Australian Olympian Heath Ryan has been provisionally suspended by the Fédération Equestre International and Equestrian Australia after video emerged last week of him whipping a horse repeatedly during a training session.

Ryan, who represented Australia at the 2008 Olympics on the dressage team and competes internationally in both eventing and dressage, was indefinitely suspended June 12, after the video was reported to the FEI and Equestrian Australia. The FEI will lead an investigation into the video, in cooperation with Equestrian Australia’s Integrity Unit.

“The scenes depicted are profoundly disturbing and stand in stark opposition to the core values of FEI horse welfare,” FEI Secretary General Sabrina Ibáñez said in a statement released today by the organization. “The FEI has opened an investigation to thoroughly examine all the facts and determine further disciplinary action under the FEI Rules and Regulations. We are committed to ensuring that any behaviour which puts horse welfare at risk is dealt with firmly and fairly.”

On June 12, Equestrian Australia announced that it had received a complaint along with the video and had suspended an unnamed member of the federation in response while it investigated. 

“Equestrian Australia is extremely alarmed and concerned by the treatment of the horse shown in this footage,” according to a statement from the organization.

“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,” the statement also said.

Equestrian Australia CEO Sam Jones said she welcomed the FEI’s investigation.

“It is both appropriate and welcome that FEI leads the investigation of this matter,” Jones said in today’s press release. “Equestrian Australia remains extremely concerned about the incident and allegations, and we will support the FEI in any way we can. 

“We know our community is keen for answers, but we would ask for patience as the FEI rightly follows a thorough and fair process, in line with their policies and procedures.”

The FEI stated it will provide no further comments during the investigation “in order to protect the integrity of the process.”

‘Saving Its Life’

Ryan, 66, defended his actions in a June 11 story in the Sydney Morning Herald, saying the then 6-year-old stallion depicted in the video was dangerous and headed to slaughter after putting a friend in the hospital. The friend had bred the stallion, called Nico, from one of Ryan’s top Grand Prix dressage horses.

“The horse grabbed her [by the mouth] and ripped her out of the saddle and savaged her,” Ryan told the newspaper. “I’d never run into anything like that before. It would just stop, but it would also turn around and try and grab you like a stallion and rip you out of the saddle. It had done this with its previous owner, who had never hit it.

“[The whipping] turned everything around,” he continued. “This horse went on to have its best interest looked after. Clearly, in hindsight, it wasn’t horse abuse. It was actually saving its life. That’s irrefutable. It’s just that when you look at it, I understand it. It’s bloody horrendous.”

In a June 11 social media post, Ryan said the video was two years old and posted by “an unhappy ex employee.” 

“That video was a life or death moment for Nico and of that I was very aware,” he wrote. “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.”

The stallion then went to the yard of a friend with limited resources and is now “thriving in a loving and competitive home with an exciting future,” he wrote.

“If you think I did that flippantly you are wrong,” Ryan wrote in the post. “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.”