Controversy has been sparked online as a young man was filmed riding a Shetland pony into a bookmakers in Limerick earlier this week.
The incident took place in BoyleSports in Moyross, where customers were interrupted in their betting as a youth tried to mount the small animal and ride it around the premises before staff shoed the rider away.
Onlooker Dara Heffernan managed to capture the scene on camera.
This video has received almost 200,000 views since it was uploaded on Thursday and many of its viewers believed it to be humourous, but many have also commented on the cruelty of the act.
Beneath the video were numerous comments were viewers strongly criticised the actions of the youth. One commenter wrote: “He’s gonna brake the poor thing’s back, they should not be treated like that!”
Another said: “If you think this is funny, you’re actually deranged. What hope have animals got with this treatment of them and others just laugh. Sickens me. Poor pony.”
There were many more, less civil criticisms levelled at the rider of the Shetland pony in the video’s comment section.
But what do you make of this incident? Let us know in the comments.
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