The Paris 2024 Olympics kicked off last week, and we've been on a whirlwind of disappointments, wins, and watching the FEI (sort of) putting horse welfare in the spotlight - which we’ll discuss further later on.
While we saw eliminations for blood on the legs and in the mouth, we’re still seeing a lot of overbent, over-flexed horses in the Dressage ring and extremely tired horses pushed through XC (Cross Country) and Show Jumping Rounds.
With that being said, I’ve witnessed more long-rein free walks than I expected, was thrilled to see riders choose to opt out when their horses had enough, and judges are not consistently rewarding a chin-to-chest frame.
There’s so much to cover, but for this article, we’ll focus mainly on eventing as the individual finals ramp up!
Paris 2024: A Breakdown of Team Eventing
When horses partake in Dressage, when they really do Dressage, it’s, dare I say, breathtaking. French rider Karim Laghouag is a joy to watch in any event, but when he rides Dressage, his horse is right there with him.
There is no force. No double bridle. His horse is never over-bitted and has a comfortable noseband that isn’t cranked too tight. He comes through the hind end, lifts the back to meet the saddle, and the neck rounds naturally.
When it’s time to free walk, my GOSH do they free walk with a nice extended, relaxed head and neck.
To my surprise, the judges actually rewarded this and a very brave (penalty free) showing in XC (Cross Country) and Show Jumping! Karim rides quietly, and in recent years, FEI judges have leaned heavily toward the obvious use of spurs and forcing a rounded head carriage.
The French team fell short only to Great Britain, taking home the silver medal in Team Eventing.
Speaking of Great Britain, I want to touch on Laura Collett for a moment. I like her, so far. My disdain for up-and-comer Charlotte Fry is no secret (and you can disagree with me there but I’ve seen far too many blue tongues with her in the saddle). Laura appears to ride with her horse in mind.
She’s another one that opted out of a double bridle for her Dressage showing, but her flash noseband was tightened to the max. Just a tip: the flash band should not be so tight that the bottom lip and chin can actually flap in the breeze.
A side note: It’s up to tack inspection officials to make sure nosebands do not obstruct breathing right before the horse and rider have their test, and that is in the FEI official rule book. So, how these things get overlooked is a mystery to me.
Anyway, Collett set an impressive record in Dressage for Eventing, scoring a crazy 17.50, which played a massive role in her team taking home the gold.
Japan rounded it out with their team, and hands-down one of my favorite horses, Cekatinka, taking home the Bronze. Cekatinka was so incredibly brave in the Cross Country round. I could watch her all day.
While we’re on the topic of favorite horses…
My Favorite Olympic Horse
Sarah Ennis and Lottie - Photo Cred: MSM
Don’t make me choose! Seriously though, it’s not hard. I tend to worship the horses over the riders, which if I can be honest, I think is a generally good stance to have.
The horses never do anything wrong.
Sarah Ennis (IRE - also rode Dressage without a double bridle) has a mare that I just swoon over, and let me tell you why.
Lady Action M, affectionately known as Lottie around the barn, is everything. She’s a tank on the XC course, and she does her best at Dressage, but this girl was built for jumps and galloping.
I was so bummed when she came up lame after their Cross Country round, but with the effort she put in, I’m not all that surprised. I would have loved to see her jump an Olympic Show Jumping round, but there’s time for that, she’s only 9. What’s important is that she’s on the mend!
I’m partial to bay mares, I always have been, and I hope to see a lot more of this one in the future. She has so much try and heart in her that I can barely stand it!
Moving along.
Let’s Chat About What Went Wrong (So Far)
Italian rider Emiliano Portale pushed his team into a bucket of hot water after the Dressage qualifiers, when officials found blood in his horse's mouth. They kicked off the XC event with a 100 point deduction and no Dressage score, and needless to say, they didn’t catch up.
All together now! What causes roundness in the neck? An engaged hind end! What doesn’t? Pulling on the bit!
One day they’ll learn.
Brazilian rider Carlos Parro got a big fat slap on the wrist from the FEI after PETA submitted a video of him riding Rollkur and using some other very questionable training practices. If you’re unsure, Rollkur is forced hyperflexion of the neck by pulling the chin to the chest. Horses can’t see or breathe in this position.
Some say that’s a matter of opinion. I say it’s science.
German Rider Christoph Wahler got booted out of the saddle when his horse, Cartajan, took a misstep on the XC Course, which was unfortunate as they were going really well before that.
Australian rider Kevin McNab hopped off suspecting lameness and not wanting to push his mount on the XC Course, which was 9 minutes of pretty grueling galloping and jumps. Good decision on Kevin’s end. We applaud it.
Portuguese rider Manuel Grave had a super scary rotational fall with his mount that slapped us all back into the reality of what can happen when we ask these animals to compete like this. Both he and his horse are okay.
As the Competition Unfolds, We’re Starting to See Where We Stand as a Community
Team Great Britain - Photo Cred: Getty Images
I said I’d circle back to putting welfare at the forefront, so I’ll wrap up with it.
If we’re going to continue to appreciate what these horses and riders do in a professional way, we have to get better about horse welfare. The FEI, due to recent events, has decided to invest in the message, but they aren't doing enough.
They can launch as many campaigns as they want, but until we see real action - preemptive action, there will always be those pushing to do away with professional riding and equestrian sports.
Some say exposing Charlotte Dujardin right before the Olympics was nothing short of sabotage. Well, her team took home the Gold in Eventing, so I can’t help but feel that argument falls short.
What I hope is that it’s a lesson. No one is untouchable. No one is exempt from the standards that most horse owners and riders hold for themselves.
Our horses come first, always.
I look forward to bringing you even more Olympic coverage as the games continue.
Happy watching!
