He is said to have hit a horse
Animal cruelty? Olympic rider suspended
06/13/2025 – 11:54 a.m.Reading time: 2 min.
Disturbing recordings bring an Australian rider into great shortage of explanation. The 2008 Olympic participant has beaten a horse several times. The investigation is underway.
A shocking video causes a stir in Australia – and has first consequences for a well -known rider.
Heath Ryan, 66 years old and participant of the 2008 Olympics, is no longer allowed to take part in events of the National Riding Association. The Equestrian Australia organization announced that Ryan was suspended until further notice – both as a rider and in any other official role.
The sanction triggered is a video that Ryan shows on a horse. It can be seen on how to hit the animal on his back several times in a short time – a total of 42 times in just 30 seconds. The association reacted with clear words: one was “extremely worried and concerned about the treatment of the horse shown in this film material”. In the official statement, Equestrian Australia emphasizes that they have high standards to protect animals from physical and emotional damage.
The clip, which was recorded according to reports about two years ago, shows a restless horse that checks several times. Ryan, brother of the triple Olympic champion Matthew Ryan, keeps getting out with his left arm and striking.
In a Facebook post, the dressage rider commented on the allegations: “Oh my god! A terrible video has just appeared that shows me on a young horse.” According to Ryan, it was a six -year -old animal named Nico, which was originally on the way to removing animals. Before that, it was injured in an accident and even had to be treated in the intensive care unit.
Ryan continued to say that he felt obliged to “look at whether it was still to save” and emphasized: “I can only say that this terrible video was a collateral damage to my life -on life -earnest.”
Equestrian Australia announced that the suspension remains until the end of the ongoing examinations.