German ex-toprider caught (again) on hidden camera (*warning* horse abuse)

[sm1]

@egontoast;3567093

It wasn’t that long ago we read about the prosecution of the American who beat her horse in the face with the chain end of the lead. How did that get into the legal system? She was charged, convicted and the horse was taken from her, I believe? Someone must have reported the abuse or nothing would have happened.

yes, and the authorities stuck with it. There was only an eye witness (no video) and it happened at a boarding facility. The rider’s trainer, who witnessed abuse many times of this same horse, didn’t want to get involved and refused to co-operate with authorities. But the authorities stuck with the case and followed up every single lead.

Now we have a video, thankfully the horse (supposedly, I can’t watch this stuff) did nothing – so that means the abuser wasn’t afraid of life or limb and can’t plead self-defense.

All that’s left is to get this scumbag — and find that horse a good home. I hope that defendant is not allowed anywhere near any animal til the case is heard. With the American abuser, her horse was removed IMMEDIATELY until legal took it’s course. And with court delays from her lawyer, it took a while for the system to work.

[flshgordon]

@slc2;3567042

Several people have mentioned that they are afraid to report abuse due to fear of harm to their horses. Actually I can sympathize with that. Most barns don’t allow one to move immediately, many people don’t even have a trailer, or even a place to take ttheir horse to. Some can’t even afford to move. Many may realize that the abuser will easily guess who reported them, even if it is done anonymously. A person can’t conceal his or her disgust in these situations, and it’s bound to be obvious who can’t stand it.
.

Bullsh#t!!! You call a friend (or hell even the farmer down the road), to come pick up your horse, get it the hell out of there and put it in your back yard if you have to. You DO NOT stand by and watch that happen because you fear for your own horse. If you are that afraid for your own horse then you knew better than to be there in the first place. This is not about someone “letting you leave”. If I saw something like that I would be there ASAP with an armed policeman at my side if I needed to be. And I would help anyone I know do the same.

[sm1]

In my case I called my vet to pick my horse up. I said, this is not an emergency but how soon – tell me in minutes – can you get a trailer in here and pick up my horse. Then he stayed with the vet, at a cheaper per day price I might add, until I could find him a suitable barn.

Obviously, any vet can pull a horse out anytime, it doesn’t need to be a major production with whoever is at the barn. Had the shoe been on the other foot, I would have given the owner a heads up, and a vet to call who would have turnout for the horse, even if it I had to do it anonymously.

[Alice]

Could some nice person out there roughly tranlate for us what was said on the video?

Was the blond woman and plaid shirted man talking to the reporter Christine and another boarder/worker/friend?

[Jumpin_Horses]

I will ask my niece. she is in Germany right now (I think) so it may take a couple of days, but, she is good at interpreting…

[atr]

There is always somewhere else to go and some means of getting there if you really want to. You CAN’T just stand by and let this happen.

If you do nothing else you can at least vote with your feet.

And really, if you board and you don’t have a bolt hole of some kind lined up for your horse in case of an emergency, (flood, wildfire, death of barn owner, falling out with barn manager, you name it…) you are really not being very smart.

[amastrike]

The story is on FHOTD, and there’s a translation of what was said.

Newsreader: This is the training of a dressage horse: Again and again the former top rider, whose name we can’t disclose due to legal reasons, hits the animal for 30 minutes non stop. A hidden camera films the totaly terrified horse even being beaten with the butt of the whip. We show the footage to the editor in chief of a reputable equestrian magazine (Oldenburger Sportpferd Magazine). He is shocked.

Jan Toenjes: You don’t understand “What is she doing there?” and the horse certainly doesn’t understand it either! A senseless beating…I’m just lost for words!"

Newsreader: The former well known dressage rider hits her horse almost 500 times alone in this 30 minute training session, but when she is confronted with her actions she denies them

Reporter: “Why do you do this?”
Wels : “I don’t do “this” at all!”
Reporter: “Why are you denying this?”
Wels : “I don’t torture horses-why don’t you go and have a look at the horses?”

But pictures speak a different language:

An animal protection worker leads the horses out of the boxes and they show evident signs of mistreatment. The pasterns are bleeding and their mouths show the scars of deep wounds-obviously the results of the brutal trainings methods. This is not the first time this athlete (trainer) has been accused of mistreatment of animals and is probably the reason she has now moved to Denmark . Animal protection organisations intend to forward this footage to the authorities so we never have to witness these images of tortured horses again.

[DancingQueen]

I just red this in a swedish online publication. I posted the link to the hunter/jumper since that’s where I hang out mostly. After that, I ventured over here to see if it had already gotten ripples big enough to reach our shore and I’m glad to see it did!

IMO the girl in question belongs in a psichiatric ward.
The clips of her riding the horse could be explained. If I (having seen just this) had to argue for her, I would make up a scenario in my head where a stallion treid to mount a mare while under saddle or similar.
I could probably make up an excuse of sorts and cry “sensationalist journalism” then just shake my head at the whole thing.

BUT, it starts with the defendant tying a horses head to his chest and then cracking the whip on his ass repeatedly for no apparent reason. I just don’t get it… According to reporting journalist she strikes him 470 times in one session!
(I juswt want to buy him and love him for the rest of his life!)

I have known individuals who were severely lacking in the emphathy field. These individuals have however all been very aware of the value of their property. This girl seems both completely void of emotion toward a living thing. More scary then that, she is also either completely ignorant of how her behavour affects the value of the horses in her training or more she just does not care.
This to me breaths of more severe underlying issues!
Simply slapping her with restrictions will not do. She will move from country to country. When she runs out of horses she will take to dogs. When she gets chased away from the dog community too she will start to have children. She might raise them in her basement…

This is a very sick person and she needs help! Pray German laws doesn’t require for her to do something even worse before she is forced to seek the help she so clearly needs!

IMO. Fining her a big enough (earmarked) sum to either provide for the rehab of the horses who has fallen victim of her training, or the lifelong retirement of those who can’t function anymore only seems fair. This of course in conjunction with mental treatment.

I also hope that somebody realizes that

[Jumpin_Horses]

I know how you feel… I just want that poor horse in my barn. what an incredible animal.

[hessy35]

[QUOTE=Bugs-n-Frodo;3566967]
I am with you on all accounts sista! I think I might have been tempted to be HER with the whip… I can’t believe someone would do that to a horse.

I still can’t believe the horse put up with it.[/QUOTE]

I have a strong feeling that horse knows all too well that if she doesn’t put up with it then the beating gets even worse… poor thing. That mare is doing her best to listen and do as she’s told. I’m beginning to think the trainer (sad example of a human) wanted that mare to hop around like that in the canter. The repeated smack, smack, smack with every stride making the horse leap looks intentional to me and like exactly what that bitch of a trainer was looking for! … poor mare. Too bad her hoof didn’t hit her owner square in the face.

[amastrike]

[QUOTE=hessy35;3570097]
I have a strong feeling that horse knows all too well that if she doesn’t put up with it then the beating gets even worse… poor thing. That mare is doing her best to listen and do as she’s told.[/QUOTE]
Definitely.

[BornToRide]

OMG, words fail me. I am suprised she has not been seriously hurt or worse killed by any of the horses she abuses in this way. Wonder where she will move to next to continue to work if she’s not jailed…

[Jumpin_Horses]

I dont speak German, but, on another forum someone posted this and said it was from her previous case

http://www3.ndr.de/ndrtv_pages_video/0,,SPM14440_VID4235588_TYPflashhigh_LOCint,00.html

ETA -

good - its on YouTube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4EzHtNzlxW8

hopefully word gets out and this varmit will never be able to touch another horse again.

We should get all of Christine Wels’s horses to HalfPassGal for rehab.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNMIz-RjJyw

[Bugs-n-Frodo]

[QUOTE=Jumpin_Horses;3570120]
We should get all of Christine Wels’s horses to HalfPassGal for rehab.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNMIz-RjJyw[/QUOTE]

:lol: I agree!

[Alagirl]

@Jumpin_Horses;3570120

I dont speak German, but, on another forum someone posted this and said it was from her previous case

http://www3.ndr.de/ndrtv_pages_video/0,,SPM14440_VID4235588_TYPflashhigh_LOCint,00.html

ETA -

good - its on YouTube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4EzHtNzlxW8

hopefully word gets out and this varmit will never be able to touch another horse again.

We should get all of Christine Wels’s horses to HalfPassGal for rehab.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNMIz-RjJyw

The Clip from the German news states that the DA is satisfied with the verdict - 6300 Euro and no owning dealing or contact with Horses for 2 years, but that 2 cases did not receive punishment and they are going to check if there are grounds for appeal… (the bald dude with the glasses)

The FN had expelled her for the 'training methods.

Very much nut shell…

(and holy flippin cow, I forgot about that halfpass gal…)

[Ghazzu]

@slc2;3567042

Most barns don’t allow one to move immediately…

Where do you get your bizarre statistics? Certainly not from the real world.

Absent an outstanding bill, a barn has no standing to prevent an owner from removing his horse at any time.

[MySparrow]

I confess I haven’t read every post on this thread, but does anyone know who the individual is who is standing there and WATCHING CW batter that beautiful mare in the video? Surely that person should also be prosecuted?

[ridgeback]

[QUOTE=MySparrow;3571911]
I confess I haven’t read every post on this thread, but does anyone know who the individual is who is standing there and WATCHING CW batter that beautiful mare in the video? Surely that person should also be prosecuted?[/QUOTE]

Are you serious?? People walk by people being attacked on the streets in this country yet you want to prosecute someone for standing next to the person taking the video?

[FatCatFarm]

Absolutely sickening.:mad:

[SilverBalls]

[QUOTE=FatCatFarm;3572053]
Absolutely sickening.:mad:[/QUOTE]

Reprehensible There are not words to describe this woman… well there are… but you’ll have to PM me… :eek: