On Saturday the 9th of May people from all over the country came together to rally against hunting. At the event organised by the League Against Cruel Sports, Megan McCubbin spoke about how “every animal in this situation is a victim.”
As the end of the government consultation into banning ‘trail hunting’ gets closer, the pro-hunt community are attempting to pull at heart strings by professing to deeply love their hounds and horses. However, each and every season we hear of and witness abhorrent acts of cruelty towards these animals, who are just as much victims of hunting as our wildlife is.
In 2023 Guy Fitzearle, the then Kimblewick Hunt huntsman savagely beat a hound in front of field riders. East Herts Sabs reported that “the hound wasn’t doing as it was told so he grabbed it by the tail, beat it around the head until it was covered in blood and the screams and howls were heard by all of the field riders. He apparently then turned on his horse.” We cannot confirm whether or not the hound survived its injuries. This is the same Guy Fitzearle that was huntsman of the Cotswold Hunt when a bagged fox was found by sabs.
Prior to this in 2022, renewable energy company Ecotricity published undercover footage filmed at the Carmathenshire Hunt kennels. The footage shows huntsman Will Pinkney shooting hounds in the head before throwing their bodies into bins. Will shot nine hounds in 40 minutes. Hounds are expendable tools for hunts who despite an impending ban on hunting, are continuing to breed them. Older hounds, or hounds who are surplus to requirement usually, are shot and disposed of to make way for the younger hounds, prior to the cubbing season. This cull of hounds happens every single year, but Pinkney insisted to members of South Wales Hunt Sabs, that he “loves them. These are my life.”
In December 2023 hounds from the Mid-Devon Hunt were left to run around on the busy A30 road. Unfortunately, one of these hounds was found with a broken back. The member of the public who found them took them to the vets, where sadly they had to be put to sleep. Shortly after, Devon County Hunt Sabs were made aware of another hound lying at the side of the A30. Sabs attended and confirmed that this second hound was also dead. The hunt had been in this area earlier on in the day and had just left hounds behind. This shows how little they care and how they view hounds as disposable.
It’s not just hounds that suffer at the hands of hunts. There have been sickening amounts of cruelty towards horses reported each and every season.
Only last year in October 2025, Calder Valley Hunt Sabs released a video of Middleton huntsman Jason O’Donnell violently whipping his frightened horse. In another case of disgusting cruelty, in 2024, East Yorkshire Coast Hunt Sabs captured drone footage of Derwent Hunt huntsman and farrier Damian Redman, repeatedly striking a horse at the hunt kennels. The footage shows Redman entering the stables and kicking the horse to make it stand up. Moments later he clearly strikes the horse with hard punches to its side, and it was suspected that he may have used some type of electric shock weapon, causing the horse to collapse.
Who can forget the pony puncher Sarah Moulds who was caught on camera by a Hertfordshire Hunt Sab kicking and punching a pony. The pony was being held so tightly by the reins that it could barely move and was visibly flinching as Sarah launched her attack. Other riders, hunt supporters and stewards stood by and did nothing, accepting of this violence. Thankfully a saboteur intervened and shouted at her to stop the attack. Speaking to the HSA the sab stated “Honestly, I was shocked but, as we witness animal abuse week in, week out I was not surprised. We all know how quick-tempered hunt members can be, however if you can react like that to a pony – kicking, slapping, and punching them in the face in full view on a public road – it suggests it is normal behaviour and even considered acceptable. Of course, it is not acceptable and mistreating an animal like that is a terrible lesson for the youngsters watching on.”
These are not isolated incidents, violence towards animals is a prevalent part of hunting. Whether it is the wildlife that is being hunted, hounds or horses, they are all victims. You can end this cycle of abuse by completing the government consultation into banning ‘trail hunting.’ The HSA has provided guidance to assist you with this process and this can be found here.
Hounds, horses and our wildlife deserve better than this.
The government has launched a public consultation on Trail Hunting – this is our chance to stop cruel hunting for good. You can read the HSA’s guidance and take part in the consultation here. The deadline is 18th June 2026 – make sure your voice is heard.
Take part in the Trail Hunting Consultation now:
Support our vital work by becoming a member.
We are the only organisation that works directly in the field to save wildlife through direct action.
