One of the spectators filmed the incident and posted it on her social media, sharing it world wide. The world didn't hesitate a second to comment on Leprévost's actions, even forcing the FEI (International Equestrian Federation) to look into the matter.
Earlier last year, Edward Gal got criticized by the crowd while warming up his horse at the European Championships in Aachen. Not later the online community had an outcry over ‘unfair’ elimination of Betram Allen during the Grand Prix of the Olympia Horse Show in London.
With all these incidents the last year one can wonder: Why do we make such a commotion about this? Did the equestrian world turn into one were the crowd forces official organisations, stewards and professionals to control each other even more as they do already?
Every development in society has its ups and downs. Social media has for sure brought a lot of positive twists to our society, a better globalisation might be one of them. Nevertheless one of the downsides of social media is, a scary one when you think really think about it, the global-peer-pressure you can enforce on people and organisations to react. Therefore one should actually use it wisely.
The Point being?
Returning to the latest example of incrimination by using social media, the Pénélope Stumbling-Incident. Was it right that Social Media force Pénélope's hand in pressuring here to make a public statement to the world, about what happened in Gothenburg? As most of us are aware, top riders value their horses above anything else. It is their main income, without them they would have a hard time living. Top horses are pampered like babies with a team of grooms, vets, farriers and all sorts of specialist ready to take care for them.
Wether Pénélope overreacted is not the big point here. We all lash out to our loved ones once in a while. Then we make up with a kiss and all is fine.
Considering that shouldn’t cases like these be in the hands of Pénélope and her team? On top of that most horses are not owned by the rider, shouldn’t the horse owner speak up? Or maybe he did and after a talk they are on the same page. "They might have made up with a kiss too."
And if that wouldn't be enough there are still a set of professional colleagues in the arena as well as official Stewards and judges to keep riders in check. When we commit a crime we also face a judge.
How would it be if we all be judged on social media? Because that is exactly what seems to be the trend for top riders right now. It's however not up to the one person who didn't agree with a method or something that happened to disgrace people and organisations within the equestrian world. In that case we should start taping every teenage rider that shouts to his parents leaving the arena after negative results. Then post it online and force them to bow down in disgrace to the world whilst apologizing to their parents and horse, as I assume most horses do not like screaming teenagers.
The big deal ?
Were does this trend end? Should we also start filming amateur riders that take their first lessons, disturbing the horse in its natural movement and most likely hurting it too?
That seems a bit to much and would be like having a million online “big brother’s watching you”. Therefore it is wise to think twice before you incriminate someone with a crime as serious as bad horse welfare. And we urge everyone not agreeing with something to first contemplate about their own actions, the well being of their own horse, before starting to judge someone.