Olympic equestrian Heath Ryan was suspended Thursday after officials said they were “deeply concerned” by video of him whipping a horse dozens of times.
The resurfaced clip from a few years back caught the attention of Equestrian Australia’s Integrity Unit, which said it is launching an investigation into the actions of Ryan, a dressage competitor at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. He finished 34th in the individual event.
The disturbing footage shows Ryan continuously striking the horse as the smacking blows resonate. Nico was hit at least 40 times, according to outlets. At one point, the horse begins to kick up a leg with every impact.
Ryan claimed he was trying to save the uncooperative horse from the “Knackery,” where destroyed animals are processed.
On Facebook, he said a friend had dropped off the horse after a serious accident while riding the animal.
“I am so sad this was caught on video,” Ryan wrote on June 11. “If I had been thinking of myself I would have immediately just gotten off and sent Nico to the Knackery. That video was a life or death moment for Nico and of that I was very aware. I felt I genuinely had to try my very hardest to see if Nico would consider other options.”
Ryan said the “problem child” animal did eventually respond without “excessive driving aids,” and he was able to find Nico a new home where he is “thriving” with “an exciting future.”
“If you think I did that flippantly you are wrong,” Ryan continued. “I hated reaching out in those moments to Nico and asking the hard questions. That was the last place I wanted to be. I have never before ridden a horse that reacted like that and I certainly will never do it again. Was it worth it?? Well not for me however I am very happy for Nico. I need to add that this happened about 2 years ago and the video has been posted by an unhappy ex employee. All I can say is that this awful video was collateral damage of me from the bottom of my heart launching a rescue mission.”
The sport’s international body, Fédération Équestre Internationale, also suspended him.
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