Pony club members have been hit by claims they are "barbaric'' to their horses.

One woman harness racing fan even claims some owners use cattle prods to whip their ponies into shape before the regular Sunday meetings at the National Equestrian Centre.

She wrote to The Royal Gazette , saying one well-known rider made his pony race with "broken'' and bloodied knees.

And the woman claimed the same harness driver ran three ponies "off their feet'' during the New Year's Day race at Vesey Street.

Mike DeCosta, President of the Driving Horse and Pony Club, defended the riders, saying none wanted to hurt their animals.

He also said each race's presiding judge could clamp down on cruelty and stop any pony from running if it was thought to be suffering. But the woman race-goer, who asked not to be named, called for the DHPC to implement new rules to protect ponies from cruelty.

She added: "I am not an animal activist, nor am I against horse racing. I have attended race meetings almost every weekend since the pony races were reinstated at the National Equestrian Centre's Vesey Street track.

"However, I am disgusted by one practice that I find to be particularly barbaric. I have noticed one driver who is so intent on winning that he has been seen to drive his ponies right off their feet. The New Year's Day meeting was marred by this `sportsman' causing his pony to fall at the beginning of his race.

"If that wasn't bad enough he then insisted on making his pony re-run his race with his knees `broken' and bloodied.

"Anyone who has had a dose of road rash can appreciate the pain and discomfort it causes.'' She claimed she had been "bullied'' at the race-track by owners who feel she is a "bad sport''.

But she added: "I know that some people have used cattle-prods on their horses. The majority of them do love their ponies. But there are some who will win at all costs.'' Mr. DeCosta, who owns 25 horses including six racing ponies, denied club members were involved in cruel practices.

And he said some trap-racers saw their ponies fall simply because they were not expert drivers. He said: "It's a simple fact that not all ponies are coordinated the same and not all drivers are good drivers.

"The driver doesn't push the pony so it falls. Let's face it, if the horse is going to fall then so is the driver. There's no way that anyone's going to deliberately throw themselves down to the ground.'' He said the Sunday races, which each last less than 90 seconds, feature ponies between the ages of two and 14.

There are around 90 ponies eligible to race in Bermuda, with around 30 competing regularly.

"Most of the drivers are owners,'' added Mr. DeCosta, who runs Inwood Stables and Inwood Riding School in Hamilton Parish. "They care for their animals, like I do. They all try to be safe and they all try to look after their ponies. But it's a sport like any other and some of the participants are better than others.

"The presiding judge can stop a horse from competing if he is overheated or exhausted or ill-treated. It's as simple as that.'' ANIMALS ALS