International equine charities World Horse Welfare and Brooke have responded to the FEI investigation into Charlotte Dujardin, which has resulted in her provisional suspension. Charlotte commented on the alleged incident yesterday (23 July) and said she felt “deeply ashamed” of what she described as “an error of judgment” during a coaching session four years ago.

Charlotte will no longer compete in the Paris 2024 Olympics, which kicks off later this week, and in international or national competitions until the conclusion of the investigation. The video of the alleged incident was released this morning (24 July) and both World Horse Welfare and Brooke have commented on the matter.

“This story is another salutary reminder of how vital it is that equestrians put the welfare of the horse first, all of the time, whether in the competition arena or behind closed doors,” said Roly Owers, World Horse Welfare’s Chief Executive. “We welcome Charlotte’s decision to take full responsibility and withdraw from the Paris Olympics, and British Equestrian and the FEI’s swift action. Horse sport rightly has high standards, as illustrated in the FEI Code of Conduct and British Equestrian’s Charter for the Horse, but it’s a collective responsibility to maintain these standards.

“Respect for the horse must be at the heart of every equestrian, and every equestrian sport, and their actions must demonstrate that respect all of the time. World Horse Welfare actively supports horse sport, but there cannot be any tolerance for unacceptable practices, no matter how experienced the rider or coach. We know that a successful future for horse sport has public trust at the centre of it and this requires equestrians to be caring and to always treat their horses with respect, compassion and understanding. This is another massive wake-up call for anyone who thinks this is not important, because it most certainly is.”

Charlotte was an Ambassador for Brooke, but following the news of the incident, she has been removed from this position. A statement was released by Brooke today (24 July) which said they were “deeply disturbed” to learn of the video and understood the action taken by the FEI.

“Our whole ethos is around kindness and compassion to horses and to see the opposite of this from someone with such a high profile is beyond disappointing,” they said. “Charlotte is no longer an ambassador for Brooke. There can never be any justification for the mistreatment of animals and clearly any such behaviour is incompatible with representing Brooke.”

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