The first point in answering the question in the title is that there is a video of Dujardin which shows her mistreatment of a horse but the internet has closed ranks and removed it. Right now, I can’t find it. Perhaps it is a good thing but this was not that bad. But it was bad enough for an investigation to take place by the governing body of dressage competitors: The International Federation for Equestrian Sports (FEI) after a complaint by a student who was – as I understand it – trying to train a horse in dressage. Dujardin was apparently watching the student and intervened to show her what was wrong.
“Dujardin’s reputation is in ruins after video emerged of her using a lunging whip to hit a horse in a coaching session with a British girl.”- The Times July 25th, 20244.
The Reddit post explains what happened. I can’t refer to abuses as Google has a thing about it. The major players on the internet like to hide stories of abuses concerning animals. I can’t write a***** ab***! Too dangerous as Google does not like it as mentioned.
This, I believe, is both good and bad. We don’t want to encourage bad behaviour towards animals but at the same time problems need to be aired. You can’t hide it away. It just festers. I think Google is doing humanity and animal welfare a disservice.
“Team GB’s Charlotte Dujardin has pulled out of the upcoming Paris Olympics due to “an error of judgement” during a coaching session, with the dressage rider provisionally banned for six months.” – Evening Standard newspaper online.
This is a very big story in the news media today. Overhyped? That’s why this post will not be seen by anyone! Anyway, I will press on regardless. I can refer to The Times newspaper. They have a headline which goes: “Six-time UK medallist is banned from Olympic Games. “Charlotte Dujardin, an Olympic dressage champion, was seen in a video beating a horse”. Those words come from David Brown on page 3.
If Charlotte Dujardin had competed at the Paris Olympics she probably would have become Britain’s most decorated female Olympian i.e. with the most medals but her status as Olympian has been greatly diminished and her aspirations to be the most decorated female Olympian have ended in ignominy.
Dujardin said that she was “deeply ashamed”. It followed a complaint made on Monday night about a video that allegedly showed her hitting a student’s horse with a whip from the ground (allegedly 24 times).
It’s alleged that she was encouraging the horse to perform a “piaffe”. This is a slow motion trot. The incident occurred during a training session in the UK. She trains horses at stables in Newent in Gloucestershire.
We don’t know why the complaint was made before the start of the dressage events on Saturday because the video has been circulating for days online apparently.
Dujardin was considered to be a contender to be a flag bearer for Team GB at the opening ceremony on Friday.
She had planned to ride a new horse ‘Imhotep’ in the individual dressage and the team event alongside Carl Hester and the world champion, Lottie Fry.
The International Federation for Equestrian Sports (FEI) announced yesterday that Dujardin had received a six-month provisional suspension with immediate effect.
It would appear therefore that her voluntary withdrawal has no effect because she’s been prevented from competing anyway. Perhaps it was a PR exercise (alleged)?
Dujardin was appointed a CBE in 2017 for services to equestrianism. She said in a statement:
“A video has emerged from four years ago which shows me making an error of judgement during a coaching session. Understandably, the International Federation for Equestrian Sports is investigating and I have made the decision to withdraw from all competition including the Paris Olympics while this process takes place. What happened was completely out of character and does not reflect how I train my horses or coach my pupils. However, there is no excuse. I am deeply ashamed and should have set a better example at that moment. I am sincerely sorry for my actions and devastated that I have let everyone down. Including Team GB, fans and sponsors.”
She rose to prominence in individual and team goals at London 2012 while riding Valegro. She retained her title and won silver at Rio 2016.
She hopes, and is believed, that her voluntary withdrawal will result in a lesser punishment and allow her to compete at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
The complaint was filed on Monday evening with the FEI and the British Equestrian Federation by Steven Wensing, a lawyer, “on behalf of a client who wishes to remain anonymous”.
The event was reported in the Dutch website horses.nl. Wensing told the website:
“It is unacceptable that dressage sport should be accompanied by a****l ab*** [I don’t want to write those words in case Google picks it up and doesn’t like this post! 😱😒]. If top-level sport can only be performed in such a way that the welfare of the horse is compromise, then top-level sport should be abolished. It is extremely sad that one of the most successful riders in the world has to pay the price. But this rider has also not taken any responsibility and this cannot go unpunished.”
Comment: she has taken responsibility.
The authority’s regulations regarding abuse allow a rider to be disciplined even when the incident happened out of competition. The federation said that they received the video “depicting Ms Dujardin engaging in conduct contrary to the principles of horse welfare. According to the information received, the footage was allegedly taken several years ago during a training session conducted by Ms Dujardin at a private stable.”
The FEI president said: “We are disappointed with this case, especially as we approach the Olympic Games. However it is our responsibility and crucial that we address any instances of abuse, as equine welfare cannot be compromised.”
Charlotte Dujardin is expected to be replaced by Becky Moody riding Jagerbomb. My thanks to The Times newspaper for this full report.
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PETA’s statement on this story.
The message to the International Olympic Committee should be clear by now: Remove equestrian events from the Olympic Games. Yet again, an Olympic rider has been caught on video abusing a horse to force the animal to behave in an entirely unnatural way, simply for her own glory. Horses don’t volunteer—they can only submit to violence and coercion. It’s time for the Olympics to move into the modern era.
There has to be a follow-up story to this because it’s all over the news media. The latest headline is that “Whip rider set to lose damehood”. That’s a reference to the fact that Dujardin was set to become a dame of the British Empire because of her accomplishments but now the UK government has decided not to bestow upon this lady that accolade. She’s lost that high potential for social status and it doesn’t stop there.
We are told that UK Sport has suspended the funding of this dressage competitor who is a triple Olympic champion pending the outcome of an investigation. She’s been banned from the Olympics as mentioned and is she’s been told that she can’t participate in any competition for at least six months after “engaging in conduct contrary to the principles of horse welfare”.
There is a question mark as to why the video emerged right now just before the Olympics. The person who disclosed the video or perhaps made the video has, I understand, stated that they did this in the best interest of dressage. It appears that what they were seeing they didn’t like namely the alleged abuse of horses. And they wanted to do something about it by publicising it.
Update: Charlotte Dujardin has also been dropped as an ambassador for horse welfare charity Brooke.
Update: Charlotte Dujardin’s mentor and Team GB team-mate Carl Hester has condemned her for her actions which led to her missing the Paris Olympics.