Olympic equestrian Heath Ryan was suspended Thursday after officers stated they have been “deeply concerned” by video of him whipping a horse dozens of occasions.
The resurfaced clip from just a few years again caught the eye of Equestrian Australia’s Integrity Unit, which stated it’s launching an investigation into the actions of Ryan, a dressage competitor on the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. He finished 34th within the particular person occasion.
The disturbing footage reveals Ryan constantly putting the horse because the smacking blows resonate. Nico was hit at least 40 times, in accordance to outlets. At one level, the horse begins to kick up a leg with each affect.
Ryan claimed he was attempting to avoid wasting the uncooperative horse from the “Knackery,” the place destroyed animals are processed.
On Facebook, he stated a good friend had dropped off the horse after a critical accident whereas driving the animal.
“I’m so unhappy this was caught on video,” Ryan wrote on June 11. “If I had been pondering of myself I might have instantly simply gotten off and despatched Nico to the Knackery. That video was a life or loss of life second for Nico and of that I used to be very conscious. I felt I genuinely needed to strive my very hardest to see if Nico would think about different choices.”
Ryan stated the “drawback youngster” animal did finally reply with out “extreme driving aids,” and he was capable of finding Nico a brand new dwelling the place he’s “thriving” with “an thrilling future.”
“Should you suppose I did that flippantly you might be flawed,” Ryan continued. “I hated reaching out in these moments to Nico and asking the arduous questions. That was the final place I needed to be. I’ve by no means earlier than ridden a horse that reacted like that and I definitely won’t ever do it once more. Was it price it?? Nicely not for me nonetheless I’m very joyful for Nico. I would like so as to add that this occurred about 2 years in the past and the video has been posted by an sad ex worker. All I can say is that this terrible video was collateral harm of me from the underside of my coronary heart launching a rescue mission.”
The game’s worldwide physique, Fédération Équestre Internationale, also suspended him.
MIKE CLARKE by way of Getty Pictures
