Man who punched horse at soccer match says sorry to the horse

A British man who punched a horse in the throat this week says he loves animals and that what he did was "stupid."

Barry Rogerson, 45, was arrested after punching a police horse during a riot after a Tyne-Wear derby soccer match in Newcastle, UK.

He has since been released on bail.

The factory manager from Northumberland said that he was acting in self-defence, as the horse charged at him.

He said he never intended to hurt the horse and seemed pretty embarrassed about what he did.

Rogerson said to the BBC: "It's all a nightmare. I came out of the pub… then we were in the middle of all these horses and all of a sudden I was stuck in the middle of it all.

"Somebody set a rocket off, or a banger or something and it spooked the horses."

"The next thing I knew, the horse came running at me and I instantly reacted, stupidly and wrongly."

Rogerson says he was wearing the mask as his tooth filling had fallen out and the cold was bothering him.

He acknowledged how ridiculous that sounds.

The horse named Bud, was not hurt in the incident but was likely not thrilled about his neck being punched.