‘I am deeply ashamed’: What did Charlotte Dujardin do to a horse that was so bad she had to drop out of the Olympics?

Warning: This article includes footage of animal abuse. Viewers should watch the attached video with discretion.

British equestrian Charlotte Dujardin was just one medal away from becoming the UK’s most-decorated female olympian of all time – that is, until this week, when she dramatically quit the upcoming 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.

The 39-year-old pulled out of the upcoming games after it was revealed she was under investigation by the International Federation for Equestrian Sports (FEI), for behavior deemed to be “engaging in conduct contrary to the principles of horse welfare“. Dujardin was also given a six-month suspension, later adding that “remain in place pending the outcome of the investigation/disciplinary proceedings”.

After rife speculation online over what said behavior was, footage that prompted the investigation was released online, said to be a now-four-year-old video showing Dujardin engaging in abuse of a horse – one the sportswoman alleges was a one-off incident.

Who is Charlotte Dujardin?

Charlotte Dujardin (born 1985) is a British equestrian, noted for her multiple Olympic and World Champion titles in Dressage and Equestrian Games. Dujardin, until the recent news, was often considered one of her sport’s greatest-ever stars.

Dujardin won two gold medals for Team GB (Great Britain) at the London 2012 Olympics for both team and individual dressage. She also won gold and silver for individual and team, respectively, at Rio 2016. In the most recent Olympics in Tokyo in 2020, Dujardin came home with two bronze medals.

Prior to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, the equestrian was tied with cyclist Laura Kenny as the most-awarded British female olympian, and the games were likely to help Dujardin break the record as a standalone champion, after Kenny’s retirement from cycling in 2024. Dujardin has been awarded six times at the World Equestrian Games, in addition to 12 European Dressage Championship medals, and two Dressage World Cup gold medals. She was awarded an OBE and a CBE in 2013 and 2017 respectively by the British Government, and the Royal Family.

In a statement following the release of the video, Dujardin said “What happened was completely out of character and does not reflect how I train my horses or coach my pupils, however there is no excuse.” However, animal welfare activists doubt the footage of the seemingly comfortable Dujardin abusing the horse is a one-off event, especially if the Olympian consented to the training being filmed.

“I am deeply ashamed and should have set a better example in that moment,” she continued.

What is Charlotte Dujardin accused of?

On Tuesday, Dujardin announced she was updrawing from partaking in the upcoming Olympic Games, citing a video in which she is shown “making an error of judgement”. The FEI subsequently announced their investigation and Dujardin’s suspension. The FEI described the video as containing “conduct contrary to the principles of horse welfare – during a training session conducted at Ms Dujardin’s private stable”.

Soon after, a video emerged of Dujardin at said training session – thought to have occurred in 2020 – showing the equestrian whipping a horse an estimated 24 times across the legs, causing the horse to react and flinch in pain during the repeated whippings.

According to the British Equestrian’s code of conduct, a whip must not be misused or used excessively, and are tolerated in controlled settings during training, not in competition. A schooling whip, used by Dujardin the video, is meant to be used sparingly, and not as a form of punishment, to not to inflict harm upon the horse. The code also states the “abuse of a horse using natural riding aids or artificial aids (e.g. whips, spurs, etc.) will not be tolerated” – which the video shows the Olympian in clear violation of.

What happens now?

Dujardin’s athletic funding from UK Sport has been seized for the time being, and her six-month ban could be extended if the FEI’s investigation finds her guilty of wrongdoing. If so, the athlete could be prohibited from taking part in any Olympic event or other equestrian championship in a lifetime ban.

Dujardin could also lose her OBE and CBE honors – a rarity in British culture, but still a possibility, especially as the Royal Family is very into equestrianism – with Princess Anne and her daughter Zara Tindall having participated in the Olympics as equestrians, with the latter taking home a silver medal in 2012. There is also a risk of huge financial loss, with other forms of funding, such as sponsorships for Dujardin, in serious jeopardy of being permanently lost.