Canadian trainer charged after video shows horse being dragged by vehicle (VIDEO)

Dec 1 2022, 6:18 pm

Editor’s note: This article discusses animal abuse and contains a graphic video.

An equestrian trainer from Ontario is facing animal abuse charges after a video of a distressed horse began making rounds on the internet earlier this month.

People on Facebook began sharing videos and photos which appeared to show 23-year-old Solstice Pecile dragging a horse on a road while it resisted. The horse is tied to a moving vehicle and its hind legs can be seen scraping against the asphalt.

Another clip shows large pools of blood that had spurted from the horse’s back hooves. Pecile also has dried blood on her hands, and can be heard saying “awesome” and “fantastic” calmly, then calling the horse an ableist slur.

animal abuse

Wishing Stone Farm

Evidence was reportedly first posted on the Facebook page Ontario Equestrian Connection.  Northumberland OPP and the Society for the Prevention of Animal Cruelty (SPCA) were on the case by November 3.

“Solstice Pecile of her family’s facility Wishing Stone Farm in Millbrook, Ontario, shared the following videos of her ‘training’ a client horse by dragging it behind a moving truck,” wrote Jamie Magdalene, adding that this was not the first time Pecile had dragged a client’s animal using a motorized vehicle.

“She sent these videos to friends and also posted it on her public page thinking people would find it funny,” Magdalene further revealed. “Please watch with caution. It is one of the worst things I have ever seen.”

With the equestrian community outraged about the blatant animal abuse, word quickly reached the ministry of the solicitor general, which took swift action.

“The ministry can confirm that Solstice Pecile, 23, of the Township of Cavan Monaghan has been charged with Causing Distress to an Animal under Section 15 (1) of the Provincial Animal Welfare Services Act,” Brent Ross, spokesperson for the ministry of the solicitor general, told Daily Hive in an email.

“It is expected that the accused will appear in court on January 11, 2023, at the Cobourg Provincial Offences Court,” he added.

Further details on the matter could be revealed as the case is in the hands of the court.

Luckily, there is some good news. The horse, whose name is Ezra, was tracked down and is now safe with her previous owner, Emily Reardon.

Ezra is five years old and was formerly an unhandled bucking horse. She came to Reardon when she was four and needed a lot of training and effort to learn to trust humans.

When her trainer unexpectedly got injured and Ezra’s care began to put a significant dent in Reardon’s wallet, she put her in the care of what she thought was a “reputable trainer” and a forever home. When news of Ezra’s abuse broke, Reardon decided to reunite with her and give her a safe environment again.

A GoFundMe was set up to cover the expenses incurred while rebuying, rehabilitating, and transporting, along with vet visit costs. It has exceeded its $6,000 goal and currently stands at $7,050 from 122 donors.

“[Ezra] will be getting all the love, attention, and treats she deserves,” wrote Reardon in the fundraiser description. “She will never be at risk, she will never go through that again, this is my horse and she will be mine forever.”

GET MORE VANCOUVER NEWS
Want to stay in the loop with more Daily Hive content and News in your area? Check out all of our Newsletters here.
Buzz Connected Media Inc. #400 – 1008 Homer Street, Vancouver, B.C. V6B 2X1 [email protected] View Rules
National Trending StaffNational Trending Staff

+ News
+ Pets & Animals
+ Canada
+ Videos
+ Crime
ADVERTISEMENT