“Blatant Disregard for the Well-Being of Horses”: 59-Year-Old Olympic Equestrian Faces Punishment for Animal Cruelty

The world of equestrians isn’t bereft of injuries by any means. But what makes the unique sport interesting is the relationship and bond that a rider and his/her horse develop over time. However, punitive measures are in place for those who show utter disregard for their ride. In such cases, any injury isn’t looked upon as an accident, but rather as harm inflicted. Swiss equestrian Paul Estermann is currently facing some serious punitive charges for whipping his horses last year.

The showjumper from Lucerne, Switzerland, is currently in the middle of a massive uproar. His actions of animal cruelty in November last year, are being taken very seriously by the Lucerne authorities and the Swiss Equestrian Federation.

Paul Estermann to be away from equestrian events for a long time now

As per swissinfo.ch, Thomas Raber said that Estermann showed “blatant disregard for the well-being of horses” to 20 Minuten. He also said that his “wilful, selfish, and aggressive behavior” was majorly responsible for his current scenario. Paul Estermann has been banned by the Swiss Equestrian Federation for 7 years from participating in any equestrian event.

Estermann started showjumping in his leisure time during his apprenticeship as a farmer in Traselinge. He picked up the sport then, and continued all the way into his first Olympics in 2012 with his horse Castelfield Eclipse. A decade later, from the London Olympics, little could’ve been assumed regarding the pain that he might inflict upon his horses.

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A disciplinary hearing was conducted this Thursday, but Estermann refused to partake in it too. The 59-year-old rider doubled down on his actions by showing no remorse throughout the proceedings of his crime. His absence from the hearing further solidified his behavior in the public eye.

Cruelty to horses is met with strong acts of repercussions

Considering his actions of unacceptable nature, the court of Lucerne found Estermann guilty on many accounts. None harsher than smacking his horses. Therefore the ban was placed subsequently. Unfortunately, such acts of cruelty aren’t totally unfounded. Just like an equestrian was hitting the horse just before an event in February 2022. It was too met with strong repercussions and condemnation.

While equestrianism has seen several injuries of various degrees, it demands an extremely high level of sophistication, respect, and care with utmost kindness between the rider and the horse. Estermann has failed to show that in recent times. He now has 20 days to appeal the decision.

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