A Stop Horseracing Article from All-Creatures.org

Video of Trainer Dale Hiteman Beating 2-Year-Old Princess Laa (Who Already Had an Injured Neck)

FROM HorseracingWrongs.org
September 28, 2023

[Read 'victory' update, October 7 HERE.]

Dale Hiteman mercilessly beat a tied-up 2-year-old horse because she was 'acting up.' A 2-year-old horse, again, who suffers from a preexisting neck injury that causes her to 'hold her head crooked, ' a 2-year-old horse who has said repeatedly, in the only way she can, she doesn’t want to be enslaved as a racehorse.

Watch on youtube: Trainer/Driver Dale Hiteman beating 2-year-old horse at Hoosier Park, 6/1/23

Back in July, I reported this ruling from Indiana:

“While in the barn area of Hoosier Park on the morning of June 1, licensee Dale Hiteman (below) was observed on video striking a prone horse [Princess Laa] with a line multiple times about the head and body. After reviewing the video and considering Mr. Hiteman’s actions and testimony, the judges have determined the following penalties: $1,500 fine; 30-day suspension; probation for remainder of 2023 meet.”

I also promised a FOIA request for the video and hearing in question and, to my surprise, it was honored. Be forewarned, it is very difficult to watch. That said, we have to watch. While viewing, bear in mind that Princess is but two years old – a virtual baby – and at the time was still just in training. (She has since been raced and in fact was raced just last night at Hoosier, finishing last, “distanced” – and yes, this was under Hiteman.)

While not much happens after the 2:00 mark, toward the end (around 3:30) you can see the subdued Princess being led out. Also note the stress caused to the neighboring horse: Watch on youtube: Trainer/Driver Dale Hiteman beating 2-year-old horse at Hoosier Park, 6/1/23

At the hearing, which you can listen to below, Hiteman began by producing dates and times when “she’s done this before,” including an incident when she was being “broken” by the (horrible) Amish last November. That time, Hiteman said, “She flipped over backwards…hurt herself, and now holds her head crooked because of it.” He added: “Because she is a handful…I always tie her up [before putting the paraphernalia on].”

“On this day [Jun 1]…starting to put the line on there, boom she does it. She got herself reared backward and got herself stuck in the corner. And she already has a previous injury on her neck. … I grabbed the line there to scare her to get out, which she did, and whacked her a few times on top of the head…. And that’s what I did.”

Then this: “Ten days later, she did it again. … All the sudden, she threw herself, for no reason, which usually it’s always for no reason.” (As there is no video for this one, we don’t know how Hiteman reacted, but you can make your own guesses.)

He also relayed an incident in Georgia in Feb when it “took three hours to tranquilize her” for a dental procedure. “She wouldn’t let us get close to her with a needle…and finally we had to tie her up real tight to the post and pushed her up against the wall.”

The same apparently goes with the tongue tie: “Sometimes…she would just do it [rebel, that is], just like in the video. … About once a week she’ll have a little tantrum. Sometimes she gets away and throws herself and sometimes she can’t get away….”

Hiteman partially justified the beating with Princess’ preexisting neck injury – yes neck injury – saying he didn’t want to grab the equipment and make the injury worse. He also claimed he asked the investigator to have a vet look at Princess immediately after, supposedly to prove she was fine. The investigator declined (if true, he’s horrible too). But that – whether there was a physical injury – simply doesn’t matter.

The officials were generally quite amiable with Hiteman, if not downright understanding. One wrapped it up thus: “So what you did was to try to avoid hurting her neck, is that right?” “Yeah,” Hiteman reminded, “because she already had an injury and holds her head crooked because of it.” “Okay, that’s all I have,” said the official. Another, in closing the hearing: “Dale, I’ll get back to you guys if there’s any penalty or anything.”

To recap: This man, Dale Hiteman, mercilessly beat a tied-up 2-year-old horse because she was “acting up.” A 2-year-old horse, again, who suffers from a preexisting neck injury that causes her to “hold her head crooked.” A 2-year-old horse who has said repeatedly, in the only way she can, she doesn’t want to be enslaved as a racehorse.

Obviously, the Commission had to act (to remind: $1,500 fine, 30-day suspension), for there was a video. But it’s clear to me that they don’t really care. (Not that we needed more evidence: The Indiana Commission continuously trivializes whipping that is so harsh it causes welts.) So, we must try appealing to a different, better authority. Within the all-too-thin Indiana cruelty statutes, is this under the section, “Abusing a Vertebrate Animal” (which explicitly includes horses): “A person who knowingly or intentionally abuses a vertebrate animal commits cruelty to an animal, a Class A misdemeanor.”

Listen to audio of the hearing HERE.

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Victory: Citing “Brutal Conduct,” USDA Revokes Dale Hiteman’s License
October 7, 2023

The United States Trotting Association has filled the gaping accountability void left by the Indiana Horse Racing Commission by ruling this week to strip animal abuser Dale Hiteman of his license. For those unfamiliar with the case, please take a moment to read our post on Hiteman. For the rest, here is the USTA ruling:

“Your conduct is deemed detrimental to and reflects adversely and unfavorably on harness racing and on this association as specified in United States Trotting Association bylaw §1.04(a)(2). Further, this brutal conduct is evidence of a lack of general fitness and your participation in harness racing is not consistent with the best interest of the sport…. For the above reasons, the membership and licenses granted to you by the United States Trotting Association are revoked, pursuant to the authority granted by bylaw §1.08.”

This is without question an HW victory. We made the video and hearing public. We applied pressure (thank you to all who made calls and sent emails). But make no mistake, we are not done. This man needs to be criminally prosecuted for animal cruelty under the laws of Indiana.

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