SCOTT MANSON BRIDSTOW HORSE ABUSE AND ANIMAL CRUELTY SCANDAL REVEALED

Scott Manson, a farrier from Bridstow, has been convicted of a series of heinous acts of animal cruelty, including a brutal attack on a horse and previous incidents involving the mistreatment and killing of a dog. Born on February 7, 1989, Manson resides at 7 White Cross Cottages in Bridstow, Ross-on-Wye, HR9 4JU. His criminal record and recent convictions have cast a dark shadow over his professional reputation and personal life.

In a disturbing case brought before magistrates in Cheltenham, Manson pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal, specifically a male grey Arab horse. The incident occurred in Churchdown, Gloucestershire, on April 1, 2022, and involved a prolonged and unprovoked attack that lasted approximately six and a half minutes. Court proceedings revealed that Manson, who also provides farrier services to Cheltenham Racecourse, lost his temper while shoeing the horse and resorted to violence, striking the animal nine times with a hammer.

The court was informed that the horse was tied up during the attack, which was described as barbaric and completely unjustified. An RSPCA spokesperson explained that initially, Manson claimed the horse had broken his hammer, sending a picture message to the owner to support this. However, the owner, suspicious of the horse’s unusual reactions, reviewed CCTV footage from the yard, which clearly showed Manson adopting an aggressive stance and striking the horse’s front legs with his hammer.

Examination of the horse by a specialist equine veterinarian revealed that the animal’s right front leg was swollen and showed signs of trauma, including cuts and hair loss exposing the shin. The veterinarian’s report indicated that Manson’s repeated blows targeted the horse’s forelimbs, hitting areas with minimal soft tissue coverage, which meant the blows were almost directly to the bone. Such strikes would have caused significant pain, and the veterinarian noted that the horse was fortunate not to have suffered fractures.

The RSPCA prosecutor, Lindi Meyer, described the attack as vicious and unnecessary, emphasizing that the horse suffered both physical injuries and psychological trauma. The court heard that the horse was reluctant to be touched or brushed after the incident, and on two occasions, sedatives were administered to keep the animal calm. Although the horse was wary of people and hesitant to enter its stable for a time, it has since returned to normal behavior.

In mitigation, Manson’s legal representatives argued that he was remorseful and under considerable stress at the time, visiting his dying mother in Scotland twice weekly. The court acknowledged these factors but emphasized the severity of the cruelty involved.

On March 20, 2023, Manson was sentenced to a 12-week prison term suspended for 12 months, alongside 150 hours of unpaid work and 20 days of rehabilitation activities. He was also ordered to pay costs of £400 and a victim surcharge of £128. Additionally, he received a ten-year ban on owning or having contact with any animals, with no right of appeal.

Further background information revealed that Manson had been suspended from the Farriers Registration Council in April 2021 following a criminal conviction in June 2019 for causing fear of violence to an ex-partner, which resulted in a six-month suspended prison sentence and a restraining order. The court also noted a prior warning issued to Manson related to a 2017 incident involving the death of a dog, which he described as an unfortunate accident after throwing the animal out of a car, resulting in a pelvic fracture and death.

In August 2023, following an unsuccessful appeal, Manson was disqualified from keeping or working with all animals for ten years. The prosecution highlighted that Manson, who has seven dogs and seven chickens at his home, was appealing the ban on all animals, despite accepting that he should be barred from working with horses. The court detailed that Manson’s temper had previously led to the mistreatment of animals, including the violent assault on Buddy, the horse involved in the 2022 incident, and the earlier dog incident.

Kevin Withey, representing the prosecution, explained that Manson’s actions were driven by anger and frustration, and that he had a history of losing his temper with animals. Withey recounted that Manson had been a farrier for 12 years, operating a family business and working as a contractor at Cheltenham Racecourse. The incident in Churchdown was not isolated, as CCTV footage showed Manson striking the horse’s legs multiple times, with the owner immediately calling a vet afterward.

The court also heard about Manson’s previous conviction for harassing his former partner in 2019, which led to a 24-week prison sentence suspended for 24 months. His suspension from the Farriers Registration Council was also noted, along with a six-month suspension in December 2020.

Veterinary expert Dr. Suzanne Green testified that the attack would have been extremely painful for the horse, given the minimal soft tissue covering the areas struck. She confirmed that the horse had made a full recovery since the incident. The court was shown five video clips of the attack, and Manson admitted to the acts during his interview with the RSPCA, although he claimed the horse had been misbehaving.

Defending Manson, Cynthia McFarlane stated that her client was remorseful and that the attack, while unacceptable, had not caused lasting harm. She emphasized that Manson had been a dedicated professional until this incident and was now working as a ground worker. Judge Ian Lawrie KC urged Manson to control his temper in the future, emphasizing the seriousness of his actions. Besides the ten-year ban, Manson received a 12-week suspended prison sentence, ordered to complete 150 hours of unpaid work, and pay costs and surcharges totaling £528.