Did Snoop Dogg just save an Olympic sport from itself? Sort of

It’s been a weird few weeks for horse lovers and equestrians the world over. First, leaked footage showed British dressage rider Charlotte Dujardin, one of the most esteemed trainers and competitors in the world, whipping a horse abusively.

The media storm that followed, including a major exposé from The New York Times, broke the ranks of equestrians and shone an embarrassing global spotlight on our sport, with some (rightfully) questioning why horse riding is still a thing, let alone an Olympic sport.

Snoop Dogg attends the dressage team grand prix special at Versailles on day eight of the Olympic Games.Credit: Getty Images

Then, just when it looked like equestrian events might be thrown out of the biggest sporting arena in the world, Snoop Dogg arrived at the Palace of Versailles, dressed to the nines, ready to spend time with the Olympic ponies. The feel-good content of him dancing with the US equestrian team’s horses and feeding them treats has amassed over 10 million views globally, and reinstated at least some of our community’s fractured social licence.

I say “our” because I am an equestrian myself. I own three horses, compete in amateur eventing and dressage, and the horsey community is a massive part of my life. But like many equestrians, the past few weeks have left me wondering if our partnerships with these beautiful animals are more one-sided than we’d like to believe.

The average person probably pictures horse riding as being all about galloping in open fields, the bond between rider and steed evident in the way they move as one across the country.

But the reality is that all the major equestrian sports are dogged with welfare issues, and the higher the stakes, the greater the risk of welfare being compromised. When you have goals to achieve that require obedience from a 600-kilogram animal, the quickest way to get there usually involves aversive methods and devices – even when there are other, more humane ways to get there.

After all, it’s very hard trying to explain to non-equestrians why horses in the Olympics are regularly shown with blue tongues in the dressage (from too-tight nose bands interfering with their blood supply), or being disqualified for having blood in their mouths, or from spurs on their sides, or showing signs of extreme stress like rearing or bucking, without sounding like we condone animal abuse.

Not every top rider abuses horses, of course. But when one of the most highly regarded equestrians in the world, who was lauded for her welfare-focused ethos, is shown lashing a horse with a lunge whip, it raises serious questions.

On the flipside, for the overwhelming majority, our animals – and their welfare – come first. And I’m not saying that as lip service; my bank account and schedule are both slaves to my horses.

In the past 12 months alone, I’ve spent over $15,000 on vet bills for my horses. They get regular physio, premium feed, and supplements up the wazoo. I prioritise their mental health as much as their physical. They live in paddocks with shelters and daily care. They aren’t forced to do anything they are not enjoying.

While the Olympics have shone a light on horse welfare, it has been difficult not to want to jump into the fray and rebut every layperson’s concern about the way equines are treated. “You don’t even own horses!” I’ve seen other equestrians cry out online. “You know nothing about their welfare!”

But the cold hard reality is that we need social licence to be able to continue our sports, and it’s good and right that the community interrogate whether it’s in the horse’s interest for us to ride them and compete them the way we do. Without external scrutiny, we’re just another community asking the world to avert their gaze and trust us to self-regulate our industry.

Seeing Snoop Dogg being chauffeured around on a buggy with Martha Stewart, dancing, feeding treats to the horses and cheering the loudest when they competed well gave me a sense of relief. Here was an unexpected example of the magic of horses, why we have them, and ride them to begin with.

Snoop’s childish delight and awe is basically how I feel whenever I spend time with my own ponies – there is no denying that humans and horses have a special connection.

In being a newcomer to the sport and offering an outsider’s perspective, Snoop might have just, perhaps inadvertently, offered up some much-needed reassurance to the broader community, and at the same time served up a reminder to all equestrians that the relationship between a rider and their horse should never be about personal gain or glory.

Zoya Patel is a freelance writer and author.

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