Photos of abused Danish dressage horses (in competition)

[Burnerbee]

I’m inclined to say ‘don’t click this link if you don’t want to see something really quite unpleasant’ - but you’ll see most of it just by watching the Olympic dressage anyway….

Cut and pasted from the webpage…

“In the wake of the opening of the Olympic Games, Idrætsmonitor, in collaboration with photographer Crispin Parelius Johannessen, now releases photos taken this year revealing Danish Olympic riders on horses in potentially »extreme pain«, according to several veterinarians and experts in the field. Based on the images, the Danish riders have now been reported for physical abuse. The Danish Equestrian Federation refuses to assess the images, as they do not find the material sufficient.”

Danish Olympic riders face harsh criticism: Photos reveal potential horse abuse

Photos taken this year reveal Danish Olympic riders on horses in potentially »extreme pain«, according to several veterinarians and experts in the field. Based on the images, the Danish riders have now been reported for physical abuse. The Danish Equestrian Federation refuses to assess the...

idraetsmonitor.dk

 

[Lyle]

Abhorrent. This is the pinnacle?

Back in my Pony Club days, you'd have been told you had poor hands and a poorly schooled horse (again, your fault) and these riders are being given medals.

 

[equinerebel]

That was deeply uncomfortable, thank you for sharing it.

This quote really stood out to me in particular:

»These riders seem to forget what they have in their hands. They seem to forget that those reins are connected to a metal piece, and that hanging on to those reins with their full body weight plus the active pulling inflicts such a huge pressure concentrated on such a small surface,« says Eva Van Avermaet as a general comment to all riders on the photos.

 

[misst]

My knowledge is insufficient to be sure but to me those photos, especially the dark blue tongue look horrific. I am pretty sure, as a keen follower but never a good rider, that these horses are uncomfortable at best. I do not understand why the photos are not being investigated. Why is this ever ok? No one can give a positive answer so I have to assume that my view is correct.

 

[Miss_Millie]

I felt physically sick looking at those photos

Evil is the only words that comes to mind.

 

[Honey08]

How can you feel good about yourself doing that to a living creature in search of a gold medal? And how can the FEI turn a blind eye and award the medals? Riders like this are narcissists. It’s all about them.

 

[scats]

I was always being told by instructors that my contact was too light (“it’s not confetti, you know” being a favourite of mine).

I look at those photos and I just feel so overwhelmingly sad. What have these creatures ever done to us to warrant us doing this to them?

 

[Dave's Mam]

These pictures are heartbreaking. I am so sad that it's normal to do this & then say "OH I love my horse, we're a team". That's no flipping team, that force & coercion.

 

[Rumtytum]

Made me feel sick too. The look in the poor horses’ eyes. Utterly barbaric.

 

[I'm Dun]

That was deeply uncomfortable, thank you for sharing it.

This quote really stood out to me in particular:

When I taught children to ride I used to put their hand inside a snaffle joint and very, very, very gently closed it round their hand. Not enough to hurt, but enough for them to feel the pressure even a very gentle rein aid could cause. They learnt immediately. Yet these Olympians either don't know or don't care.

 

[little_critter]

Is there anything in the rules that enables a judge to stop the test if they see a blue tongue? I know there are blood rules but is there anything regarding other non-blood injuries?
Just wondering if the judges in these instances have their hands tied because there is no rule enabling them to stop the test.

Edited, just had a look and they could be eliminated for abusive riding

 

[SaddlePsych'D]

Is there anything in the rules that enables a judge to stop the test if they see a blue tongue? I know there are blood rules but is there anything regarding other non-blood injuries?
Just wondering if the judges in these instances have their hands tied because there is no rule enabling them to stop the test.

I don't know about a rule for this specifically but one problem has been raised is that existing rules don't seem to be being applied by judges:

View this content on Instagram

View this content on Instagram

I keep sharing stuff from this account because she says it better and gives examples, and raises issues without being awful like the Dressage Hub person. Worth a follow I think.

 

[Birker2020]

I’m inclined to say ‘don’t click this link if you don’t want to see something really quite unpleasant’ - but you’ll see most of it just by watching the Olympic dressage anyway….

Cut and pasted from the webpage…

“In the wake of the opening of the Olympic Games, Idrætsmonitor, in collaboration with photographer Crispin Parelius Johannessen, now releases photos taken this year revealing Danish Olympic riders on horses in potentially »extreme pain«, according to several veterinarians and experts in the field. Based on the images, the Danish riders have now been reported for physical abuse. The Danish Equestrian Federation refuses to assess the images, as they do not find the material sufficient.”

Danish Olympic riders face harsh criticism: Photos reveal potential horse abuse

Photos taken this year reveal Danish Olympic riders on horses in potentially »extreme pain«, according to several veterinarians and experts in the field. Based on the images, the Danish riders have now been reported for physical abuse. The Danish Equestrian Federation refuses to assess the...

idraetsmonitor.dk

Wow that's the first time I've seen a photo of the blue tongue. Its horrendous.

 

[equinerebel]

When I taught children to ride I used to put their hand inside a snaffle joint and very, very, very gently closed it round their hand. Not enough to hurt, but enough for them to feel the pressure even a very gentle rein aid could cause. They learnt immediately. Yet these Olympians either don't know or don't care.

I was taught to put a snaffle in the inside joint of my elbow and close it. Then have someone pull on the rings. It probably isn't a great comparison to the sensitivity of a horses mouth, but it stayed with me!

 

[scats]

When I taught children to ride I used to put their hand inside a snaffle joint and very, very, very gently closed it round their hand. Not enough to hurt, but enough for them to feel the pressure even a very gentle rein aid could cause. They learnt immediately. Yet these Olympians either don't know or don't care.

This is why I hate loose ring snaffles. It really hurts when you get some skin pinched by it.

 

[misst]

I don't know about a rule for this specifically but one problem has been raised is that existing rules don't seem to be being applied by judges:

View this content on Instagram

View this content on Instagram

I keep sharing stuff from this account because she says it better and gives examples, and raises issues without being awful like the Dressage Hub person. Worth a follow I think.

So this answers my question from earlier about whether I, as an ex rider who never was that good, but has followed and tried to inform myself about dressage and eventing can make a judgement on these photos. It would appear my instincts are correct and no one can justify any of this.

 

[meleeka]

I don't know about a rule for this specifically but one problem has been raised is that existing rules don't seem to be being applied by judges:

View this content on Instagram

View this content on Instagram

I keep sharing stuff from this account because she says it better and gives examples, and raises issues without being awful like the Dressage Hub person. Worth a follow I think.

The comments are awful. Lots of people
saying that the horse doesn't look tense anywhere else so it's ok . It's the Olympics FFS, they are supposed to be the best of the best

 

[SaddlePsych'D]

The comments are awful. Lots of people
saying that the horse doesn't look tense anywhere else so it's ok . It's the Olympics FFS, they are supposed to be the best of the best

I'm trying to stop myself reading comments sections, it's depressing how entrenched people are.

 

[shortstuff99]

What is interesting to me is the Australian test from Matthew, nicely ridden better in the neck etc. He works for and trains with IW.

Early horses of IWs are nicer in the neck. This makes me really wonder if the short neck/ rolkur etc is due to the nature of horsebreeding now and trying to go for what the judges want, fast we results for owners etc, rather than the inability of riders to train this way

 

[eahotson]

I’m inclined to say ‘don’t click this link if you don’t want to see something really quite unpleasant’ - but you’ll see most of it just by watching the Olympic dressage anyway….

Cut and pasted from the webpage…

“In the wake of the opening of the Olympic Games, Idrætsmonitor, in collaboration with photographer Crispin Parelius Johannessen, now releases photos taken this year revealing Danish Olympic riders on horses in potentially »extreme pain«, according to several veterinarians and experts in the field. Based on the images, the Danish riders have now been reported for physical abuse. The Danish Equestrian Federation refuses to assess the images, as they do not find the material sufficient.”

Danish Olympic riders face harsh criticism: Photos reveal potential horse abuse

Photos taken this year reveal Danish Olympic riders on horses in potentially »extreme pain«, according to several veterinarians and experts in the field. Based on the images, the Danish riders have now been reported for physical abuse. The Danish Equestrian Federation refuses to assess the...

idraetsmonitor.dk

I read the article and saw the photos.Cameras are improving all the time and they can see quite small details from a long distance.One of the things that dressage riders are now doing is to tighten the nose bands even further to stop the horse from opening its mouth.This pushes the tongue onto the canine tooth which is why you sometimes get blood in the mouth.One photograph showed an old scar so this must have happened several times.They are not allowed to use sugar paste any more to try to cover up the blue tongue etc. so I gether they are moving onto soap now which is not yet illegal.At least the horse might have liked the sugar paste.

 

[Maxine67]

That's horrific, I wasn't going to look at the pictures, but everyone should see this to see what they are doing to these beautiful animals, its heartbreaking

 

[Burnerbee]

Regarding the establishment defending the situation/ not getting the message. I really think the game is up - so it doesn’t necessarily matter. In the course of my work today - which couldn’t be further from horses if it tried - an elderly person, who has zero to do with horses, I was visiting asked if I’d “seen that awful woman hitting the horse on telly?”. She’s not the first non horsey person I’ve encountered who has very strong opinions on this topic. If people like them know and care about this then I can’t see how dressage can recover - because the sponsors (not the 100% horse ones, the ‘lifestyle’ ones) will drop it like hot rocks as they see it become controversial/ unlikable.

 

[equinerebel]

I had a similar conversation at work with a colleague who’s likewise completely non horsey. They were genuinely very surprised and disappointed to learn that CDJ has not, and will not, be prosecuted for what they see as clear animal abuse.

That simple conversation really made me think about just how differently we treat horses from dogs and cats etc.

(Edited bc dyslexia)

 

[luckyoldme]

Somehow I have an image in my head of an old horse. I'm sat there In the saddle and I'm holding on to the buckle at the end of the reins. He's late on his twenties and I'm no spring chicken myself. I don't know how I know it but I know that there won't be many more days like this. Out of curiosity I think I'll just hold on to this buckle and see where he wants to go. A while later we arrive home and he took us on the shortest round rote to accomplish this.
Thank god I'm a shit rider according to SM.

 

[Beausmate]

People would be outraged, if the tongues of those horses were bleeding instead of being blue. It's just as bad. Maybe even worse, as far as long-term damage goes.

This actually makes me feel sadder for those 'elite' dressage horses, than it does for a pacer being hammered up an A-road.

 

[KEK]

I had a similar conversation with un-horsey collegue at work. And I'm on the other side of the world so I think it's gone everywhere. Surely that's a good thing (although I still feel sad about it being CDJ as the poster girl). It's also made me realise I need to be vigilant and speak up (which I find uncomfortable) as we all need to take responsibility.

 

[Reacher]

Surely there could be a mandatory vet check of every horses mouth after each test and every blue tongue etc eliminated?

I was glad to see this getting in to mainstream media eg the guardian article on another thread. This is what it needs if change is ever to happen

 

[sbloom]

Tongues are really only blue while the pressure is exerted, I would imagine they go back to pink pretty quickly?