Legendary event rider Sir Mark Todd allegedly whipped a horse with a branch ten times to make it go through a water obstacle, according to a social media post.
Shocking video footage, which is believed to be two years old and has recently resurfaced on social media, allegedly shows the New Zealand horseman, 65, repeatedly smacking a horse with a stick.
In the clip, shared to TikTok this week by horse rider Chloe T, shows a horse grinding to a halt in front of a jump into a pool of water.
The rider tries to get the horse moving and a man, alleged to be Sir Todd, walks up behind the horse and begins hitting its back legs with what appears to be a branch.
The horse jumps from side to side, but still doesn't move forwards through the water obstacle, and the animal is hit ten times before jumping into the water, the footage shows.
People can then be heard cheering as the horse trots through the pool of water. It is not known where the footage was taken.
Commenting on the clip, social media users slammed the alleged whipping as 'abusive' and 'unacceptable', with a caption alongside the clip reading: 'After seeing the full video anyone is still indecisive over there stance on this, IT IS abusive and IT IS unacceptable.'
Meanwhile, equine and farm supply company Equiwarehouse shared the video to its Facebook page and said it would no longer be selling any Mark Todd products in response.
The company wrote: 'With no regret at all, we will no longer be selling any Mark Todd clothing, horse wear or feed.
'Mark Todd Eventing you should be utterly ashamed of yourself, vile 'professional' and disgrace of a human.'
Meanwhile, other social media users were quick to slam the alleged whipping as 'heartbreaking' and 'disgusting'.
Taking to TikTok, one person wrote: 'Absolutely heartbreaking to watch, i'm so sorry you both had to go though that.'
Another said: 'I literally can't even watch this. i have to pause it every time.'
A third commented: 'That's awful! I'm so sorry your horse had to go through that.'
And a fourth penned: 'That is no way to treat any animal.'
When asked if she had sent the footage to the International Federation for Equestrian Sports (FEI), poster Chloe said she was 'scared of backlash'.
It is not known if the alleged incident has been reported to the sports governing body.
Sir Todd began his successful 22-year career as an event and show jumping rider after realising he was too tall to achieve his dream becoming a jockey.
His achievements include winning two Olympic gold medals at the Los Angeles and the Seoul Games, and taking the top spot at the World Championships in 1990 and 1998.
The esteemed rider, who was voted Rider of the 20th century by the International Federation for Equestrian Sports, has also won the Badminton Horse Trials four times and Burghley five times. He also competed at the Summer 2012 Olympics, becoming New Zealand's second oldest Olympian to compete at the Games.
Shocking video footage, which is believed to be two years old and has recently resurfaced on social media, allegedly shows the New Zealand horseman, 65, repeatedly smacking a horse with a stick.
In the clip, shared to TikTok this week by horse rider Chloe T, shows a horse grinding to a halt in front of a jump into a pool of water.
The rider tries to get the horse moving and a man, alleged to be Sir Todd, walks up behind the horse and begins hitting its back legs with what appears to be a branch.
The horse jumps from side to side, but still doesn't move forwards through the water obstacle, and the animal is hit ten times before jumping into the water, the footage shows.
People can then be heard cheering as the horse trots through the pool of water. It is not known where the footage was taken.
Commenting on the clip, social media users slammed the alleged whipping as 'abusive' and 'unacceptable', with a caption alongside the clip reading: 'After seeing the full video anyone is still indecisive over there stance on this, IT IS abusive and IT IS unacceptable.'
Meanwhile, equine and farm supply company Equiwarehouse shared the video to its Facebook page and said it would no longer be selling any Mark Todd products in response.
The company wrote: 'With no regret at all, we will no longer be selling any Mark Todd clothing, horse wear or feed.
'Mark Todd Eventing you should be utterly ashamed of yourself, vile 'professional' and disgrace of a human.'
Meanwhile, other social media users were quick to slam the alleged whipping as 'heartbreaking' and 'disgusting'.
Taking to TikTok, one person wrote: 'Absolutely heartbreaking to watch, i'm so sorry you both had to go though that.'
Another said: 'I literally can't even watch this. i have to pause it every time.'
A third commented: 'That's awful! I'm so sorry your horse had to go through that.'
And a fourth penned: 'That is no way to treat any animal.'
When asked if she had sent the footage to the International Federation for Equestrian Sports (FEI), poster Chloe said she was 'scared of backlash'.
It is not known if the alleged incident has been reported to the sports governing body.
Sir Todd began his successful 22-year career as an event and show jumping rider after realising he was too tall to achieve his dream becoming a jockey.
His achievements include winning two Olympic gold medals at the Los Angeles and the Seoul Games, and taking the top spot at the World Championships in 1990 and 1998.
The esteemed rider, who was voted Rider of the 20th century by the International Federation for Equestrian Sports, has also won the Badminton Horse Trials four times and Burghley five times. He also competed at the Summer 2012 Olympics, becoming New Zealand's second oldest Olympian to compete at the Games.
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