Amidst Recent Controversy, US Equestrian Authority Releases Statement Ensuring Safety for ‘Horses and Riders’

An equestrian clinic offers an excellent opportunity for young talents to polish their skills and build on their knowledge. The programs are known to impart learning experiences right from approaching and mounting a horse to discipline-specific horsemanship. The US Equestrian governing body has keenly touched upon the programs each year and sends eligible athletes for the required training. However, this year, the situation didn’t end well.

A clinic involves the participation of celebrated equestrian athletes in authority positions to provide the best possible knowledge. For the US show jumping team this year, it was Katie Monahan Prudent, 1986 World Champion. The former athlete’s words of lesson for training however did not sit well with the enthusiasts. USEF, picking on the controversy, issued a statement for those awaiting.

The US equestrian governing body acknowledges the ongoing issue

On the 14th of January, a day after the controversy, the US Equestrian Federation took to its Instagram stories to put forth its principles. “The safety and well-being of both horses and riders are of the utmost priority to US Equestrian,” the statement started. It further stated that communication between a trainer, horse, and athlete is critical to the sport but it cannot mean threatening the equine or human athlete’s safety.

“At times, direct words are needed to get this across when coaching; however, under no circumstances, does US Equestrian condone training techniques that do not put horse and rider well-being first.” It further added that USEF was aware of the clinic concerns and is in the midst of conducting a review. The statement was posted on USEF Network’s social media page which is known to be the primary source of the controversy. Though now the video segment is not available on the official source, the remarks remained alive among the spectators online.

A glimpse into the spectators’ view

According to one of the blogs summing up the situation, it was Katie Monahan Prudent’s insights that were not received well by the audience online. The equestrian offered that during training, one could let a horse run into a fence rather than letting it turn or suggesting to flip a horse backward. Nancy Jaffer.com informs, Prudent said, “As a group, you guys lack discipline. Either you don’t listen or you’re just birdbrained.”

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The methods evoked disapproval followed by existing concerns online. “Disappointing,” one of the spectators put out on Facebook. However, one of Prudent’s previous students recalled that her training was rather incredible for her. “Her fast corrections for any mistakes I made kept me safe during the 1.45m schooling we were typically doing,” she says. While the equestrian enthusiasts battle out the right and the wrong, the community awaits a final statement from the authorities.

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