AN OUTLAW HORSE.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 200, 24 August 1926, Page 6

AN OUTLAW HORSE.

METHODS OF CONTROL. RIDER ACQUITTED OF CRUELTY. ' MAGISTRATE CENSURES OWNER. (By Telegraph.—Owu Correspondent.) STRATFORD, this day. A case described by Mr. Tate, S.M., as affording an interesting sidelight on the ethics of racing was before the Police Court yesterday, when Sydney Oakley, licensed jockey, was charged with ill-treating a racehorse.

Evidence for the police showed that the horse was being ridden by accused, and took fright at a pipe band while proceeding along the street.

One witness said that, after the animal had been mastered, accused hit it on the head between the ears with the butt end of a whip, also across the ears and eyes.

Evidence for the defence was given by several racing men, and went to show that the horse was an outlaw with a tendency to rear up and fall back on its rider, and that the only way to deal with such a horse was to hit it between the ears, which was the customary method adopted in such circumstances.

It was denied that accused struck the animal on the eye. It was also stated that the horse's body was covered with canvas, while a hood of ielt was on its head, and .therefore the blows could not have hurt it.

Mr. Coleman, for accused, said that, had the horse fallen on the rider, there was a danger of the latter being killed. While claiming that there was no undue cruelty, counsel submitted that, even had accused been cruel, he would be justified in his action in order to save himself from injury or death.

The magistrate, in dismissing the information, said that racing people keeping horses of such a kind must have something on their consciences. He advised the police to ascertain the possibility of taking action against the owner for keeping such an animal, and expressed the opinion that the horse should be shot.