Footage emerges of Olympian Charlotte Dujardin whipping horse 'like an elephant in a circus'
24 July 2024, 09:27 | Updated: 24 July 2024, 09:56
Charlotte Dujardin seen whipping horse in video on GMB
Footage has emerged of Olympian Charlotte Dujardin whipping a horse while in training.
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The clip shows Ms Dujardin repeatedly whipping the horse's legs during a slow-motion trot with a 19-year-old student.
Ms Dujardin was officially suspended on Tuesday evening pending an investigation by the International Federation of Equestrians (FEI).
She has apologised for the incident, saying there is “no excuse” and that she is “deeply ashamed” of the “error of judgment”.
The video was sent to the FEI on Monday and has since been released by GMB.
“My client used to be a sponsor, and she was in the UK, and she sponsored a lesson for Charlotte to a student,” Dutch lawyer Stephan Wensing, who is representing the whistleblower who originally obtained the clip, told The Telegraph.
“It was a young girl of 19 years old riding her horse, and she got a lesson from Charlotte Dujardin in the UK.
“Charlotte Dujardin was in the middle of the arena. She said to the student ‘your horse must lift up the legs more in the canter’.
"She took the long whip and she was beating the horse more than 24 times in one minute and really hard, really harsh, really tough.”
Read more: Team GB’s Charlotte Dujardin suspended after video shows her ‘hitting horse’s legs’
Read more: Britain’s Charlotte Dujardin ‘whipped horse 24 times like an elephant in the circus’, claims lawyer
Speaking outside the couple's home, Ms Dujardin's fiancé, Dean Wyatt Golding said the allegation had "all come out of the blue".
"I can't say anything beyond Charlotte's statement," he told the Mail.
"All we can do is wait and see what happens."
When asked if he knew who had released the video and how it had been shared, Mr Golding said: "No, we have no idea.
"Charlotte is obviously cooperating with the equestrian authorities for now."
The six-time Olympic medallist decided to pull out of all competition while the International Federation for Equestrian Sports (FEI) investigates the video, which was taken four years ago.
The 39-year-old dressage medallist is also under investigation from the British Equestrian Federation and British Dressage.
She said: "A video has emerged from four years ago which shows me making an error of judgement during a coaching session."
She continued: "What happened was completely out of character and does not reflect how I train my horses or coach my pupils, however there is no excuse. I am deeply ashamed and should have set a better example in that moment.
"I am sincerely sorry for my actions and devastated that I have let everyone down, including Team GB, fans and sponsors."
She was expected to compete in both the individual dressage and team event in Paris.
