Copied from r/antiwork (u/JoustingForPay)
CONTENT WARNING: Animal Abuse
My name is Jake Bowman and I am a knight at Medieval Times in Buena Park. I have worked at this location for over a year and in that time I have seen repeated instances of horse abuse and mistreatment that has directly affected not only the animals, but the health and safety of the performers who ride and work with these animals daily.
I have posted a video detailing a recent incident involving our head horse trainer at the Buena Park castle. In horse training, the use of certain tools (such as a whip) are common practice, but there comes a point when a whip is no longer a tool but a weapon to beat an animal into submission. As displayed in this video, the horse trainer at the Buena Park castle is using the whip as a weapon. This is not the first time such mistreatment from our horse trainer has occurred.
Every time this occurs it puts undue stress and discomfort on the animal, which we as performers then have to ride and work with. Our job is dangerous enough as it is and in these circumstances the danger is increased for the performers exponentially.
Live animals are unpredictable at best. Traumatized animals are far more likely to behave erratically, which means that even trained stunt performers like the performers at Medieval Times are at a much higher risk of serious injury. There’s a considerable difference between an intentional fall off a horse and getting thrown or kicked by a horse that’s having a trauma response.
We have brought concerns about this trainer’s treatment of the horses to management repeatedly over a number of incidents that are much worse than being shown in the video and pictures. Each time we have been ignored. The consistent refrain has been, “if the horse trainer says it’s not abuse, then it’s not abuse.”
This habitual dismissal by upper management with regard to our own health and safety concerns factored heavily into our decision to unionize last year.
It is no secret that the knights, squires, and show cast of the Buena Park castle are currently on strike due to unfair labor practices committed by Medieval Times. This video came into our possession since we have been outside of the castle and unable to advocate for the proper, safe care of the horses (and by extension, ensure the safety of their riders) from within the castle.
For the safety of the performers (both present and future) who ride these animals and for the safety and treatment of the animals themselves I want to make everyone aware of what’s been happening and to hold this company accountable for the treatment of its employees and its animals whom they consider to be the stars of their show.
Twitter Thread with additional videos.
Edit: We have spoken to animal control and reported the abuse. We sent them the pictures and everything and they didn’t do anything. They showed up on site and toured the barn then left. Our barn is relatively clean and the animals are fed decently, though I would argue not well enough, so there’s nothing specifically to see when you walk through the barn. The issue is with our specific horse trainer and assistant horse trainer who go way to far in the “training” of these animals. Their behavior is unacceptable and at this point it’s only through the help of the public that we can hold them accountable.
ETA: Further information can be found in this TikTok
