Deputies investigate video of man beating horse in the face with a shovel
This still image was taken from a video posted on Facebook that shows a man hitting a horse with a shovel, eventually breaking the shovel. The post, which has been shared more than 5,000 times, prompted messages of concern and outrage to the Ozark County Times and the Ozark County Sheriff’s Office.
The Ozark County Sheriff’s Department is currently investigating a disturbing video in which a man reportedly hits a horse in the face and rear with a shovel.
Ozark County Chief Deputy Winston Collins told the Times Monday that the sheriff’s office is currently investigating the video and its portrayal of suspected animal abuse, so he couldn’t comment on the open case. He did confirm that a Gainesville man is a suspect and that the sheriff’s office is working closely with the prosecutor’s office to complete the investigation.
Collins said he could not release the suspect’s name until and unless formal charges are filed. If charges are filed, details will be published in an upcoming edition of the Times.
The video, 27 seconds long, opens with a man sitting on a saddled horse with another man standing about 8 feet away. The man holding the shovel raises it toward the horse and says, “Get moving. You better not go.”
The horse quickly spins around away from the shovel and stops. The man then walks toward the horse with the shovel.
A child, who is not visible in the video, can be heard saying, “Please don’t…”
A female, who is also not visible in the video and is presumably recording the incident, tells the child, “Shut up...”
The man then walks up to the horse and touches its face. The horse remains still.
The female can be heard telling the child, “Don’t look.”
The child says, “I want to look.”
Then the man raises the shovel behind his head, takes three steps forward and swings it full force with both arms, hitting the horse in the face. There is a loud impact, and the man says, “Go!”
There is a short pause, and the female then says, “Smack him on the butt.”
The man then walks toward the rear of the horse, backing up about 5 feet away, and again puts the shovel behind his head, takes several lunges forward and swings with full force, hitting the animal a second time on the rear, causing a loud impact and breaking the shovel in two.
Several people can be heard laughing as the metal shovel breaks from the handle.
The video has been shared at least 5,000 times, and people from all over the country have shown concern and anger. The Times received several Facebook messages asking that the shocking video be investigated, and the sheriff’s office has also reportedly received several calls about it.