Team GB was rocked ahead of the Paris Olympics on Tuesday after dressage star Charlotte Dujardin was forced to withdraw from the games when a controversial video emerged showing her whipping a horse on the legs repeatedly.
Six-time Olympic medalist Dujardin was hoping to become Britain's most decorated female Olympian this summer, but admitted her career was 'in tatters' and the 39-year-old has been widely condemned.
Dujardin has since been suspended by the International Federation for Equestrian Sports (FEI) for six months.
Harrowing footage of the incident was aired on Good Morning Britain on Wednesday which showed Dujardin walking alongside the horse, which was being ridden by a 19-year-old girl, as she allegedly struck its legs with a whip 24 times.
In fact, Dujardin's treatment of the horse has been compared to that of 'an elephant in a circus'.
WARNING: DISTRESSING FOOTAGE
It has led to much speculation over what Dujardin was supposed to be teaching in the video, which she says is from four years ago, although the whistleblower's lawyer claims the clip is from 2022.
According to The Telegraph, Dujardin was trying to teach the horse how to 'piaffe'.
The 'piaffe' is the slow-motion trotting technique traditionally associated with dressage.
It is usually achieved by tapping the horse very lightly, giving it just enough encouragement to raise its legs.
However, Dujardin - who has since admitted she is 'deeply ashamed' and made an 'error or judgement' - has understandably been fiercely condemned for repeatedly hitting the horse with force.
Explaining more about the video and reacting to it, former eventer and current ITV racing presenter Alice Plunkett told the Telegraph: 'It’s not a video that makes anybody feel comfortable watching.
'It is not appropriate and it is not something that I’ve ever seen in terms of the years that I’ve been working with horses.
'It’s not standard practice. That is not a standard way of training your horses for top-level dressage, she knows that and I just don’t understand how she got into that situation because she’s somebody who has made her life from horses.
'She’s in a systematic training session, she’s training someone else’s horse in that video and she’s made the wrong decision in how to solve the problem. It is not acceptable.'
In a statement announcing the bombshell news, triple gold medallist Dujardin had said: 'A video has emerged from four years ago which shows me making an error of judgement during a coaching session.
'Understandably, the International Federation for Equestrian Sports (FEI) is investigating and I have made the decision to withdraw from all competition – including the Paris Olympics – while this process takes place.'
She went on to add: 'I am sincerely sorry for my actions and devastated that I have let everyone down, including Team GB, fans and sponsors.
'I will cooperate fully with the FEI, British Equestrian Federation and British Dressage during their investigations, and will not be commenting further until the process is complete.'
