Published on stuff.co.nz 11 July 2023
Professional rider beat horse for two minutes after it didn’t do what she wanted during A&P show
A professional rider whose abuse of her horse at an A&P show disgusted observers has failed to get either a discharge without conviction or have her name suppressed.
As reported in The Press, Rebecca Smithey had pleaded guilty to a charge of mistreating an animal arising from an incident in February 2022 at the North Otago A&P show, where she was employed to ride the horse Nobel Soul, also known as Solly.
At the event, the horse began spinning and was getting out of control. Smithey claimed her actions were aimed at re-establishing dominance.
She repeatedly kicked the horse in the knees, slapped him around the neck and chest with the reins, struck him on the head and jabbed him in the mouth using the bit and reins.
She waved her hands in the horse’s face and shouted at him. The acts were done while walking towards the horse, forcing him to walk backwards.
The incident lasted over two minutes, with one minute and 11 seconds recorded on video, which captured comments from upset bystanders.
In March Judge Tony Couch fined her $1650 and declined applications for discharge without conviction and name suppression. Smithey appealed to the High Court.
In a decision released on June 27, Justice Rachel Dunningham declined the appeal, saying Smithey had not reached the required thresholds.
It comes almost 18 months after New Zealand equestrian great Sir Mark Todd was banned from the sport for four months, after video emerged of him whipping a horse with a tree branch.
The clip, which was shared on TikTok, showed Todd striking a horse 10 times as it stood near of a pool of water, before eventually entering to the sound of cheers from onlookers.