Vocal Voices

What a pathetic country we have become.

Firstly, to be sacked as a teacher for something that happened outside of school, was not illegal and was not education related.

Secondly, because she was chastising an animal four times her size, much more powerful, out on the public highway and not able to be sat down and reasoned with.

I have had horses. They can often go off on one and when they do they can become a danger to others. The only thing to do is let them know who's the boss and that sometimes requires physical measures. Watch any mare with her foals to see how it is done in their world.

Livid.

sorry Frank, am going to totally 100% disagree with you

When she got hold of that horse by its reins she didn't try to move it away or calm it; she just laid into it. There is controlling physical force and there is abusive physical force, and what she did was abusive physical force.

OK, we can disagree on her actions, but how many of us have children or pets? How many of us have used a slap to protect or chastise them?

Would it be a sacking offence if we did? There would be plenty of us out of work if so.

I'm with Ria, I saw the footage and her behaviour was disgraceful! My friend's daughter owns three horses, two cannot be ridden and one of those is a rescue pony. She would never lay into one of them like that

Also, I can say hand on heart that I never hit my kids. I did discipline them but in my opinion hitting is not necessary, and what does it teach them? They seem to have grown into nice adults anyway.

That woman has a nasty temper, and is abusive, so shouldn't be in charge of children.

I agree with Ria and Kaz. She treated the poor horse viciously and I have no sympathy for her - if she was my child’s teacher, I’d be supporting the school firing her.

I would have loved to see anyone on here handle our Bobby when he was going off on one, he could easily put you in hospital, or worse. Horses ain't hamsters. They are big and powerful and just like humans they have their own personalities - not always cuddly.

I'll leave it at that.

Osc wrote:She treated the poor horse viciously and I have no sympathy for her - if she was my child’s teacher, I’d be supporting the school firing her.

I think Osc's comments sum up my view of it, but just add a couple of points:

I don't think the Academy Trust that employed her had any option other than to sack her. If even some of the parents of children at that school took exception to her teaching / looking after their children, the Academy would be on a complete hiding to nothing, reputation-wise.

And like some of you, I have also "handled" a horse. Once. It was an escaped hunter, loose on a main road near Crewkerne, which I somehow managed, having leapt out of my car, to corral, calm down, and lead into someone's driveway. I was foolish, mad to get involved, and it was scary, especially when it tried to give me a Glasgow Kiss. The bottom line - horses are dangerous creatures and not to be treated lightly. And yes, sometimes (as with any farm animal) force is required to get it to obey. Ever tried, for example, moving a cow that doesn't want to be moved? So I am a bit loathe to judge the amount of force that this lady employed on her nag, except to say that the video didn't look good ....

I'm with WM.
Yes, she lost her temper, she was out of order.
But to lose your career for it? No.

I have just watched that clip, I took WM's comments on board and expected to see a large horse, rearing, tossing its head, trying to bite. What did I see, a smallish horse, trotting around, going up to its owner happy to be caught. Its owner that then booted, and smacked it several times around the face. Sorry but if she can lose her cool that quick with an animal I wouldn't want her around difficult, annoying children either. Presume horse has now learnt its lesson and next time will be less amenable to being handled

Well said xx