European Equestrian Fed Surveying Members on How to Deal With Horse Abuse
4 months ago StraightArrow Comments Off on European Equestrian Fed Surveying Members on How to Deal With Horse Abuse
Mar. 16, 2024
The European Equestrian Federation has launched a survey of the “highest priority” open to all within the 38 national federations on training and treatment of horses at home to help determine how best to deal with abuse.
In recent months, the EEF said, “several examples of poor horse welfare in a training environment have been exposed. The EEF has observed with dismay and has made it our highest priority to support our member organizations to take swift action and re-focus on the kind of behaviors we all expect of equestrianism in Europe.
“To properly counter these issues going forward, it is important we first assess the current landscape, the attitudes and opinions within the industry and understand whether these issues are widespread. With this information, we can then support our national federations to create practical initiatives to counter these unacceptable behaviors.”
The survey, with answers anonymous, is being conducted with support of World Horse Welfare and ends April 5.
“The answers will be analyzed and carried forward to a panel discussion in cooperation with World Horse Welfare, the International Grooms Association, our member national federations and international rider club stakeholders to properly discuss and consider how we, as Europe’s equestrian community, can stamp out abusive training practices and any notion that they can be acceptable in today’s sport,” the EEF said.
“This is vital to strengthen trust with those both inside and outside our sport.”
EEF President Theo Ploegmakers said” “The horse lies at the center of everything we do, and their care should be the utmost priority for everyone in our industry. The recent cases in which behaviors at home have been uncovered are incredibly worrying for our sport and exceptionally damaging to the trust we have been building with the wider public. It is of the highest importance that we now understand the depth of this issue and support our national federations to action against it.”
A trainer central to current horse abuse allegations is a former American dressage team rider based in Jupiter, Florida was “provisionally suspended” Feb. 2 by the FEI–International Equestrian Federation. No other action has yet been announced.
The U.S. Equestrian Federation has announced it will consider in June changes to rules that it says currently prevents action outside of show grounds.
The U.S. Center for Safe Sport, set up by Congress after sexual abuse of gymnasts was disclosed, also has not yet reported any action on complaints individuals have reported filing with the organization.
