Equestrian Governing Body Addresses Controversy Surrounding Katie Prudent Clinic Case

The equestrian world is a tranquil, safe space for all. With many disciplines and levels integrated into the sport, a level of responsibility also comes, especially with coaching, education, and training techniques across all disciplines. However, recently, the community was stirred when a horseback riding clinic conducted by Katie Prudent, a veteran U.S. equestrian and show jumper, went viral.

In the video, there were snippets of Prudent’s instructions to the riders, and some people found them problematic. The USEF received complaints from its members about these clips and decided to review the situation and address the concerns.

The United States Equestrian Federation addresses the issue

According to The Chronicle of the Horse, the United States Equestrian Federation addressed the controversy surrounding the clinic conducted by Katie Prudent. In a statement, spokeswoman for USEF Vicki Lowell clarified that none of the riders or their families directly complained, but they did “receive reports of concerns from members.” Ironically, this controversy came up around the same time as the USEF’s annual meeting, where they discussed the concept of “social license to operate.” USEF Chief of Sport David O’Connor even asked, “Can we train with current practices in the middle of Central Park in New York City and defend your actions?” And he shared that if not, then the actions should not take place, and there was no way to justify them.

Vicki Lowell further reiterated that the federation wants to help equestrian coaches learn better techniques for coaching and communicating with different age groups and riders in all disciplines. And that the situation with Katie Prudent’s coaching session “is an excellent example of how people differ in their opinions on training practices and how they are communicated to athletes.” She also concluded that, regardless, everyone involved in the training needs to make sure that their methods can pass the Central Park Test. So how did this controversy begin in the first place?

Why did Katie Monahan Prudent receive backlash?

After the clinic conducted by Katie Monahan Prudent concluded, a 2.5-minute video compilation of Prudent’s lessons went viral on social media. The compilation video had garnered over 300,000 views on a shared Facebook post, but after complaints, the USEF temporarily took down the video and removed specific moments. According to The Chronicle of the Horse, the controversial video was edited in such a way that, in some places, it might not show the full context of what Prudent was saying.

Read more: “Regardless of Your Disability”: Equestrian Redefines Para Dressage With Unique Perspectives

For example, one edited clip that gained attention was Prudent’s mention of using a crop, where she commented that “horses need it; they need it. All this, all this, you know, animal rights activists who know nothing about training horses.”  In light of the situation, the USEF is currently looking into ways to improve coach education and training techniques across all disciplines to ensure the safety and well-being of athletes and horses in the sport.

Watch this story: Most Exciting Equestrian Jump-Offs At Olympic Games