A primary school teacher has been sacked in connection with a video of a woman punching and kicking a horse that was shared online.
Sarah Moulds, 37, has lost her job at the Mowbray Education Trust in Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire.
The video, posted on Twitter in November by Hertfordshire Hunt Saboteurs, shows a woman, believed to be a follower of the Cottesmore Hunt, trying to get a horse to enter its trailer by grabbing the reins and repeatedly kicking, slapping and punching the animal.
The RSPCA described the footage as “really upsetting” and is investigating the incident.
In a statement, chief operating officer of Mowbray Education Trust, Paul Maddox said: “I can confirm that Sarah Moulds’ employment with the Trust has been terminated.
“As a Trust we are committed to ensuring the best standard of education for all of our young people and we look forward to continuing this throughout the 2021/22 academic year and beyond.”
A local pony club had previously removed the woman in the video from her voluntary position with them and the Cottesmore Hunt said a “thorough internal investigation” had meant a “follower will not participate in trail hunting” with them.
They previously said they “strongly disapprove” of the video of “one of our followers mistreating a pony”.
The RSPCA has urged anyone with information about the incident to contact the charity on 0300 123 4999.