The “British Queen of dressage,” Charlotte Dujardin used to be suspended from the Olympics, after a video went viral, revealing her abusive remedy of a horse.
Lower than 72 hours prior to the Opening Rite, a video of the Olympic contestant, Charlotte Dujardin led to a wave of complaint, appearing the equestrian whipping a horse “like a circus elephant” 24 instances.
The photos
The video used to be launched through the Dutch legal professional, Stephan Wensing, on behalf of an nameless shopper, a “pupil” of Charlotte Dujardin. The video used to be filmed a number of years in the past however used to be launched simply in time for the Olympics.
Even supposing the coed´s nationality is withheld, some have connected this sort of well timed free up to the competition between Crew GB and Crew NL within the festival. Madeleine Hill, former dressage correspondent at Horse & Hound mag commented; “The timing of this video days prior to the Olympics smells of sabotage. To me it’s suspect.”
Crew NL said; “We’re conscious the video used to be launched through a Dutch legal professional however wish to emphasise that the beginning and the discharge has were given no relation in any respect to the Dutch Olympic workforce.” The legal professional additionally emphasized; “It´s no longer a laugh to spoil a profession. (My shopper) isn’t celebrating however she informed me this needed to be performed as she desires to avoid wasting dressage.”
Save dressage
The pinnacle of the United Kingdom´s organisation for dressage, Jason Brautigam said in his letter to participants; “I do in finding claims that this used to be performed to “save dressage” fairly disingenuous, for the reason that it used to be timed to purpose most harm to our game.” He added; “Then again, what’s going to save dressage is how all of us reply to the disaster through demonstrating our love and maintain horses.”
He referred to Dujardin´s movements as “totally unacceptable,” and famous; “We have now all been stunned and appalled through this indefensible habits.” Following the free up of the video, Dujardin used to be given a six-month provisional ban, used to be bring to a halt through a couple of sponsors and is to be stripped of her CBE award.
This used to be no longer the primary case of animal cruelty for the equestrian medallist; Dujardin used to be in a similar fashion banned from the Ecu Championship in 2019, as “blood used to be discovered at the flank of the pony,” in step with the respectable remark.
Confronted with the startling accusations, Dujardin made a public apology, expressing that she feels “deeply ashamed” of her movements, and pointing out it used to be an “error of judgement”. In spite of the harsh remedy observed within the video showing as a inconsiderate addiction, she said; “What came about used to be totally out of persona and does no longer mirror how I educate my horses.”
The character of dressage
“Horses don´t volunteer – they may be able to best put up to violence and coercion. It´s time for the Olympics to transport into the fashionable technology,” commented Kathy Guillermo, the USA senior vice chairman of the animal rights crew Peta.
The alarming incident led to animal rights teams the world over to reprise their calls to prohibit equestrian sports activities from the Olympics. Guillermo famous the terrifying casualty of celebrating the breaking of a horse´s spirit; “Another time, an Olympic rider has been stuck on video abusing a horse to power the animal to act in a completely unnatural approach, merely for her personal glory.”
Whilst for the informal viewer, it can be tricky to attract the road between self-discipline and abuse, the Spanish dressage teacher, Patricia Sanchez defined; “The road that are meant to no longer be crossed is whilst you prevent respecting the animal, when it’s used as a device and no longer as a spouse that you simply must love and offer protection to above your priorities.”
Any other horse welfare activist and writer, Julie Taylor advised society to re-examine equestrian sports activities in competitions; “In elite equestrian game horses are roughly repeatedly uncovered to painful stimuli so as to carry out. It occurs proper in entrance of the judges and is televised and admired through thousands and thousands of people that are not able to recognise the indicators of ache and concern displayed through the horses.”