Charlotte withdrawing from Olympics?

[jvanrens]

@Bella

I read it as whipping horse on legs during slow trot- that to me means passage or piaffe work either in hand or with a student and tapping/ whipping horses legs to make them raise higher?

This one (not sure if it’s posted here or not sorry if it’s a repeat) mentions trot.

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/sport/other/charlotte-dujardin-withdraws-from-olympics-after-video-shows-error-of-judgment-in-coaching-session/ar-BB1qulPK

[kate-and-lingho]

I would wait for an actual source. These journalists are likely not horse people (and don’t know a canter from a trot) and it could be a long game of telephone.

[Scribbler]

@anonevent

The statement reads very similar to Kruth’s which, in my opinion, presents the possibility that there’s a catch and kill conversation such as “Here’s what we’re going to do. You’re going to release this statement within 24hrs and we are going to contain the video to the best of our abilities. If you push back or make excuses for what is seen in the video, you’re on your own.” If that is true, I wonder if the penalty starts and ends with never competing at the Olympic level again.

Per The Telegraph: “Charlotte Dujardin, Britain’s three-time Olympic champion, has been forced to pull out of Paris 2024 over a video showing her hitting a horse repeatedly on the legs during a slow-motion trot, Telegraph Sport understands…”

Ok, that sounds like an attempt at schooling passage or piaffe. That seems like the most logical schooling from the ground thing that would look bad in a video or indeed go South quickly if the grounds person lost perspective. Also something people are already aware of in the “dancing horse” thing in the US

[initiate1987]

@Scribbler

Ok, that sounds like an attempt at schooling passage or piaffe

I was thinking that too. Isn’t there a method of improving piaffe by tapping a whip on the hocks from the ground? Or maybe I’m thinking of the croup. I haven’t trained to GP, nor have I seen much, so I could be completely off.

I could see that with the unbelievable scrutiny of the Olympics, that sort of thing could be considered “abuse” by the masses, even if it’s pretty common practice and really not. If (and I recognize we have no idea what’s in the video) that’s what it’s about though, are there any Olympians who wouldn’t be hanged for it?

[anonevent]

Whatever is on the video is something that she is deeply ashamed of potentially having made public, and something the FEI condemns. Unlikely to be a gentle tap.

[Scribbler]

It really depends on how much force was used. You could tickle or even just gesture, or you could whack.

[Libera]

That was a statement from the lawyer who sent the video to the FEI on behalf of his client. He does a lot of equestrian cases so I would think he knows the difference? Hard to say…

But basically the article states it was a sponsored guest lesson and the client that sent the video was the sponsor, not the rider of the horse

[initiate1987]

@anonevent

Unlikely to be a gentle tap.

I think that’s more than fair. If it were something common practice/relatively gentle, she wouldn’t care.

[Bonnie2]

Relevant video is supposed to be 4 years old. This is from 2015. Just fyi.

[Jealoushe]

Coth has now posted an article that clarifies the FEI just received the video.

CDJ fully admits it’s awful and apologized and asked to be suspended.

That’s really the interesting part to me.

[Pehsness]

Was that on Bob Woods page?

[Dressurfrau]

FEI Announces Provisional Suspension of Dressage Athlete Charlotte Dujardin (eurodressage.com)

Evidently what happened took place at a private farm.

[sascha]

@Jealoushe

CDJ fully admits it’s awful and apologized and asked to be suspended.

That’s really the interesting part to me.

The hallmark of a really good PR team - when things go south, you must jump ahead, take responsibility, appear pre-emptively chastened by your own actions, and ask for/suggest consequences when you know they are coming anyway. It’s just another form of CYA and spin to keep as much of a good reputation intact or salvageable as possible.

[millerra]

it came across my facebook feed from boyd martin, as I am a follower. I can no longer find it…

see down below - I misattributed it to Boyd Martin - it is on Bob Woods Horses for life face book page sorry folks…

[jvanrens]

https://www.chronofhorse.com/article/charlotte-dujardin-withdraws-from-olympics-after-fei-launches-investigation-of-training-video/

[sascha]

@Pehsness @millerra looks like it’s on this page, but I can’t seem to link directly to the article so you’ll need to scroll down a bit to a day ago: https://www.facebook.com/BobWoodHorsesForLife

[Dressurfrau]

Here is her statement.
STATEMENT FROM CHARLOTTE DUJARDIN

A video has emerged from four years ago which shows me making an error of judgement during a coaching session. Understandably, the International Federation for Equestrian Sports (FEI) is investigating and I have made the decision to withdraw from all competition – including the Paris Olympics – while this process takes place.

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.

I will cooperate fully with the FEI, British Equestrian Federation and British Dressage during their investigations, and will not be commenting further until the process is complete.

Charlotte Dujardin, 23rd July 2024

[Jealoushe]

uh oh. Good on her for stepping down, not good on her for whatever it is she did….sounds bad

[Larksmom]

anyone know what she did? It must be awful.

[BrownDerby]

Four years ago? Someone has a grudge bigger than a real concern about horse or student welfare.