Sheffield Daily Telegraph – Monday 10 May 1909
Pit Pony Cruelly Ill-Treated
A fitter, named Alfred Gifford, employed at the Denaby Colliery, was charged at the West Riding Court, Doncaster, on Saturday, with cruelly ill-treating a pony on the 29th ult.
Mr. Gichard prosecuted.
It was alleged that defendant passed the pony he struck at it with his left hand, striking it with a pit blade, and the result was that the pony’s eye was pierced and burst.
The pony, which must have experienced great agony, was off work for a fortnight.
The defence was that the pony swung round and was accidentally struck, but the Bench thought it was deliberate blow, and fined defendant 40s., to include the costs