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Fox News
9 hours ago
- Sport
- Fox News
Equestrian Australia suspends Olympian Heath Ryan after concerning video surfaces showing him whipping horse
Print Close By Paulina Dedaj Published June 13, 2025 Olympic dressage rider Heath Ryan was suspended by Equestrian Australia on Thursday after video shared online showed him reportedly whipping a horse. The sports governing body announced the suspensions in a lengthy post, adding that it followed both the revelation of the video online and a formal complaint. "Equestrian Australia is extremely alarmed and concerned by the treatment of the horse shown in this footage," the statement read. Ryan was not named in the statement. CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON "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 organization of, or participation in, any event under the jurisdiction of Equestrian Australia." Ryan, who represented Australia in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, posted a lengthy message on social media claiming that the video was from two years ago and shared by an "unhappy ex-employee." Reports say the video showed Ryan whipping the horse 42 times. GOLD MEDAL EQUESTRIAN RIDER WITHDRAWS FROM OLYMPICS AFTER VIDEO SHOWS ALLEGED 'ERROR OF JUDGMENT' WITH HORSE He claimed that the horse, Nico, had been brought to him by a family friend after that person was hospitalized following an incident with the horse. Ryan claimed he had saved the horse from being euthanized. "If a beautiful [6-year-old] 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," he wrote in a post on Facebook. "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," Ryan said, later adding that his actions were done in the "best interests" of the animal. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Equestrian Australia said it "takes matters of animal welfare very seriously" and that Ryan's suspension will remain in place pending an investigation by the Equestrian Australia's Integrity Unit. Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X , and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter . Print Close URL
Fox News
9 hours ago
- Sport
- Fox News
Equestrian Australia suspends Olympian Heath Ryan after concerning video surfaces showing him whipping horse
Olympic dressage rider Heath Ryan was suspended by Equestrian Australia on Thursday after video shared online showed him reportedly whipping a horse. The sports governing body announced the suspensions in a lengthy post, adding that it followed both the revelation of the video online and a formal complaint. "Equestrian Australia is extremely alarmed and concerned by the treatment of the horse shown in this footage," the statement read. Ryan was not named in the statement. "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 organization of, or participation in, any event under the jurisdiction of Equestrian Australia." Ryan, who represented Australia in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, posted a lengthy message on social media claiming that the video was from two years ago and shared by an "unhappy ex-employee." Reports say the video showed Ryan whipping the horse 42 times. He claimed that the horse, Nico, had been brought to him by a family friend after that person was hospitalized following an incident with the horse. Ryan claimed he had saved the horse from being euthanized. "If a beautiful [6-year-old] 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," he wrote in a post on Facebook. "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," Ryan said, later adding that his actions were done in the "best interests" of the animal. Equestrian Australia said it "takes matters of animal welfare very seriously" and that Ryan's suspension will remain in place pending an investigation by the Equestrian Australia's Integrity Unit. Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
CTV News
10 hours ago
- Sport
- CTV News
Australian Olympic dressage rider suspended after video appears to show him repeatedly whipping horse
Heath Ryan has been provisionally suspended by Equestrian Australia, pending an investigation. (via CNN Newsource) An Australian dressage rider has been provisionally suspended and will be investigated, according to Equestrian Australia (EA), after a video emerged on social media that appears to show him repeatedly whipping a horse. Heath Ryan, who represented Australia in dressage at the 2008 Olympics, can be seen in the video – which the rider said is about two years old – hitting a horse around 40 times. Ryan said in a lengthy Facebook post defending the incident that everything in the video 'transpired sincerely with the (horse's) best interests the sole consideration.' CNN Sports has reached out to Ryan for comment. EA said the provisional suspension will last until 'a thorough investigation of this matter' has been completed, adding that it had also received a formal complaint about the incident. 'Equestrian Australia is extremely alarmed and concerned by the treatment of the horse shown in this footage,' the governing body said in a statement. '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.' EA said it 'takes matters of animal welfare very seriously.' In his Facebook post, the 66-year-old equestrian rider said the horse was brought to him on the way to the 'knackery,' where animals go to be killed, after a riding accident had left his owner in intensive care. Ryan described the horse, Nico, as a 'problem child' that got 'worse and worse until the accident.' 'I felt obliged to the horse to just have a look and see if it was possibly salvageable,' Ryan wrote on Facebook. 'Well did I get a shock and so the video. 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. Alongside his statement, Ryan posted a new video, which he described as Nico 'thriving in a loving and competitive home with an exciting future.' Ryan said the video which prompted the EA suspension was 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,' Ryan added.
The Irish Sun
11 hours ago
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Olympic rider, 66, filmed striking horse '40 times' in ‘most awful video' banned a year on from Charlotte Dujardin shame
FORMER Olympian Heath Ryan has been suspended following the emergence of a distressing video in which he can be seen whipping a horse around 40 times. Ryan, 66, represented Australia in dressage at Beijing 2008. 3 Footage showed Heath Ryan repeatedly whipping a horse Credit: 3 Ryan, 66, competed at Beijing 2008 Credit: Getty Equestrian Australia have since suspended the Sydney-born rider, while launching an official investigation into the online video. Their statement read: "Equestrian Australia is extremely alarmed and concerned by the treatment of the horse shown in this footage. "Our policies include high standards to protect all participants and their horses against any adverse physical, social, and emotional conditions." In a lengthy Facebook post, Ryan claimed that he had been trying to save the horse, named Nico, from being put down - and that the footage was taken around two years ago. READ MORE SPORT NEWS An excerpt of his post read: "Oh my goodness! The most awful video of me on a young horse has just surfaced. "This horse was dropped off at my place on his way to the knackery. His name is Nico. He was 6 years of age. A beautiful type. "(After the events of the video) I rode Nico for another couple of days and he responded very well. "All of this transpired sincerely with the horse's best interests the sole consideration. Most read in Olympics "I need to add that this happened about two 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." Dressage trainer at centre of Charlotte Dujardin vid leak unmasked and says Team GB star 'threw her under bus' Ryan went on to add: "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 I genuinely had to try my very hardest to see if Nico would consider other options. "All of this transpired sincerely with the horse's best interests the sole consideration. Unbelievably it was so successful for everyone except me with the release of this video." DUJARDIN CONTROVERSY Last summer, decorated British Olympian Dujardin, 39, was subsequently The three-time Olympic gold medallist subsequently released a statement, in which she revealed that she was pregnant. It read: "I fully respect the verdict issued by the Federation for Equestrian Sports (FEI), released today. "As the federation has recognised, my actions in the video do not reflect who I am and I can only apologise again. "I understand the responsibility that comes with my position in the sport, and I will forever aim to do better. This has undoubtedly been one of the darkest and most difficult periods of my life, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has supported me during this time. "To those of you who have sent messages, emails and tried to reach me to check in on how I am – thank you. Every kind word truly has made a difference, more than you'll ever know. "What I was unable to share at the time is that I am currently pregnant, with my baby due in February. "This was planned well before the Olympics and something my partner Dean and I have been excited about for a long time. "At the moment, the energy I have is focused on Dean and our daughter Isabella, and we are all very much looking forward to the arrival of our new family member." 3 Charlotte Dujardin was suspended last year Credit: PA
CNN
11 hours ago
- Sport
- CNN
Australian Olympic dressage rider suspended after video appears to show him repeatedly whipping horse
An Australian dressage rider has been provisionally suspended and will be investigated, according to Equestrian Australia (EA), after a video emerged on social media that appears to show him repeatedly whipping a horse. Heath Ryan, who represented Australia in dressage at the 2008 Olympics, can be seen in the video – which the rider said is about two years old – hitting a horse around 40 times. Ryan said in a lengthy Facebook post defending the incident that everything in the video 'transpired sincerely with the (horse's) best interests the sole consideration.' CNN Sports has reached out to Ryan for comment. EA said the provisional suspension will last until 'a thorough investigation of this matter' has been completed, adding that it had also received a formal complaint about the incident. 'Equestrian Australia is extremely alarmed and concerned by the treatment of the horse shown in this footage,' the governing body said in a statement. '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.' EA said it 'takes matters of animal welfare very seriously.' In his Facebook post, the 66-year-old equestrian rider said the horse was brought to him on the way to the 'knackery,' where animals go to be killed, after a riding accident had left his owner in intensive care. Ryan described the horse, Nico, as a 'problem child' that got 'worse and worse until the accident.' 'I felt obliged to the horse to just have a look and see if it was possibly salvageable,' Ryan wrote on Facebook. 'Well did I get a shock and so the video. 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.' Alongside his statement, Ryan posted a new video, which he described as Nico 'thriving in a loving and competitive home with an exciting future.' Ryan said the video which prompted the EA suspension was 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,' Ryan added.
