EA Suspends Olympic Equestrian for Whipping Horse for Over 40 Times

Australian Olympic dressage rider Heath Ryan has been provisionally suspended by Equestrian Australia (EA) following a profoundly disturbing video that showed him physically striking a young horse over 40 times.

The footage, which went viral on social media, has caused widespread outrage among the international equestrian community. Some fans even wanted to see him not own any horses for the rest of his lifetime.

Heath Ryan Sparks Outrage Over Whipping Incident

EA Suspends Olympic Equestrian For Whipping Horse For Over 40

The offending video stars Ryan, 66, whipping a two-year-old horse named Nico several times in an exercise that was labeled by many as brutal and unacceptable. It has already led Equestrian Australia (EA) to move quickly, suspending Ryan's membership pending a full investigation.

In a statement, EA stated they were "extremely alarmed and concerned" about what was displayed, asserting the individual featured in the video is, in fact, a member of their organization.

"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," the organization said.

What the Suspension Means for Ryan's Career

The suspension actually prohibits Ryan from taking part in any official activities under EA's auspices. This means competing, officiating, organizing, or taking any part in equestrian events. The ruling is in effect until EA finalizes its investigation and makes a decision regarding any permanent disciplinary measure.

Ryan, an Australian participant at the 2008 Summer Olympics, has been a figure of respect in the sport for a long time. The recent event, though, stained his reputation. Even then, the consequences will speak louder than his statements.

'It Was a Life or Death Moment'

As a response to the criticism, Ryan released a statement that the video was not a good sight but defended his actions as he claimed they were to save the horse's life. TMZ Sports reported that Ryan claimed that Nico had major behavioral problems, and if they had not been corrected, the horse could have been put down.

"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," Ryan said.

He further stated that he worked with Nico for a couple of days after the accident and eventually was able to rehome the horse.

For some equestrian fans, Ryan deserves a permanent ban. Aside from that, his previous awards should be stripped from him because of his "animal cruelty" acts.

"'Save' the horse. Uh NO. That doesn't fly. Ole Heath was frustrated and took it out on a young horse. A horse that fears his rider is dangerous," a user from a TMZ Sports discussion thread wrote. "Fear is not an effective motivator in humans or animals. Heath should be permanently banned from the Olympics!"