Olympic equestrian Heath Ryan has been suspended from competition after a disturbing video surfaced showing him repeatedly whipping a young horse — sparking widespread outrage across the equestrian community and social media.
The Disturbing Clip That Sparked Outrage
In the now-viral video, Ryan, 66, is seen striking a two-year-old horse named Nico over 40 times. The footage prompted Equestrian Australia (EA) to immediately open a formal investigation into the incident. The governing body issued a provisional suspension of Ryan’s membership and privileges.
“Equestrian Australia has this afternoon imposed a provisional suspension,” the organization said in a statement. “This means [Ryan] may take no part in competitions or events as competitor, Official, or organizer under the jurisdiction of EA.”
Ryan’s Explanation: “It Was Life or Death for Nico”
Ryan, who represented Australia in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, has since responded to the backlash — acknowledging the video looks bad, but insisting his intentions were to discipline the horse to save its life.
“If I had been thinking of myself, I would have immediately just gotten off and sent Nico to the Knackery,” he said, referencing a slaughterhouse for horses.
He described the moment as a “life or death” situation for the animal and claimed he was trying desperately to correct Nico’s behavior to avoid euthanasia. Ryan added that after several days of work, he successfully rehomed Nico.
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“Unbelievably, it was so successful for everyone — except me with the release of this video. What can I say? If you think I did that flippantly, you are wrong.”
Equestrian Australia Responds: “Extremely Alarmed”
EA stated they were “extremely alarmed and concerned” by the video and emphasized their commitment to animal welfare and the integrity of the sport. The suspension will remain in place pending the outcome of the investigation.
As Ryan awaits the verdict, animal rights activists and equestrian fans alike are calling for permanent consequences — reigniting conversations around training ethics and abuse in competitive equestrian sports.
