'I Can't Watch Anymore'

'catalogues what happens to sport horses in plain sight ... should be compulsory reading for all of us who care about horses - professor paul mcgreevy bvsc, phd, frcvs; author, Equine Behaviour

Julie Taylor worked as a staff writer for Denmark's premier glossy horse magazine, Magasinet Hest, before co-founding the groundbreaking equine science streaming service, Epona.tv. Epona.tv's primary aim was to disseminate evidence-based horse knowledge, but its journalists also broke some of the biggest scandals in the history of equestrian sport, documenting horse abuse, doping, and cheating in stories that went worldwide.

Preface

Equestrian: a sport for all? 

-the myth of gender equality

-economic barriers to participation

-more flags does not really mean more participation in equestrian

events

-promoting grassroots take-up of equestrian sport?

-poverty-washing pr is demeaning and potentially harmful

-abuse of power in equestrian sport

Animals in the Olympics are a liability, not an asset 

-animal exploitation and the olympic brand

-no evidence horses want to compete

Modern horse sport does not represent tradition

-traditional horsemanship and modern competition

-equestrian traditions and modern times

Doping, cheating, and why equestrian sport can

never be clean

-the normalisation of drugs that enhance performance

-clean or corrupt, international horse sport and welfare don't mix

-additional difficulties in avoiding prohibited substances in horses

The stories of Anton and Never 

-removal of the ban on de-nerved horses in competition

-implications of allowing de-nerved horses in competition

Equestrian rules are unenforceable

-a growing gap between rules and reality in dressage

-implications for fairness in judging

-a welfare code incompatible with the reality of horse sport

The impact of social media

-the emergence of 'rollkur'

-youtube and the impact of video

-from 'rollkur' to 'hyperflexion' to 'ldr': plus .a change

Equestrian sport and media repression 

-'the riders don't feel comfortable with the camera'

-fei world reining finals: well that was awkward

-'take down that video!'

-intimidation of photographers at shows

-taking the fight to the courts

The price of more flags is declining safety

-logistical barriers limit opportunities to qualify

-standards in equestrian's 'new markets' are still too low

-contrived universality may harm athlete safety and public opinion

The equestrian fanbase is overstated 

-as the sport bleeds fans, the side-show becomes more and more

undignified

Equestrian will not meet modern standards.

Will the IOC? 

-fear of litigation limits officials' ability to enforce the rules

-conflicting views among member countries

-equestrian may not meet modern legal codes

-public exposure of abuse will only increase

-over to you, ioc

Bibliography