'She was reprimanding the horse. There was no malice intended. She is very well thought of and respected.'

A clip captured by anti-hunt activists went viral, sparking outrage nationally and globally. 

The Hunting Office also criticised the footage and said the perpetrator does not belong to its hunting associations, adding that 'it expects the highest level of animal welfare at all times'. 

The Hertfordshire Hunt Saboteurs, who say they use 'non-violent direct action to save wildlife', shared the video on its Twitter page and tagged the RSPCA. 

In the aftermath of the video going viral, Mrs Moulds received abuse and death threats and moved to a secret location away from her semi-detached £350,000 property for several days.

However some social media users have now criticised the decision by the Trust, with one saying the incident was 'unrelated to teaching'.

A woman dressed in cream breeches and a navy jacket then grabs the reins of the animal before kicking its body and slapping it repeatedly as it tries to pull away.  

'She's well known and respected in equestrian circles and her social media was bombarded with comments from very angry people after the video went viral and she's now had to close it down.'

Her uncle David Kirkham from Bonsall, Derbyshire, insisted: 'She is a very upright person, a fantastic person who absolutely loves her horses.

A neighbour previously told how she had fled because she 'feared for her life,' saying: 'She's had to go away after receiving death threats and loads of vile abuse. It's awful and has got very much out of hand. She fears for her life.'

Speaking on the decision Mowbray Education Trust Chief Operating Officer Paul Maddox said: 'I can confirm that Sarah Moulds' employment with the Trust has been terminated.

'However, I do think that it is an overreaction regarding Sarah Moulds. A witch hunt unrelated to teaching.' 

Meanwhile, BBC Springwatch presenter and zoologist Megan McCubbin said the footage showed 'disgusting behaviour'. She said: 'Yet another ugly side of an activist some call 'sport'.' 

In the footage, a white horse trots away from the back of a horse trailer before it is stopped by a young rider.

The neighbour added: 'I don't know what happened and in what context but what is now happening to Sarah is horrible. She's terrified of being in her own home in case someone targets her or her kids there.' 

Cottesmore Hunt said it did not condone the actions shown in the video 'under any circumstances'.

'However, we are unable to discuss complaints about specific people and what action may have been taken. 

The 37-year-old was seen lashing out at the horse following a Cottesmore Hunt meet in the county earlier this year.

The mother-of-two, from Somerby, near Melton Mowbray, was dismissed from her position yesterday after a six-week investigation by education chiefs.

Countryside campaigner Chris Packham also called on the RSPCA to 'urgently investigate and definitively prosecute this appalling abuse - thus upholding our standards of animal welfare protection'.

Mrs Moulds was a senior leader and class three team teacher at her local Somerby School and was also a director of the Knossington and Somerby Pre-School before her termination.

It comes after the RSPCA said it would 'look into complaints made about animal welfare' but was 'unable to comment' on whether they would be prosecuting Mrs Moulds for the filmed incident.

'I've seen the video but we don't know what the horse had been doing and if it was out of control. But we know it ran out onto the road and she told it off.

Taking to social media today one person wrote: 'I don't condone the kick or the slaps, but the horse ran into the road beforehand and none of us watching the video (filmed by a group that has a motive to present things in the word possible light) knows the full story.

'As a Trust we are committed to ensuring the best standard of education for all of our young people and we look forward to continuing this throughout the 2021/22 academic year and beyond.'

The local rider added: 'She has young children and she is worried about them as well as herself.

Supporters of the primary school teacher who was filmed kicking and slapping a horse have said she should not have been sacked from her job.

An RSPCA spokeswoman said: 'We understand there is a lot of interest in this incident and we would like to reassure people we will always look into complaints made about animal welfare.

The group said that the incident took place on November 6 after a Cottesmore Hunt, one of the oldest hunts in Britain, and the incident demonstrated 'violence running through their veins'. 

'We understand how frustrating that is for animal lovers but releasing information could prejudice a future prosecution or could lead to us being fined. We are unable to comment further at this time.'

The Pony Club, which claims to be the world's largest equestrian youth organisation with more than 30,000 UK members, also terminated the school teacher's position as a team manager while condemning her actions as 'unacceptable'.

Sarah Moulds, 37, who was condemned by the RSPCA for alleged animal cruelty last month, lost her job at Somerby School in Leicestershire after footage emerged of her repeatedly kicking, slapping and punching the animal.

While another added: 'Is it right that a woman who may be a very good teacher is sacked for behaving badly with an ill-tempered horse? This is yet another social media witch hunt.'

'To lose her job on the basis of that? I hope she doesn't read the spiteful comments here. Humans suffer too.' 

Meanwhile another person said:  'A farmer told me I don't understand country ways and foxes need to be controlled as they kill for fun. Probably. But I don't like the class divide of ritualistic blood sports. 

The group said it 'will be reminding all of our supporters that this will not be tolerated'.

The RSPCA confirmed it had seen the footage which it described as 'upsetting', with a business card seen outside Mrs Moulds's home days after the incident.