Australian dressage and eventing rider Heath Ryan has responded to horse abuse allegations following ‘the most awful video of me on a young horse that has just surfaced’.
66-year-old Heath has represented Australia in dressage at the 2008 Olympic Games and has been Australian Eventing Champion on three occasions but recently stepped back from top level eventing. Following the recent release of the video on social media he has been suspended by both Equestrian Australia and the FEI.
The video shows Heath riding a horse during a training session. The horse is called Nico and was six-years-old at the time that the video was taken when Heath says he ‘was dropped off at my place on his way to the knackery’.
The statement by Heath on his social media says that Nico is “A beautiful type. He was genetically a result of my best stallions all of which were successful in Grand Prix dressage, so Nico was beautifully bred. Nico belonged to a wonderful family friend who had been put in hospital in intensive care by Nico. Prior to this really bad accident Nico had always been a problem child and would just stop. This gradually got worse and worse until the accident. The owner of Nico and my friend is a diminutive lady and 100% not capable of being physically aggressive in any way. Nico before he came to me always had the best of best homes. He wanted for nothing. He was in wonderful condition, he was always rugged, he had his own paddock, he was regularly ridden and he was loved. Here is the question. If a beautiful 6yo horse turns up at your facility and it was bred by your stallion and it belonged to a lifelong friend of yours who had been put in hospital in intensive care by this horse would you just send it to the Knackery?? Well I didn’t and I felt obliged to the horse to just have a look and see if it was possibly salvageable”
“I have never ridden anything like it. I am so sad this was caught on video. 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. Anyway by the end of that initial ride I did feel Nico was responding. I rode Nico for another couple of days and he responded very well and started to go without the use of excessive driving aids. I then called up another friend of mine who is also a Grand Prix dressage rider who is always watching out for a special horse but has very limited resources. I disclosed the whole story but said that I thought if Nico could find the right home I thought he was a good horse and maybe a very good horse. So Nico went to a new home”
As a part of his statement, Heath posted a video showing Nico being ridden by his new rider.
“It turned out to be brilliant and the posted video is Nico thriving in a loving and competitive home with an exciting future. All of this transpired sincerely with the horses best interests the sole consideration. Unbelievably it was so successful for everyone except me with the release of this video.
What can I say. If you think I did that flippantly you are wrong. 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”.
A statement by Equestrian Australia says that it ‘is aware of footage posted on social media showing a person repeatedly whipping a horse. We have also received a formal complaint about the matter’
“Equestrian Australia is extremely alarmed and concerned by the treatment of the horse shown in this footage.
Equestrian Australia’s Complaints, Disputes and Discipline Policy includes high standards to protect all participants and their horses against any adverse physical, social, and emotional conditions during all EA endorsed equestrian activities that are conducted under the auspices of EA or by any EA affiliate.
We also have a Code of Conduct which requires participants to adhere to the FEI code of conduct for the welfare of the horse.
The person depicted in the video is a member of Equestrian Australia.
Equestrian Australia has this afternoon imposed a provisional suspension of this person’s membership of Equestrian Australia and their rights, privileges and benefits associated with their membership.
This means they may take no part in competitions or events as competitor or Official or in the organisation of, or participation in, any event under the jurisdiction of Equestrian Australia.
The suspension will remain in place pending a thorough investigation of this matter by Equestrian Australia’s Integrity Unit.
Equestrian Australian takes matters of animal welfare very seriously. Contrary to commentary on YouTube, we have no information to suggest Equestrian Australia management asked for the footage of this incident to be removed”
