Australian Dressage Olympic Heathryan has been temporarily suspended by both Australia and the International Federation of Equestrian Sports (FEI) following the release of disturbing footage showing him repeatedly whipping his horse during training sessions. A video that began streaming online earlier this week shows a 66-year-old rider hitting a six-year-old gelding. Nico Over 40 times in the indoor arena. Filmed two years ago, the footage was reportedly shared by the original, unpleasant staff members, causing immediate public outrage and quick action from the Governing Body.
Equestrian Australia confirmed a temporary outage and announced that an integrity investigation is ongoing. “Horse welfare is extremely important,” the federal stated. “This footage is extremely concerned and is well below the expected standards within the sport.”
The FEI reflects this stance and issued its own suspension until it withheld further disciplinary procedures under horse welfare and implementation regulations.
Ryan, a longtime Australian equestrian sport who represented the country at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, defended his actions in an official statement. He insisted it Nico He previously injured a rider and was destined to be euthanized. “This was a rescue mission,” writes Ryan, claiming that although the training methods used were strict, it was intended to correct dangerous behaviors, ultimately the horse was successfully retrained and re-registered.
The explanation did little to calm the growing backlash. Major sponsors such as Bates Saddle, Pride’s Essied and Westerners have ended their partnership with Ryan in response to the footage.
In further development, the RSPCA has confirmed it has its own investigation into potential violations of the Animal Welfare Act.
This case comes at a time when sports scrutiny has been strengthened following similar controversy involving high-level riders. In 2023, British Olympic Games Charlotte Dujardin was banned for a year by the FEI after video evidence emerged that he hit a horse with a whip while training.
Animal welfare advocates and key figures in the equestrian community are seeking greater transparency, better education and stricter enforcement to ensure that horses are protected from abuse, regardless of their competitive position.
