Olympic dressage competitor Heath Ryan caught repeatedly whipping horse during heated training session
Distressing video showing Olympic dressage rider Heath Ryan whipping a horse 42 times during a training session has sparked outrage. SEE THE VIDEO.
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Disturbing video footage has surfaced showing Australian Olympic equestrian Heath Ryan whipping a horse 42 times during a training session.
Ryan said while the footage is “awful”, he claimed it was part of a “rescue mission” to save the animal from slaughter.
The clip, posted to US-based Facebook page Dressage Hub, shows the respected Newcastle rider repeatedly striking a six-year-old horse named Nico with a long dressage whip while schooling the horse in an indoor arena.
The footage shows Ryan seated atop the chestnut gelding, holding the reins in his right hand while cracking the whip over the horse’s hindquarters with his left hand.
The horse can be seen kicking out with his hind legs each time the whip strikes him and violently swishing his tail as he moves around in a small circle.
In another part of the video, the horse briefly trots off at Ryan’s command before the footage cuts to a different shot and Ryan can again be seen repeatedly whipping the horse.
Ryan is a well respected member of Australia’s equestrian industry, having competed at an elite level in both dressage and eventing throughout the country.
He took to Facebook to defend his actions.
“That video was a life or death moment for Nico … If I had been thinking of myself I would have immediately just gotten off and sent Nico to the knackery,” he wrote.
He said the horse had been responsible for putting its previous owner in intensive care and was dropped off at his property on its way to be euthanised.
Ryan said he felt “obliged” to try and help, and while the session looked brutal, it was his attempt to push the horse through a dangerous refusal behaviour that had escalated over time.
He claims the video was taken two years ago and has been leaked by a disgruntled employee.
The footage comes a year after British three-time Olympic gold medallist Charlotte Dujardin was forced to pull out of the Paris Olympics after video emerged of her repeatedly whipping a client’s horse during a training session.
Footage of the clip went viral online and generated headlines around the world, with viewers condemning the celebrated rider’s actions.
Dujardin addressed the incident in a statement at the time, labelling it an “error of judgment” and revealing she had withdrawn from Paris contention while an investigation was underway by the sport’s international governing body, International Federation for Equestrian Sports (FEI).
Dujardin was subsequently banned from all competition for a year and fined $10,000 Swiss francs.
Meanwhile, Ryan has competed in equestrian events in Australia for decades, culminating in his appearance at the Beijing Olympics in 2008, where he placed 35th individually and helped Australia secure eighth place in the team event.
He is also the brother of triple Olympic equestrian gold medallist Matt Ryan, who was part of the eventing team that stormed to victory at the Sydney 2000 Olympics.
Outside of competition, Ryan has also regularly been involved in commentating for the sport and was a featured writer for multiple equestrian publications where he gave his opinion and commentary on issues within the industry.
The Daily Telegraph has requested comment from Equestrian Australia.
Originally published as Olympic dressage competitor Heath Ryan caught repeatedly whipping horse during heated training session
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