Olympic legend’s shame over film of him beating horse ‘during lesson in Scotland’
OLYMPIC equestrian Sir Mark Todd was condemned yesterday after being caught on camera brutally beating a horse to make it go through a water obstacle.
A shocking video emerged on social media showing the New Zealand event rider hitting the animal ten times with a stick.
The clip shows a grey horse with a rider hesitating in front of a pool of water. Sir Mark is seen walking up behind the animal before beating it with a tree branch until it jumps into the pool, to the sound of cheering in the background.
Sir Mark said in a statement last night: ‘I wholeheartedly apologise to the horse and all involved for my actions in this video clip.
‘One of the main things I preach is about establishing a mutual respect between horse and rider, and that patience and kindness is the best way to get results.
‘I believe this is one of the main attributes, along with a great empathy with animals, that has enabled me to have a long and successful career in eventing. I am very disappointed in myself that I did not adhere to that in this case.’
The Mail on Sunday understands the incident took place during a lesson for amateur riders in Scotland two years ago.
The video was shared on TikTok last week before being posted on YouTube yesterday by Danish journalist and author Julie Taylor, who said she had spoken to the rider of the horse struck by Sir Mark.
‘She [the rider] said she hadn’t been told that he would hit her horse,’ Ms Taylor said. ‘She had been told that he would come up behind the horse and make a noise with the branch. She was quite shocked and upset.’
The video prompted a furious backlash. Equine and farm supply company Equiwarehouse said it would no longer be selling any Mark Todd products, adding that he ‘should be utterly ashamed’.
Others on social media described the video as ‘heartbreaking’ and Sir Mark’s behaviour as ‘disgusting’.
Ms Taylor said: ‘This incident will divide the horse-loving public because there is still an old-school core who believe any horse or pony who does not blindly obey orders is being naughty and deserves to be punished. At the same time, there is a shift towards gentler and more reward-based training methods.’
One of New Zealand’s most celebrated sportsmen, Sir Mark won two Olympic golds at the Los Angeles and the Seoul Games and took top spot at the World Championships in 1990 and 1998. He was voted Rider of the 20th Century by the International Federation for Equestrian Sports.