Australian dressage Olympian Heath Ryan has been provisionally suspended by Equestrian Australia and the International Federation for Equestrian Sports (FEI) after disturbing footage surfaced showing him repeatedly whipping a horse during training. The video, filmed two years ago and shared by a former staff member, depicts Ryan striking a six-year-old gelding named Nico over 40 times, sparking public outrage and prompting an ongoing integrity investigation. Ryan defended his actions as a necessary rescue mission to retrain a dangerous horse, but his explanation failed to quell backlash, leading major sponsors to sever ties with him. The RSPCA has also launched an inquiry into potential animal welfare violations.

This incident adds to growing scrutiny of training practices in elite dressage, following similar controversies such as British Olympian Charlotte Dujardin’s one-year FEI ban for whipping a horse. Advocates and equestrian leaders are demanding greater transparency, education, and stricter enforcement to protect horses from abuse, emphasizing that animal welfare must remain paramount regardless of competitive status.