Olympic dressage gold medallist Charlotte Dujardin was banned for one year and fined 10,000 Swiss Francs (£8,886) for “excessively” whipping a horse. The British dressage rider, who has won several international competitions by forcing horses to behave unnaturally, did not compete at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris when video footage surfaced showing her repeatedly whipping a horse during a training session. The footage led to her suspension by the International Federation for Equestrian Sports (FEI) and the British Equestrian Federation on the 23rd of July 2024. Now, she has been punished by the FEI for her violent assault on the horse.
However, Dujardin’s international ban is backdated to the start of her provisional suspension, and she will be eligible to compete again from July 2025. British Equestrian and British Dressage have also backed the suspension, preventing Dujardin from competing in national competitions or training events during the same period.
Dutch lawyer Stephan Wensing, who was representing an anonymous complainant, sent the video of the incident to FEI. Reacting to the latest news, he said to the BBC, “My client is very happy that the FEI has taken this so seriously and this is a good message for the whole dressage world… She is also happy that Charlotte Dujardin has taken this seriously, and has taken responsibility and accepted her punishment.”
The FEI tribunal said the video showed Dujardin whipping the horse more than 20 times, mostly from behind on the hind legs, also in-between and from the front on the front legs and shoulders of the horse.
The issue of whipping is embedded in any activity where horses are exploited, from simply riding them for leisure or competitive sports. Reducing the number of whips “allowed”, or even banning the use of whips misses the point. Forcing any sentient being to do something either by violent threats, the memory of violence, or psychological coercion, is unethical. This is why vegans don’t ride horses.
Choose vegan in 2025 with Veganuary! https://bit.ly/Veganuary25
