Olympian Heath Ryan suspended over horse whipping footage

Australian Olympic dressage rider Heath Ryan has been provisionally suspended by Equestrian Australia after a video emerged showing him repeatedly whipping a horse.

Ryan, 66, who represented Australia at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, is seen in the video striking a horse—reportedly named Nico—around 40 times. The footage is said to be about two years old.

In a statement, Ryan defended his actions, claiming he acted solely in the horse’s best interest. He described the horse as dangerous and unmanageable after an earlier incident in which a female rider was hospitalized.

“I am so sad this was caught on video,” Ryan said. “If I had been thinking of myself, I would have just gotten off and sent Nico to the knackery. That video was a life-or-death moment for Nico.”

Ryan added that following the incident, Nico was successfully rehomed.

Equestrian Australia confirmed it had received a formal complaint and has issued a provisional suspension while an investigation is ongoing.

“Equestrian Australia is extremely alarmed and concerned by the treatment of the horse shown in this footage,” the organization said. “Our policies uphold high standards to ensure the wellbeing of both riders and horses.”

This incident echoes a similar controversy in the sport: British Olympian Charlotte Dujardin was suspended by the FEI in 2023 after a video surfaced showing her whipping a horse. She missed the Paris Olympic Games as a result.

Equestrian bodies globally continue to face scrutiny over horse welfare, with governing organizations pledging stricter oversight and ethical enforcement.