National team rider accused and reported for animal abuse..
Have we finally reached a turning point within the sport where people who does know better, now also have the guts and will to use their authority and report the wrong doers?
National team rider accused and reported for animal abuse was one of the headlines flashing in front of me when I opened up the news on my normal news outlets over the past weekend.
My initial thought on this was; not again! Cause it is starting to feel a bit like a curse. Especially when it is a senior rider connected to a national senior team of Western Europe.
Haven't we come further than this in the year of 2025 one might ask? I am sensing we didn't.
Talking to a friend about this particular rider [who is no stranger to either one of us] we came to the conclusion that horse people of today seem to be organised into three different categories.
- The really old ones that believe everything was better back in the day. In general they see no purpose of change nor forward thinking what so ever. Some of these old schoolers got really famous early last year in connection to a couple of the early season dressage scandals of 2024.
- The second group, and also the most aggressive one, contains the activists. When it gains "the cause" he, she, it, they, them or what ever, they WILL find a blue tongue in the middle of a pack of wild horses in Nevada. Let's not forget that the true, and hard core radicals in this group, often have a nasty habit of targeting individual [dressage] riders, and spread their hatred against them by using any social media outlet known to mankind..
- The third group are the "Instagram riders". In most cases more or less, or even worse, completely clueless. To most people observing them it seems they picked up all their knowledge about horses and equestrian sport by scrolling through Instagram. At the same time they don't shy away from sharing their newfound knowledge on the very same social media outlets where they found it in the firs place so to speak.
The rest of us
There is also a fourth group of people, the rest of us. People like me. People like my friends. Most likely people just like you who is now reading this.
Cause in horse business there is no such thing such thing as opposites attract. Which means very few of mine, or yours even, opposites will be attracted to this kind of story telling in the first place. Trolls yes, opposites no!
In this forth structure the majority probably of us probably learned most things we know about the foundation of equestrianism from the "members" in group 1.
But because technology "bring people closer" we're also living in a world where we may even know [of] people in group 2, and from time to time, we can even see, as well as acknowledge their point of view. But we also struggle to make an actual and solid connection.
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Last but not least
Even though we see them, know them, hear them, and know about them. To me the "Instagram riders" are a bit like an exotic, but invasive, species.
Not only do they come on all levels. No, in this group we'll also find influencers, completely self acclaimed professionals, and more. In all honesty, a lot of the so called influencers in group 3 are nothing else then first class marketeers.
At the same time they actually know very little about horses and or their wellbeing.
Some years back when legendary showjumper Katie Prudent made a very much talked about [what is seems now deleted] podcast episode being interviewed by Chris Stafford, she held nothing back when she completely butchered rider's who had more money than training. Never mind I am not at all agreeing on Prudent's training methods that came to light early last year. The things that were told in that old podcast episode were spot on!
Kiss and tell!
Back to the rider that now have been accused of animal abuse.
I don't have all the facts but allegedly there's no video material connected to this case. Which we all know can make things difficult to prove.
However, what seem to set this case apart from many others I've come across over the years, is the person now reporting this rider for wrong doing, and animal abuse, is someone with substance. Someone with not only a name in the sport but also with a heavy duty civilian career outside of horses.
For let's face it, a lot of the times cases like this come to light after a former groom or employee speak out. In no way am I implying that these people doesn't have any kind of substance in society.
But unfortunately, and sadly, they often end up in a situation where they need to defend themselves and their actions leading up to the moment when they finally filed a complaint in the first place.
So if my sources are correct, and the rumours are true. This current case is already so much different. Which make me wonder if we have finally reached a complete turning point within the sport.
A turning point where people who does know better, now also have the guts to use their authority and report the wrong doers.
If that is indeed the case, horses, equestrian sport, and the business that tag along with it will benefit, big time!
At least if our national, as well as the international, federations will act upon it. Let's hope they do!
Link to things that are mentioned in this article 👇🏻
Melissa Wright
