"Team GB Olympic Gold Medalist Charlotte Dujardin Faces New Horse Treatment Controversy After Eight-Minute Video Emerges"

CHARLOTTE Dujardin is at the centre of a fresh horse treatment controversy.

The Team GB triple Olympic gold medalist was previously hit with a one-year ban and had her prize money from competing reduced to zero after expressing her shame over a video of her whipping a horse repeatedly .

Dujardin during Dressage Individual Grand Prix Freestyle Final Olympic Games Tokyo 2020Credit: Sunday Times A fresh eight-minute video involving Charlotte Dujardin has emerged onlineCredit: Facebook / Collectif Pour Les Chevaux A grab from the alleged latest horse treatment controversy clipCredit: Facebook / Collectif Pour Les Chevaux

That ban was confirmed in December 2024 and backdated to July, with Dujardin also hit with an £1,881 fine.

Now a fresh eight-minute video has been posted and widely watched on Facebook in a fresh controversy over her alleged treatment of horses.

The clip shared on social media by the welfare organisation Collectif Pour Les Chevaux – Collective for Horses – critiqued the 40-year-old’s riding on Alive and Kicking.

The clip states: “Constant traction on both reins may cause pain in the horses’ mouth, jaw, poll and neck.”

While it also says: “Spurs should not be used to kick horses but to apply only very light, painless pressure.”

The account also claims the horse showed “conflict behaviour” through repeated tail swishing and opening of its mouth.

The footage from Amsterdam was filmed by equine vet of 18 years Eva van Avermaet.

Two things stood out to her at the meet as she spoke to the Times .

She said: “One: I’ve never seen Dujardin go this hard in a warm-up before.

“Two: Dujardin was in a public space, where it is common for people to film the riders, so why did she not relent?

“After the whipping incident and the one-year suspension surely she, more than anyone, would be careful about how they handle their horse, especially in public.”

Van Avermaet also stated she spoke to a steward to draw attention to the ride in the warm-up area.

She added: “I then saw the steward speak to her and I then watched and there was no difference.

“These riders don’t respect the stewards enough to change.”

The Times claim declined to comment on the video and the experts’ opinion and instead referred them to the statement from the British Equestrian Federation.

The Times also said questions to the BEF over whether the riding met their standards or was a good example of welfare were not answered.

But they reportedly said it was impossible to give an accurate assessment of a shortened version of a 45-minute warm-up.

The BEF said: “We will not compromise and will never stop in the pursuit of the wellbeing of the horse.”

Dujardin’s previous ban saw her withdraw from the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

Her one-year ban expired on July 23 last year and she made an instant return to competition.

She claimed the incident that led to her ban was “completely out of character”.