revealed that the 37-year-old woman from Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire was being probed by the RSPCA.
The Mowbray Education Trust also said Ms Moulds has been suspended during a formal investigation.
However, the trust has said the mother-of-two has officially been dismissed from her roles as a teacher at Somerby Primary School and as a director of the Knossington & Somerby Pre-School in Leicestershire.
“I can confirm that Sarah Mould’s employment with the trust has been terminated,” Paul Maddox, chief operating officer of the trust, told the BBC.
“As a trust we are committed to ensuring the best standard of education for all of our young people and we look forward to continuing this throughout the 2021/22 academic year and beyond.”
Yesterday we filmed a @CottesmoreHunt rider kicking and punching her horse in the face.
Watched on by lackeys Will Ashmore and son Ed.
Violence running through their veins.@RSPCA_official pic.twitter.com/s37BlR4Hv3— Hertfordshire Hunt Saboteurs (@HertsHuntSabs) November 7, 2021
The footage was shared last month by Hertfordshire Hunt Saboteurs, an anti-hunting group, who were monitoring the hunting event at the time.
The woman alleged to be Ms Moulds was seen acting aggressively towards the horse, after it ran towards her when another young rider lost control of it while trying to lead it onto a trailer.
She was filmed kicking and hitting the horse before pulling it into the horse trailer.
Ms Moulds is believed to belong to the Cottesmore Hunt, a foxhound hunting group based in Rutland.
At the time, she was surrounded by other members.
After the incident, Cottesmore Hunt reportedly said it did not condone the actions depicted in the video “under any circumstances”.
The RSPCA was contacted by multiple people after the clip was posted online, and later issued a statement.
“This footage is really upsetting. We will always look into complaints made to us about animal welfare.”
A spokesman from the Hunting Office in the UK said: “The Hunting Office expects the highest level of animal welfare at all times - both on and off the hunting field - and condemns the actions taken by this individual, who is not a member of the hunting associations.”
Members of the public also condemned the woman online, labelling her behaviour as unacceptable.
“As a horsewoman myself, nothing makes me angrier than seeing such footage as this. It is shameful. There is absolutely no excuse for this behaviour,” one person wrote.
“No matter how frustrated you are, no matter if you’ve had a bad day. Horses are so sensitive. What a way to make them head shy.”
Image: @HertsHuntSabs (Twitter)