Shocking video: Olympic champion defeats a horse

He is considered a great player in equestrian sports and has won trophies and awards while he was active. But now there are serious allegations against Sir Mark Todd. Reason: A video has just been posted.

Repeatedly takes and hits. Hitting the back of the horse with each blow, the animal stands hesitantly in front of a puddle, not wanting to get in. Hit the stick seven times, eight times, nine times, and ten times. Only then does the horse jump into the water, and the rider is helpless.

These scenes can be seen in a video that is now circulating on social media – and causing an uproar. Because the racket is none other than Sir Mark Todd who won Olympic gold for New Zealand in 1984 and 1988, a true star of his sport. The 65-year-old was even dubbed the “Rider of the 20th Century” by the FEI.

The video is from a teaching session in Scotland and is said to be around two years old. It has now been posted on social media platform Tiktok – and has consequences for Todd: The British Horseracing Authority (BHA), the regulator for equestrian sports in Great Britain, has temporarily suspended Todd. This means that he cannot participate in competitions in Great Britain or internationally – but he can continue to teach.

“I feel very disappointed in myself”

Todd has already accepted the penalty and is very disappointed in himself. “The coach has confirmed his presence in this video, has apologized and agreed to impose a temporary suspension,” the British Airports Association said in a statement.

However, Todd may not face any further penalties – the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SSPCA), which deals with cases of cruelty to animals, may no longer have any effect. “The evidence must be no more than six months old when submitted,” a spokesperson for the organization was quoted by the Daily Mail as saying. However, financially speaking, leaks can have an impact. Equiwarehouse, which provides equestrian equipment, among other things, has already announced that it will remove the two-time Olympic champion group from the range.

“I always advocate mutual respect between horse and rider and that patience and love are the best way to achieve good results,” Todd said in his statement. “I am very disappointed in myself that I did not commit to this cause.”