- Sports
- Paris 2024 Olympics
Since the setbacks in Tokyo in 2021, the equestrian world has improved its image in terms of the 'well-treatment' of horses.
ByMarie-Béatrice Baudet
6 min read
Lire en français- Share
- Share on Facebook
- Share by email
- Share on Linkedin
Subscribers only
![Animal welfare at the 2024 Olympics: The horse comes first (1) Animal welfare at the 2024 Olympics: The horse comes first (1)](https://i0.wp.com/img.lemde.fr/2024/08/09/0/0/0/0/664/0/75/0/616ef51_1723218696687-043-dpa-pa-230702-99-258857-dpai.jpg)
On July 30, Danish judge Susanne Baarup did not hesitate to interrupt the dressage test that had begun earlier at the Versailles Olympic site. From the second pirouette of Jane, the mare ridden by American Marcus Orlob, the official rang the bell, bringing the couple to a halt and eliminating them de facto. The Scandinavian spotted a few drops of blood on one of the animal's hind legs, just above the hoof. It was nothing more than a light scratch. Jane did it to herself right after arriving in the sandy arena. Disturbed by the cheers from the stands, the mare backed off, rearing slightly. Today, she is in perfect health.
Read more Subscribers only Paris 2024: The ancient art of dressage returns to its roots in Versailles
Criticized on social media, did Baarup overreact and misjudge the incident? In reality, the experienced judge strictly complied with the new instructions issued at the beginning of 2023 by the International Equestrian Federation (FEI): At the slightest bleed from a mount, all competition must be stopped immediately. A good sport, Orlob quickly calmed things down on his Instagram account: "I'm sad and disappointed... We respect the rules, and know that as a sport right now, the world is watching, and welfare must always comes first."
Oh yes, the world was watching, millions and millions of viewers were watching, and nothing was going to spoil the show. There was no question of reliving the calamitous events of the Olympic Games in Tokyo in 2021. That summer, two performances caused a scandal. On August 4, Kilkenny, the gray gelding owned by Irish rider Cian O'Connor, had a heavy nosebleed during the show jumping competition, without the jury intervening.
Two days later, German rider Annika Schleu, competing in the modern pentathlon equestrian event, inflicted blows with a riding crop and spurs on Saint Boy, the bay horse she was assigned 20 minutes before she was due to compete – as stipulated in the rules for this discipline. The videos quickly went viral, setting alarm bells ringing in the world of top-level equestrian sport, vilified by animal rights groups and shunned by an outraged public. The question of the survival of equestrian sport at the Olympic Games was even raised. In other words, Paris 2024 was eagerly awaited.
Read more Subscribers only Paris 2024: The horse reigns supreme in Versailles
Tranquility of a good meadow
In terms of images, the gamble paid off. Horrified cries were heard in Versailles on July 28, when Portuguese rider Manuel Grave and his horse Carat de Bremoy fell spectacularly in the cross-country event, but eventually, there was more fear than harm. The equestrian events came to a close on Tuesday, August 6, without any clashes or demonstrations by animal rights activists. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) had launched an online petition in 2021, to demand the exclusion of all equestrian events from the Olympic Games.
You have 69.71% of this article left to read. The rest is for subscribers only.
Lecture du Monde en cours sur un autre appareil.
Vous pouvez lire Le Monde sur un seul appareil à la fois
Ce message s’affichera sur l’autre appareil.
Découvrir les offres multicomptes-
Parce qu’une autre personne (ou vous) est en train de lire Le Monde avec ce compte sur un autre appareil.
Vous ne pouvez lire Le Monde que sur un seul appareil à la fois (ordinateur, téléphone ou tablette).
-
Comment ne plus voir ce message ?
En cliquant sur «» et en vous assurant que vous êtes la seule personne à consulter Le Monde avec ce compte.
-
Que se passera-t-il si vous continuez à lire ici ?
Ce message s’affichera sur l’autre appareil. Ce dernier restera connecté avec ce compte.
-
Y a-t-il d’autres limites ?
Non. Vous pouvez vous connecter avec votre compte sur autant d’appareils que vous le souhaitez, mais en les utilisant à des moments différents.
-
Vous ignorez qui est l’autre personne ?
Nous vous conseillons de modifier votre mot de passe.
Lecture restreinte
Votre abonnement n’autorise pas la lecture de cet article
Pour plus d’informations, merci de contacter notre service commercial.