Dressage leaders to meet to address the sport's future

Stakeholders say recent high-profile cases of horse abuse are a "wake-up call" for the sport's future

- BECKY MURRAY

DRESSAGE stakeholders have described recent cases of horse abuse as a “wake-up call” – and a meeting is planned to discuss how to address the challenges.

On 14 February the International Dressage Riders Club (IDRC) published an open letter on its website to the FEI written by the IDRC, International Dressage Trainers Club (IDTC), and International Dressage Officials Club (IDOC).

The letter stated that the “whole world has now witnessed issues of welfare and terrible cruelty within our wonderful sport”.

“It is correct that cruel practice is exposed, and the influence of social media makes this immediate. By the same token, social media exacerbates negative influence, and it needs to be turned to a positive,” it read. “The reality is that our sport has now been put at serious risk; the behaviour of the minority has been a gift to critics of our sport.

“It has offended any decent human being with love and respect for animals as living creatures. They come first; not the ego of individuals or money. The perception of the sport has been damaged and we need to make a joined-up concerted effort to remedy it.”