Involuntary Hippophagia (5): Man Bites Horse in the Antipodes

Sometimes a concept, such as Involuntary Hippophagia can be better understood by examining its opposite, turning it on its head if you will. Here is a case of a man who had an ungovernable temper, and who was overtaken by a fit of anger which caused him, perhaps involuntarily, to bite a horse.

From : ‘The Country Page‘ of The Argus (Melbourne, Australia), Friday 27th January, 1928.

 MAN BITES HORSE’S EAR

     STRANGE GREEK CUSTOM

“Case of Ungovernable Temper”

BENDIGO:-Thursday. On a charge of having caused unnecessary pain to a horse, and having kicked it and bitten off part of its ear, Omirus Jacorides, a Greek, was fined £3 and ordered to pay £3/7/6 costs.

Constable Scott said that Jacorides, who was the driver of a fishmonger’s delivery cart, punched the horse on the nose and the animal reared on its hind legs. [The] Defendant had hold of the horse’s ear with his teeth, and [a] portion of the ear was severed.

Mr. J. Smally, for the defence, said that Jacorides was not familiar with Australian customs, and did not think he was doing wrong. In Greece it was the custom to bite horses by the ear.

Mr. Cook: P.M., said that it was a case of ungovernable temper, and the man’s action involved cruelty to the horse.