Sir Mark Todd has stepped down as a patron of World Horse Welfare, the organisation revealed in a statement yesterday.

Todd, a licensed trainer and Olympic gold medal-winning equestrian, issued an apology this week after footage of hitting a horse several times with a branch, in an attempt to have the animal cross a water obstacle, was widely shared on social media.

The statement of World Horse Welfare read: "The treatment of the horse in this video is disturbing and unacceptable. There is no place in the horse-human partnership for such use of force. Mark agrees that his behaviour was wrong and we welcome his apology.

"Mark is a consummate horseman, who cares deeply for horses and their welfare but, in this case, either through losing his patience or acting out of frustration, he has badly let himself down.

"To his credit, when the video came to Mark’s attention he contacted us and voluntarily stepped down as one of our Patrons. We all need to take heed from this episode. If equestrian sport, which we actively support, is to continue to maintain the acceptance of the public – its social licence – there cannot be any tolerance for unacceptable practises, no matter how experienced the rider or trainer."

The British Horseracing Association is continuing to look into the incident having been alerted to it on Sunday.

Todd, 65, was knighted for services to equestrian sport in 2013 and won gold medals at the 1984 and 1988 Olympics. He took up training three years ago and sent out 13 winners on the flat in 2021.