Without the phone call and the fact that somebody is taking a picture, if you just saw somebody sitting astride a dead horse that they had cared for, it might almost be viewed as a tender moment.
Yet so much appears wrong about the scenario. Firstly, why is anybody taking a picture in the first place? Secondly, why does Elliot appear to be staring at the camera. And what about the caption? They are the hard bits to explain away , it does look like he climbed astride the dead animal to pose for the picture but on the other hand why would he do this if he was talking to someone on the phone.
Fwiw, I don't buy the idea that he was giving some sort of peace sign, mostly because I thought that the peace sign went out with John Lennon, and I think anybody saying he was smiling is pushing it a little, that's a fairly neutral expression for somebody who is engaging with another person on the phone.
I think its probably bad form on the part of those involved, not just Elliot, but possibly not as bad as some are trying to make out. I understand it looks terrible and suggests that they don't give a fuck about the dead horse but there is often very little dignity in death and that applies to humans as much as horses.