CONVINCE THE PUBLIC THAT DRESSAGE IS NOT A CRUEL SPORT - OR LOSE IT

Aug 31, 20243 min read

The world of dressage needs to convince the media and the public that abuse is “not a cultural issue” if the sport has a hope of surviving the Charlotte Dujardin controversy, says top PR troubleshooter Andy Coulson.

Speaking exclusively to MumsHaynet, the former Fleet Street editor and government press advisor, said: “The world of dressage needs to take a good, hard look within itself.

“I know very little about horses, but from a PR perspective dressage is in jeopardy if it doesn’t show more transparency and properly explain its sport to the lay person.”

Competition dressage has found itself increasingly under the spotlight following a number of high-profile exposes of training methods that have led to calls to ban the sport on grounds of cruelty.

The video of Britain’s Charlotte Dujardin repeatedly whipping a young horse in training sent shockwaves across the world, but was it systemic behaviour or simply an error of judgement?

Is the hugely popular sport of dressage doomed or can the industry recover from the latest in a series of damning abuse allegations.

MumsHaynet put the question playing on so many horse lover’s lips to Andy Coulson, one of the UK’s leading PR gurus.

“Following the controversy over Charlotte Dujardin, British Dressage should now step up and take the lead in tackling this crisis to ensure the sport's survival.

"People in modern society have no appetite for animal cruelty, and nor should they. The media and the public needs convincing that dressage is not a cruel sport.

“Football will always survive because there is so much money in it. Is dressage as commercially viable in peril?”

Abusive

Charlotte Dujardin, the joint-most successful British Olympian and favourite for another gold medal in Paris, pulled out of the games after a video emerged of her whipping a horse 24 times during a training session.

The world dressage star’s career now lies in tatters after the International Federation of Equestrian Sports suspended her from the sport, sponsors withdrew their funding, and Downing Street said a Damehood was now off the table.

The FEI is currently investigating the video, with the riding icon facing a lengthy ban from competing and a substantial fine.

Andy, a former editor and deputy editor of two national newspapers and spin doctor to No 10, said: “Despite my very limited knowledge of horses, I watched the Charlotte Dujardin video and immediately felt it was abusive.

“The timing of its release was obviously calculated, and is clearly curious with someone chuckling away in the background, but it did the damage.

“It’s a long way back for Charlotte’s career and so much will now depend on the FEI’s decision as to whether she will be able to ride or train again.

“But when that ruling comes the sport needs to plan a swift response and promote more transparency and understanding so it can shine more positively.

“The media and the public need convincing that this kind of abuse is not a cultural issue in the sport and more a one off.

“The video and the suspension of such a leading name in dressage has caused immense reputational damage to the sport and British Dressage needs to act swiftly once the FEI announces the results of its investigation.

"Decisive action needs to be taken and dressage needs to clean up its act amid a raft of welfare issues.

“The International Olympic Committee is undoubtedly also paying close attention to developments as there seems to be a growing number of people calling for the sport to be thrown out of the Olympics.

“I read about blue tongue and controversial training techniques and tack used, which didn’t make for pleasant reading. There needs to be a clear dividing line between acceptable methods of training and horse abuse.

"There just hasn’t been enough transparency in this sport. It’s a word I keep coming back to.”

Dujardin’s shock video is the latest in a number of cruelty and abuse allegations to have dogged dressage in recent months.

In November last year, Danish billionaire Andreas Helgstrand was banned from riding - and also Paris 2024 - by his national dressage team after an undercover documentary filmed at one of his riding schools showed horses bleeding from their mouths and flanks during training.

The FEI also suspended US dressage Olympian Cesar Parra over videos showing alleged animal abuse earlier this year including whipping horses around the head and kicked.

Danish rider Carina Cassoe Kruth was also forced to withdraw from the Olympics and faces disciplinary proceedings from the national equestrian body over similar allegations.