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A woman filmed kicking and striking a pony during a hunt has been cleared of animal cruelty charges.
The RSPCA brought a private prosecution after Sarah Moulds, 39, disciplined the animal in Lincolnshire in 2021.
Ms Moulds and supporters wept as she was cleared of two charges at Lincoln Crown Court.
Afterwards, she criticised the RSPCA, saying it had been "pressured" to act by "online bullies and ill-informed high-profile individuals".
Ms Moulds faced two charges under the Animal Welfare Act 2006, namely causing unnecessary suffering to the pony and not taking reasonable steps to protect the animal from pain, suffering, injury or disease.
The court heard differing veterinary opinions about how much pain and fear the pony might have suffered.
Ms Moulds, from Somerby, near Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, said she intended to "briefly shock" the animal but denied losing her temper and insisted the force used was appropriate.
She told the court her life had been "torn to pieces" by the case, having lost her job as a teacher, and that she had received death threats.
After a three-day trial and just over five hours of deliberation, the jury of 11 men and one woman cleared Ms Moulds.
Recorder Graham Huston, addressing the jury, said: "Ladies and gentlemen, thank you very much. I know it was not an easy case, no case is easy, but some cases are more difficult than others.
"What is obvious is you gave this case the utmost attention and you proceeded with your deliberations carefully and thoroughly and I am very grateful to you."
'Immediately chastised'
The court had heard Ms Moulds had made "minimal contact" with the pony, which she still owned, and that there were no signs of external or internal injury following the incident, which took place in The Drift, Gunby, on 6 November 2021.
Ms Moulds had been riding with children as part of the Cottesmore Hunt - one of Britain's oldest foxhound packs.
One of her own animals, called Bruce Almighty, pulled away from a child but quickly returned.
As the pony returned, the court was told Ms Moulds "immediately chastised him".
A hunt saboteur filmed Ms Moulds kicking the horse in the chest and slapping him four times in the face before returning him to the horse box.
Ms Moulds said: "In that moment [Bruce] has done something incredibly dangerous and, in that exact moment, I decided that the right thing to do was discipline him quickly.
"In reality, in that moment, it was four seconds. My intention was then, and always was, to discipline Bruce in the moment so that he does not do it again.
"There was minimal contact and it was so quick and so short."
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2023-08-25 13:16:17Z
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