equestrian events in the harness

Mechanical doping

The first to denounce cases of mistreatment was a former champion and Olympic medalist. Frédéric Cottier has been frequenting competition grounds around the world for 30 years and what he saw there was, according to him, unworthy. Today he is not afraid to openly condemn certain practices such as these gaiters placed on the horse’s hindquarters and which, when tightened to the extreme, are known to increase its performance.

“the tightening of the gaiter on the skin will hurt him, and the movement he will make with his hindquarters will make him jump higher, and everyone knows it”

Frédéric Cottier. Former world champion in show jumping

At the Eye of the 8 p.m.

And this is not the only practice he denounces. In training, there are bars thrown into the horse’s legs, whips on the head, painful and forbidden postures. What about during official competitions?

To find out, we went to Belgium to attend an international dressage competition with the best riders in the world.

Useless and harmful practices

Sensitive to the animal cause, veterinarian Eva Van Avrmaet shows us in the warm-up paddock the practices of certain riders, even though they are prohibited by the international equestrian federation. For several years she has been scouring the competition grounds and when she notices bad practices, she calls out the judges. This is for example the case when the horse’s head is rolled towards its chest beyond a vertical line.

“There it is complicated for the horse to breathe, it reduces the diameter of its pharynx. There are enough scientific studies which prove it”

Dr Eva Van Avermaet Veterinarian and founder of the Collective for Horses

At the Eye of 8 p.m.

In 2024 no one wants to see that anymore

During the previous Olympic Games in Tokyo in 2021, images relayed around the world did a lot of harm to the discipline. In pentathlon, we remember a rider in tears lashing out with a whip at her horse who refused to move forward and her trainer punching her in the side. It is also a horse spitting blood from its nostrils during the obstacle test.

Scenes which were so shocking that a parliamentary report asks the organizing committee of the Olympic Games to mobilize for equine well-being. Animalist associations go so far as to question the very existence of these tests.

“It’s really abuse. We demand an end to equestrian events at the Olympics.”

Laora Paoli-Pandolfi Campaigner for PETA France

At the Eye of 8 p.m.

On the organizers’ side, the message was well received. Paris 2024 promises a whole list of measures to pamper horses and for the first time a delegate dedicated to animal welfare will be present throughout the competitions.

AMONG OUR SOURCES:

Parliamentary report on equine welfare for the Paris 2024 Olympics

The regulations of the International Equestrian Federation