I don’t understand the Charlotte Dujardin furore….

[VivaLaSpag]

For transparency, I know absolutely nothing about horses but have seen this all blow up so am trying to understand the context and concern. In no way am I saying what she has done is right.

My question is, aren’t horses whipped to the finish line in horse races? If this is a routine practice then why is there such concern about what Dujardin has done?

Hurting animals should be a criminal offence. This is why I can't stand that awful "Prince" Harry - he used spurs on polo ponies until they were bleeding

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1308528/Prince-Harry-faces-animal-cruelty-claim-polo-ponys-stab-wound-spur.html

I don't think any horse should be whipped, and I think all sports involving animals should be banned. However, I'm assuming to an olympion there is a difference between whipping a horse in a race and whipping it 24 times in 1 min during a coaching session.

Or maybe like you're so used to that method being used, maybe even use it yourself so it's not shocking to you.

Exactly. I was called a liar in a deleted post when I said as much earlier.

That's interesting, how was it not picked up on then? Was she able to get it taken down from the internet?

It was the right decision but why wait until olympic week when the event happened a while ago.

As something of a palate cleanser, see The Moons on youtube, or Skydog Sanctuary in the US.

I gather the person did try and was warned off.

Doing it this week has had maximum publicity for obvious reasons, and I think that's a good thing. Hopefully, a wider conversation about 'routine' cruelty to animals used in sport can happen more easily now.

Remember Sarah moulds. She was filmed hitting a pony (once) and its probably destroyed her life.

Since when was badger baiting still legal in the UK?! 😅 FYI killing badgers for sport has been illegal since the early 90's.

She was a school teacher though, wasn’t she? And if I remember she was kicking and punching a pony in the face in front of 11 year old children. It’s good that some of these people are stupid as well as vile, they slip up and expose themselves

“I don’t understand what animal cruelty is” 🙄 the faux naïveté really is unnecessary OP

It's all cruel isn't it, like the bear dancing on the hot coals.

I'm just so bloody disappointed. I've watched the video as needed to decide for myself if the reaction is justified and it clearly is. Lunge whips are to be used gently and humanely to encourage without causing any distress or discomfort to the horse. But she is cracking that whip with full force. There is absolutely no need to raise your arm at all with a lunge whips.

I thought she was one of the good ones. This won't have been a one off "error". The fact that does this in front of people so lord knows how she has treated other horses with no one looking.

Dressage can be so beautiful and kind to the horse but, time and time again it's proven that the top riders achieve the extremes through abuse and cruelty. I don't want to see horses held together within a fraction of an inch with no freedom of movement at all. I want to see supple, fit and content horses working willingly for their rider. But clearly this isn't what's viewed as "impressive" or worthy of the prize money.

A load of bollocks that it was out of character and a lapse of judgement. Everyone's sorry once they've been caught.

If she does that in front of people, I dread to think what she does when no one is looking.

I hope this finishes her career.

Show jumping seems to have a lot of issues.This tragic case in Northern Ireland has exposed so many issues.https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c720k0yl80yo

If anyone’s watched the video without listening to the audio, have another watch, and listen. And I don’t mean to the beating, but the words exchanged between the young girl rider and Charlotte, I’ve only noticed since someone else on here pointed it out. As she’s beating the horse she complains that the whip is shit because it doesn’t hurt as much as she wants it to. And then the young rider (presumably the horses owner) asks Charlotte twice ‘why do you have to hurt him’? The vile bitch just says because he’s crap etc. That poor girl was distraught at her horse getting beaten, and did actually try and stand up for him

Whilst I agree that she should be disqualified, why is a convicted paedophile still allowed to compete? Is his victim not as important as a horse? A 12 yr old girl raped is not as bad as whipping a horse? Can anyone explain that please, as I'm flummoxed. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Why is this an Olympic sport? The winner is the one that can afford to buy the best horse not the top human.

Whipping any animal for "sport" is utterly disgusting. It should all be banned: horse racing, dressage, circus animals - it makes me feel sick.

I think it's disgraceful but it's probably also quite commonplace.

I know a few people who are 'horsey' people and don't treat them the way I would treat an animal. Sell them on like cars, like they don't matter. Hardly animal lovers!

Obviously the timing is by someone else who wants to win, but I'm hopeful it will open the floodgates as she won't be the only one.

The most awful part is that my, and others, first thought was “I’ve seen worse”.

Like the abuse in gymnastics. I literally shrugged - heard, seen, experienced much much worse myself. You almost become immune to it , it's the norm to be verbally and physically abused.

Maybe that's what's happened here?

Which Olympic sports are free to compete at? Surely most Olympians have grown up in an environment that encouraged and enabled them. There aren’t many from deprived backgrounds.

They should both be banned from competing imho.