With the Paris 2024 Olympics just days away, the equestrian world has been rocked by the news of Charlotte Dujardin’s withdrawal, and subsequent provisional suspension, after footage emerged of her “excessively” whipping a horse.
The video, since obtained by the BBC, shows Dujardin repeatedly striking the horse with a long whip around its legs.
Here, BBC Sport recaps what happened, the reaction, and looks at what happens next.
Who is Charlotte Dujardin?
Dujardin, 39, made her name at the London 2012 Olympics, when she won individual and team dressage gold on Valegro.
Four years later, they won individual gold and team silver, before Dujardin sealed double bronze on Gio at the Tokyo Games in 2021.
Dujardin is also a two-time world and multiple European champion, and is widely seen as the darling of British dressage.
History beckoned at the upcoming Paris Olympics, where a medal of any colour would have seen her become Britain’s outright most decorated female Olympian – a title she currently shares with former cyclist Dame Laura Kenny.
She was set to compete on Imhotep, known as Pete – her first horse since Valegro to score more than 90% in international competition. The pair have been unbeaten since last year’s European Championships.
What happened?
On Tuesday, Dujardin released a statement saying she was withdrawing from the Paris Olympics after a video emerged showing her “making an error of judgement”.
She was later provisionally suspended by equestrian’s governing body the FEI.
The FEI said it had received footage showing Dujardin “engaging in conduct contrary to the principles of horse welfare – during a training session conducted at Ms Dujardin’s private stable”.
The FEI said Dujardin confirmed she was the individual in the video which was “filmed several years ago” and “requested to be provisionally suspended pending the outcome of the investigations”.
Both the British Equestrian (BEF) and British Dressage (BD) have also imposed a provisional suspension on Dujardin pending the outcome of the FEI investigation.
Dujardin said: “What happened was completely out of character and does not reflect how I train my horses or coach my pupils, however there is no excuse.
“I am deeply ashamed and should have set a better example in that moment.”
What has the reaction been?
On Wednesday Dujardin had her UK Sport funding suspended pending the outcome of the FEI investigation, while she has also been dropped as an ambassador for horse welfare charity Brooke.
Two of her sponsors, equestrian insurance company KBIS and Danish equestrian equipment company Equine LTS, have terminated their deals with her.
World Horse Welfare chief executive Roly Owers said the Dujardin case is a “massive wake-up call for anyone who thinks this is not important”.
He added: “This story is another salutary reminder of how vital it is that equestrians put the welfare of the horse first, all of the time, whether in the competition arena or behind closed doors.
“Respect for the horse must be at the heart of every equestrian, and every equestrian sport, and their actions must demonstrate that respect all of the time.
“World Horse Welfare actively supports horse sport, but there cannot be any tolerance for unacceptable practices, no matter how experienced the rider or coach.”
Claire Bass, the UK’s senior campaigns director for Humane Society International, told BBC Radio 5 Live: “It is not a case of one bad apple or necessarily Charlotte’s behaviour being egregious. With the whole industry the cart is rotten.
“Exposes like this lifts the lid behind the curtain on the cruelty that is inherent in these types of sports.
“If people want to get a medal for dancing then they should take part in the new breakdancing event at the Olympics.”
However, top dressage instructor Pammy Hutton told BBC Sport she hoped it was “out-of-character” for Dujardin, having never seen her use a whip in that way before.
Dressage and the whip
Unlike in horse racing, where they can be used on a limited number of occasions, whips are banned in international dressage competition. However, they can be used in practice areas.
Under British Equestrian’s code of conduct, a whip must not be misused or used excessively, while it also says the “abuse of a horse using natural riding aids or artificial aids (e.g. whips, spurs, etc.) will not be tolerated”.
The type of whip used by Dujardin in the video is a schooling whip, which is used to encourage or correct the horse in training.
Equestrian writer Madeleine Hill told the Today programme on BBC Radio 4: “Generally you can’t use the whip too harshly because horses are very sensitive and they will react badly.
“In dressage I would say it is used as a training aid and quite cautiously.”
Hutton said: “A horse will move a fly off its backside by swishing its tail, it will react to the lightest of touches.”
Horse welfare – have there been previous issues?
Earlier this month Danish TV station TV2 reported that Denmark’s reserve rider Carina Cassoe Kruth had been replaced in the Paris squad on the eve of the team announcement after a controversial training video was sent to the Danish Riding Association.
Kruth told TV2 she “deeply regretted” her “clear error”. It came just months after Andreas Helgstrand was banned from the Danish team until 2025 after an undercover documentary exposed the use of what the Danish Riding Association said were “unacceptable” training methods at Helgstrand Dressage training stables.
The undercover journalist found horses with welts from whips, mouth sores and spur marks that were hidden with shoe polish. They were also filmed being ridden in rollkur (hyperflexion of the neck). Helgstrand Dressage said the mistreatment “did not live up to our guidelines and values”.
Earlier this year, former Colombia and then United States rider Cesar Parra was suspended by the FEI pending an investigation into “the disturbing and abhorrent images and videos” that emerged of his training techniques.
Three years ago at the Tokyo Olympics, a German coach was thrown out of the Games for punching a horse who was refusing to jump during the modern pentathlon.
As a result, showjumping is to be removed from the sport – a change that will come into effect after the Paris Olympics. It will be replaced by an obstacle course, but the decision has been widely criticised by athletes.
At the same Games, a Swiss horse in the eventing was euthanised after being injured in the cross-country, while an Irish horse was able to continue competing in the showjumping despite bleeding from its nostrils.
What happens now for Team GB?
Dujardin was named alongside Carl Hester (on Fame) and world champion Lottie Fry (Glamourdale) in the dressage squad, with Becky Moody the travelling reserve.
Moody (on Jagerbomb) will now compete while Andrew Gould (Indigro) has been called up as the alternate.
The dressage events get under way on 30 July at Chateau de Versailles, concluding the following day.
What does this mean for equestrian at the Olympics?
Animal rights charity Peta has called for the removal of equestrian events from the Olympic programme.
Equestrian journalist Eleanor Kelly told BBC Radio 5 Live the Dujardin incident was “hugely damaging for equestrian as a sport”.
She added: “If we lose equestrian in the Olympics, it would have an enormous effect on the whole community.”
The timing of the release of the video has also been questioned.
Equestrian writer Hill said it felt like “sabotage” and believes the FEI should have waited until after the Olympics before imposing any sanctions.
She added that “top riders are being persecuted” on social media by people who are against the use of horses in sport.
