Investigation launched into ‘upsetting’ footage of horse being hit with pole at Harborough district riding centre

The RSPCA is launching an urgent investigation after “upsetting” footage appeared on social media showing a horse being hit with a pole at a riding centre in a Harborough district village.

The pony, which has a rider on its back, crashes into a gate as she tries to get away in the incident at Saddington Riding School and Livery in Saddington, near Fleckney.

The RSPCA is now appealing to anyone with any information about the incident to contact them immediately after branding the startling footage “upsetting”.

The graphic video shows the animal being hit and poked on her backside by a woman brandishing a red and white plastic pole at the riding set-up at Manor Farm on Main Street, Saddington.

The grey female horse, called Echo, backs into a corner after being targeted.

The woman appears to pick something up from the ground and throw it at the frightened pony.

She then picks up the pole again and threatens the horse before she backs off.

Someone in the paddock bellows “Move forward!” as the pony skitters sideways and collides with a metal gate.

The video has been widely viewed after being posted up on to the TikTok social media site.

And dozens of people have posted up comments slamming the horse’s treatment.

As a result Saddington Riding School moved to put up a comment on its own Facebook page defending its actions.

Signed off by Emma Tate, the post says: “I could have got a lunge whip and used that on her like someone suggested, but I chose not to as I'm not a whip fan, I find these harsh and I wouldn't like to have a whip whacked against my backside, so instead I waved a hollow plastic pole behind her to try and make her go forward.

“When this didn't work, I did POKE her with it on her backside to encourage her to move forward.

“I can't get my head around how this would be classed as abuse but a sting from a whip would be okay!?

“Don't forget where the video is angled…

“After she went over the mounting block, you can clearly see I pulled the block out of the way to stop her hurting herself on it,” says the post.

“She then went backwards again so I threw sand at her rear end to get her to go forwards which unfortunately didn't work, so the plastic hollow pole came out again to encourage her to go forward.”

The RSPCA said it is now striving to establish exactly what happened as it carries out an inquiry into the drama.

A spokeswoman for the animal charity told the Harborough Mail: “This footage is upsetting and we are looking into it and would urge anyone with first-hand information about this incident to contact us on 0300 123 4999.”

The riding school has been asked for a comment.