Mark Todd

I think we all have one somewhere.

The last thing I would want to do is belittle this abuse, but did he hit the horse in the wrong place? Do the people rightly seeing this as abhorrent realise that jocks are allowed to whip horses on a day to day basis, and that's somehow called sport?

This is obviously one in the eye for the excusers who will say those in the bubble know so much better than outsiders, and should be just left alone to get on with it. I hate the phrase 'horsemen' as if it puts someone on a pedestal, but wouldn't this guy be a hero in those circles? Equestrian commentators like Plunkett and Luck are probably choking on their cornflakes. Let's face it he is only apologising because he has been caught out.   

There has to be some sort of meaningful penalty, but the bigger question is obviously how much of this kind of thing goes on, but is not filmed? Whenever we are drip fed stuff about stables on the likes of ITV Racing it is 100% cheerleading, there is never any attempt to explore a possible darker side.

we no the darker side
m quinn
workers on pig,chicken, farms etc
zouma
and there,ll be much worse going on but apparently we,re a nation of animal lovers

He had a Bazil Faulty moment

Some bloke even kicked a cat! As a livestock farmer, I am somewhere in between. I am not sentimental about any animals but needless cruelty is not pleasant or necessary in any circumstances. Social media do skew so many issues though and it must be very hard to avoid this sort of thing other than follow my lead and REFUSE TO USE THEM! Security is often much easier than you think. Why don't criminals throw their hard disc and mobile phone into a furnace if they think they are under investigation? I keep all of my confidential info on a computer that is never connected to the internet. So easy once you think about it.

I enjoyed his autobiography ....but yet again this is nauseating ........this sport will destroy itself if offenders are not brought to task.

No excuses hes a git

Wouldn't need to use a stick if riders wore spurs!

I was expecting something a lot worse, but it doesn't take much the cancel mob to go into overdrive.

"I wholeheartedly apologise to the horse"

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/horse-racing/sir-mark-todd-issues-grovelling-26213669

the loony chappers think everythings ok as long as  horses can perform again afterwards

a few love taps on its backside with a branch and 1st time poster thinks its been traumatised for life

And it was a few love taps, no way was that horse in any pain imho.

It's being portrayed that he lost his temper with the horse, but it seems to me:

there was an eventing training session, they wanted the horse to go down the embankment and into the shallow water but the horse was reluctant / unsure, so he's had to use a bit of encouragement

vid gets posted on social media, the fluffy bunny brigade are up in arms and the cancel mob are out to get him cancelled

and we're all meant to be outraged

If i thought any animal was being mistreated i would be the first to call it out but sorry i cant get outraged by this video.

Nobody expected you to be outraged George, quite the opposite, and yet again you have come up trumps.

If he thrashes his horses imagine what he does to the stable girls

If people think that horses learn to jump the puissance fence without gentle persuasion they are very much mistaken.

I’m done with all of this…time to start muppets like him back home.

Coming over here with their backward ways making a nuisance. Go home. I’d have him on the first flight back to whatever 3rd world country he’s from…can go punch up horses over there. The utter clown.

Chris Cook's "comment" on this in the Racing Post this morning, it's not enough for Cook that the man has aplolgised, oh no, he thinks "the BHA will simply have to put him through a disciplinary process for bringing the sport into disrepute".

That would seem wholly disproportionate to me, but if you're obsessed with perceived public perception rather than whether the training method employed, which he acknowledges did not involve a racehorse, actually warrants a disrepute charge, then I can understand why Cook might wish the BHA to be seen to be doing something (and the BHA have said they're looking into the incident).

And what will a "bringing the sport into disrepute" charge do? Give the incident more prolonged publicity for a charge that Todd is unlikely to be found guilty of, should it be brought, imo.

where's all the outrage from the gordon elliott woke mob?
barely a peep about this incident

I dont condone any animal mistreatment but I have been bitten and kicked (bones broken) by these wonderful animals without any apparant reason. There is no way that horse was hurt in any way, it was a tactic (right or wrong) to encourage the horse to do something it obviously didnt want to do.

Presumably the twatter mob hasn't got hold of it, knoxville. Nowadays it's that tiny, unrepresentative section of loud people who determine the narrative and discourse in the mainstream. Therefore important things pass by without a mention, and inconsequential things are discussed ad nauseam, for days on end.

thats a fact Cider

They weirdos don’t have time for this.

They’re burnt out on Zouma going Conor McGregror on a cat, the Canadian white supremacist truckers and defending the black elves and dwarves from the new LOTR show.

Priorities!

Awful treatment of a horse.

If that man or any one else did that to one of my horses I would have used the stick on him.

Take his knighthood away

Interesting to hear of what people deem as acceptable or unacceptable cruelty.

I have seen some people spend hours trying to get a stubborn horse to load into a horsebox to no avail....Get a broom round its arse and its up the ramp like a shot....Go figure.

If you think the Elliott ban was fair for not hurting a dead horse then it follows Todd should get a ban for hurting a live horse. The BHA were very vocal and putting pressure on the Irish to ban Elliott.
Personally I would ban neither.

Remember McCoy .............

Carrot and Stick is endemic in our training methods, you should see 2yos going through stalls training.

Is this even an admission from a high profile trainer?

https://twitter.com/osbornejamie/status/1493457404339671041

Suspended!

By Stuart Riley
UPDATED 11:07AM, FEB 16 2022
 
The BHA has placed a temporary suspension on the licence of trainer Sir Mark Todd, meaning he will be unable to saddle runners in Britain or internationally while investigations continue into the circumstances of the video showing him striking a horse with what appears to be a branch.

The two-time Olympic gold medallist event rider, voted rider of the 20th century by the International Federation for Equestrian Sports (FEI), has agreed to the ban.

A BHA statement read: "The chair of British racing’s Independent Judicial Panel has today approved an application from the BHA that an interim suspension should be placed on the training licence of Sir Mark Todd following the emergence over the weekend of a video showing him striking a horse with what appears to be a branch.

"This interim suspension means that while investigations continue into the circumstances of this incident, Sir Mark will be unable to race horses in Britain or internationally.

"The trainer has admitted the individual involved in the video was him, has apologised for his actions and agreed to the imposition of an interim suspension."

The suspension means Todd will not be able to run Cape Cornwall Rose, who was entered at Lingfield on Friday. Earlier this week Todd issued a public apology and stepped down as a patron of World Horse Welfare.

The statement continued: "The BHA will provide further updates as necessary in due course, though will not be able to comment on the detail of the investigation itself until it is concluded.

"The interim suspension has been approved on the basis that it can be reviewed at a later date if necessary, on application by either party."

Love the "has agreed to" bit. Seems to me that the BHA always appear to view things on an "us & them" basis

Yes it was very good of Sir Mark to agree.

The world's gone mad.

How else do they think you can control powerful animals?

Agreed Crippen, there is no way on Gods earth that horse was hurt in any way.

Many on here never worked with horses so will have to take their comments about animal welfare with a pinch of salt

Mark  who ?????
A racehorse trainer ?

imo I'd be happy if I'd backed one of his, he can train them

Dancingbrave will decide if your comments are valid from now on.

Christ , why investigate , fine = rap on knuckles , he knows he made mistake . Move on .

Sparrow

The Snowflakes have taken over and were all fooked.

DancingBraveTheBest 16 Feb 22 12:48


You had no right to say that about people who had never worked with horses.

Yes Acey, seems that way. Was laughing at a story i read where they were considering children in schools no longer being able to call a teacher Mr or Mrs.....had to call them Teacher. Thankfully they seem to have done a u turn on that but it really is crazy the way things are heading

all about perception nowadays

People who have worked with horses, you mean like the fool this story is about?

Probably lucky we don't know who has worked with horses, or animals, as it would make some of the comments even more worrying.

Facts must have missed his good work with Tasman Bay last season.

Knew I had seen this kind of behaviour before.

Shocking

D-day is Thursday!!!!


Lets see how this ranks alongside sitting on a dead horse.
I know it's a different country but, max 3 months imo.