I Never Realised The Olympics Is This Year, Sometime.

Sometimes the horses were kicked and subjected to the so-called Rollkur, which has been banned by the FEI. It involves the rider pulling the horse's mouth far down with the reins, so that the animal almost bites its own chest. The horse's neck is severely overstretched and bent in the process

There are many articles to be found online. Earlier this year USA and Denmark were under the spotlight for cruel practice.

* Danish television channel TV2 broadcast a documentary in autumn that showed disturbing footage taken at Danish Nations Cup rider Andreas Helgstrand's riding center. Horses were shown bleeding from their mouths and flanks during training. It was reported that happened as a direct result of the riders' using the snaffle, or metal mouthpiece on the horse's bridle, and the spurs too forcefully.*

Just awful.

vegansrock

The fact that it was 4 years ago is neither here nor there. It wasn’t right then and it isn’t right now.

Where did I say that it was? Once again, for anyone who is in any doubt, I do NOT in any way condone any kind of ill-treatment to horses, including any kind of cruel training methods. I'm just asking why this wasn't reported at the time, instead of waiting until the eve of the Olympics to do so.

Any cruelty to animals is my pet hate.
As to the four year time lapse, is it because the more famous you become the more people look for faults, and this was the right time?

Joseann

Any cruelty to animals is my pet hate.
As to the four year time lapse, is it because the more famous you become the more people look for faults, and this was the right time?

That's certainly possible. There could be any number of reasons - including someone wishing to sabotage her chances of a medal at the Games (not that that in any way excuses cruel practices).

Maybe it was someone who has just found this and wanted to blow the whistle at a time that it will have the greatest impact. Who knows.

I found the OPs comment about the days of Ancient Greece having gone very amusing. The modern games are only just over 120 years old!
The difference between then and now is astonishing.
I'm sure OP didn't mean she wanted to see endless coverage (or lack of!) naked men wrestling, which is what most of the ancient games were about!
I am looking forward- not so much to the expensive opening ceremony but the athletes who have been in training for years showing what humans are capable of. Should be exciting and I will be watching most of it, just maybe not the wrestling!

Oh this is sad. And shameful.
Just now in The Telegraph:

“Charlotte Dujardin, Britain’s three-time Olympic champion, has been forced to pull out of Paris 2024 over a video showing her hitting a horse repeatedly on the legs during a slow-motion trot, Telegraph Sport understands.

The equestrian rider, who could have become Britain’s most decorated female Olympian, says there is “no excuse” and she is “deeply ashamed” of the “error of judgment” during a coaching session.

The film was taken four years ago and has been brought to light by a whistleblower, who has hired a Dutch lawyer to bring the case into the public domain. A media outlet in the Netherlands is believed to have obtained the video.

Dujardin posted on social media that she has pulled out of all competition while the International Federation for Equestrian Sports (FEI) investigates the incident. The announcement has sent shockwaves through the Team GB camp, with senior officials caught unawares by the announcement.

“What happened was completely out of character and does not reflect how I train my horses or coach my pupils,” she said in a statement. “However, there is no excuse. I am deeply ashamed and should have set a better example in that moment.”

The equestrian world is understood to be on high alert over public perception around animal welfare at the Games. There is a special officer in Paris overseeing welfare, Telegraph Sport has been told.

Sources claim the video was taken during an “educational day” Dujardin had been involved in at a UK site belonging to an established figure in the equestrian world.

‘Someone has waited till a key moment to leak it’
“She is hitting a hose repeatedly on the legs as they try to get it to do a better ‘piaffe’ – the slow-motion trot,” the insider said. “Someone else is riding the horse.

“The FEI is on high alert about public perception, with its new mantra to make riders’ guardians of their horses and the unprecedented appointment, announced two days ago, of a special official in Paris to ensure the horse welfare rules are adhered to.

“It seems – as so often happens – that a video clip has been around for some while, but someone has waited till a key moment like this to leak it.”

The FEI’s horse abuse provisions are dealt with under article 142 of its regulations and allow for the rider to be disciplined even when the incident happened out of competition.

Rumours that a damning video existed were spreading among equestrian insiders prior to the announcement. Susan Wachowich, of Dressage Hub, posted a video on Facebook claiming authorities had been called in.”

Oh, that's not good at all, is it? I could never condone that kind of cruelty. I am sad that someone who was one of our country's greatest-ever Olympians has tarnished her reputation like this, but there's no excuse for that kind of 'training' - and I want to make that clear.

Not surprising Urmstongran. A lot goes on behind the scene,s out of sight, in the horse dressage world. An error of judgement ,my backside, sheer cruelty and she is regretful because she got caught

I have seen horses whose neck muscles developed so the their heads were bent into a perfect profile. They spent hours tied down to that position. We had a lot of competition at minor horse shows, it was always the same few who won and we knew why

I agree karmalady, she is regretful because she got caught.

I have never liked dressage myself. Seeing horses "dancing" is like seeing elephants in circuses in my opinion.

Such cruelty just so someone can win.

This is the equine #metoo moment. Expect more horses to come forward.

She has received a six month ban.

Urmstongran

This is the equine #metoo moment. Expect more horses to come forward.

It’s the equine world’s Strictly!.

I’m not condoning her behaviour but whoever filmed it obviously intended to sit on it for four years.

Perfect timing!

"Error of judgement" - my arse!!!

I'm wondering if whoever leaked the clip waited until now for maximum impact.

For whatever reason, dressage seems to escape despite much evidence that it's very cruel.

Polo is another. You can often see blood where the spurs have dug into the horse's flesh.

I’m absolutely not condoning her actions, but this comes across as malicious and nasty, someone releasing this footage to the public, just a few days before the games are due to begin!

You can just imagine them, storing this footage away (for FOUR YEARS) and then releasing it to cause maximum damage.

I hope whoever it is, they feel comfortable in what they’ve done. Leaves a nasty taste in the mouth, in my opinion.

So what if the timing is deliberately to make more impact. It’s good that this cruelty is out in the open. The show jumping bit of the modern pentathlon is being dropped after this games due to cruelty involved.

You can bet your life that if Charlotte Dujardin uses that particular training method so will others.

I wonder how many other dodgy training techniques will now come to light?

If she did this once she has done it before !
The horse world KNEW of this and ignored it ???!!!
Sher has gotten off light with 6 months.

Bravo for those who exposed her for maximum effect.
It’s exactly what she deserves.

Most of us love the Olympics in our house.

My favourites are the Athletics, the swimming, the gymnastics and horsey events.

As I said earlier, I wondered if whoever released this clip did so in order to get some attention. And it's worked . The dressage world has managed to keep this sort of abuse under wraps. Many have tried, and failed, to get people understanding what goes on.

Dressage is quite elitist and it just seems able to get away when anyone throws accusations at them. They threaten legal action. And nothing is ever done.

Urmstongran

I’m absolutely not condoning her actions, but this comes across as malicious and nasty, someone releasing this footage to the public, just a few days before the games are due to begin!

You can just imagine them, storing this footage away (for FOUR YEARS) and then releasing it to cause maximum damage.

I hope whoever it is, they feel comfortable in what they’ve done. Leaves a nasty taste in the mouth, in my opinion.

Ok, Urmstongran, you're entitled to your opinion.

However, I'm sure that whoever leaked this will feel extreme relief that the abuse is finally being recognised and has reached a world audience. People have been trying for years to get this awful cruelty exposed.

It's been a long time coming