Charlotte duJardin

[Veem]

As a lifelong horse lover, owner and rider, it saddens me beyond words that Charlotte has been shown to have abused a horse in such an aggressive way. Since she burst onto the international dressage scene many years ago, she has been universally recognised as one of the most empathetic riders, admired by many and generally described as being 'in harmony' with her beautiful horses. I suppose she represented what every young rider aspired to.

All gone. In a moment of anger or frustration she has shown herself to be not true to the reputation she had built. Most importantly she has shown herself to be not true to herself and the success she has enjoyed.

She has not only let herself down, but also the thousands of supporters who had so respected her. Most of all, she has let down the horses.

[edythuk]

Very sad to see. Her international performances have always been such a pleasure to watch.

[Blaze]

I wondered about posting about this ... but it's a bit of a hobby horse of mine ....

Charlotte isn't any different from any other rider at international/Olympic level : she may well have started out as a sympathetic rider and trainer, but with time and money at stake, international reputation, the desire to win at all costs, any qualms about using more forceful methods went out of the window. She's far from the only one : Remember Anky and her use of Rollkur ? She still managed to get to the top.

I've taken photos at international eventing competitions in Saumur and was quite disgusted by some of the things I saw from top level riders. I'll see if I can find them. The 2 I've posted here are not mine.
Over-tightened nosebands to force the horse's mouth to stay closed (you're supposed to be able to fit 2 fingers between the noseband the the horse). Pressure on the reins will force some bits up into the palate of the mouth, causing extreme pain and because the horse can't open his mouth, he can't relieve the pain.
The use of force is unacceptable a is winning at the expense of the horse's wellbeing and comfort.

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No-one dares speak out about these abuses because of the big names involved .... and lots of money at stake.
What is even more shameful is that organisations like the FEI, judges and stewards have allowed - condoned - this sort of treatment. What sort of message does it send to those who idolise people like Charlotte ?

[niemeyjt]

Agree about animal abuse being abhorrent - but I do question timing of the release of the information.

Surely, if "whistleblower" really had horse's well being at heart then they would have blown the whistle the day after rather than leaving horses suffering for an additional "2 to 4" years - timing more aimed at scuppering her Olympics than protecting horses.

[Veem]

I think Blaze was referring to the tightness of the 'flash noseband'. For those without knowledge of the various parts of a bridle, the flash is the thin strap the furthest down the face of the horse and it passes directly under the horse's chin thereby closing the top and bottom jaw by clamping them shut. Blaze's photos show clearly just how tight those straps can be fastened and can result in insufficient of blood flow to the horse's tongue causing 'blue tongue'. It's barbaric. A well trained horse should be able to accept the bit in its mouth without being put in pain and then there is no need for flash nosebands or other 'gadgets'. The less leather and metal on a horse's head the better and that's when you see a horse willingly going forward because it isn't in pain.

[Blaze]

@Veem Don't forget "crank" nosebands which are easily tightened to prevent the horse opening its mouth and relaxing its jaw

Surely, if "whistleblower" really had horse's well being at heart then they would have blown the whistle the day after rather than leaving horses suffering for an additional "2 to 4" years - timing more aimed at scuppering her Olympics than protecting horses.

Not necessarily. It takes courage to denounce well-known - and in Charlotte's case, well loved - people. Perhaps now was the moment when the whistle blower felt she would have enough public support and attention. Had the video been released at any other time, it would probably have just disappeared quietly and the whistle blower been written off as a troublemaker.

[Bayleaf]

Crossing with Blaze, but echoes the same thoughts.

Yes, horrible tack is a whole different issue. This video, showing Charlotte whipping the (ridden) horse 24 times in one minute was totally out of order. Her only "error of judgement" was obviously not knowing that someone was recording it - and I heard someone sniggering behind the camera? That's not the first or last time she, and many highly competitive professionals have resorted to extreme methods and unacceptable measures. It was supposed to get the horse to raise his legs more in canter - it was disturbing and difficult to watch, and it would have served her right if that kick had made contact. Apparently the video was shown to "others in the trade" at the time and the cameraperson was told to keep it to themselves. Only in the last year has more come out about naming and shaming abusers, so the whistleblower felt able to submit the footage. Maximum effect of timing may well have played into it, and I doubt Charlotte will be competing again, especially as she's been eliminated from events before because of evidence of injuries on horses from bad tack (as shown in Blaze's comment) and misuse of spurs (ban those ruddy things too).

Unfortunately this plays right into the hands of the "Ban horseriding altogether" brigade, and perfectly fuels their arguement. Horse training has evolved over the years - it's changed so much from since I was a nipper, and yes, horses' feelings weren't really at the top of a trainer's or rider's list of priorities, but you'd hope we would have evolved sufficiently to have a better and kinder partnership with our animals, without the need to bully and dominate them.

A sad shadow over the whole equestian calender - racing has long been under scrutiny, and quite rightly so. Hopefully something good will come out of this and it'll make others think twice before taking a whip or whatever to their horses (or, they'll just make sure no-one is recording. )

[Polarengineer]

I use only a bitless bridle and believe any competition involving horses should all involve bitless bridles, proving truly well trained animals.

[Blaze]

I use only a bitless bridle

Whilst I agree with the sentiment, there are bits that are gentle - it's the person riding that can be severe. Some horses seem to like something in their mouths, it can be relaxing ...
I rode for years with a loose rein, no contact with the mouth, guiding with seat, body and legs. (I would add that contact should not mean force or severity). However, that required a lot of time, training and trust which doesn't suit many people today who want a quick fix.

racing has long been under scrutiny

There's a chap who breeds and races trotters just down the track from us. I photographed him one day and wasn't pleased to see the horse had its tongue tied. They justify it by saying it stops any risk of blocking the airway during intensive exercise but it isn't a standard practice in eventing which can also be intensive. It's painful for the horse, restricting movement and is just another means to give the driver more control ...

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[Lori]

This is a depressing/sad thread.