Video emerges of disgraced Olympic legend Charlotte Dujardin’s ‘cruel abuse’ during private coaching session

Video of British Olympic legend Charlotte Dujardin’s awful treatment of a horse has emerged, just a day after she was forced to withdraw from the Paris Games.

The six-time dressage medallist omitted herself from team Great Britain immediately and accepted a six-month ban from the sport after she was exposed for whipping a horse 24 times in one minute during a private coaching session with a young pupil.

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Video emerges of disgraced Olympian’s horse torture.

Dujardin herself released a statement in which she admitted her fault in the incident and conceded her spot in the team.

“A video has emerged from four years ago which shows me making an error of judgement during a coaching session,” she said in a statement posted to Instagram.

“Understandably, the International Federation for Equestrian Sports (FEI) is investigating and I have made the decision to withdraw from all competition — including the Paris Olympics — while this process takes place.

“What happened was completely out of character and does not reflect how I train my horses or coach my pupils, however, there is no excuse. I am deeply ashamed and should have set a better example in that moment.”

Now, Good Morning Britain has uncovered the video — which is said to be from two and a half years ago, despite Dujardin’s statement — in question.

In the video above, Dujardin can be seen whipping a horse on the legs repeatedly while the animal clearly tries to escape the torture, all the while with the student mounted.

At one stage, the horse kicks its back legs up twice in a row in a clear sign of distress.

The video has quickly circulated online, leaving both Britain and the rest of the world stunned.

“It has profoundly shocked everybody in the equestrian world,” former editor of Horse and Hound Lucy Higginson said.

Conservative political commentators and writer David Kurten added: “The cruel abuse of this horse by Charlotte Dujardin is horrific and a stain on our nation.

“Two urgent questions need answers: Did she whip horses regularly? Are dozens or hundreds of other dressage horses regularly whipped and abused by other trainers?”

Gavin Wilson on X simply said: “That’s not an error of judgement, that’s habitual. I hope her career and reputation is in the bin forever.”

The International Federation for Equestrian Sports (FEI) came down hard on Dujardin with the six-month ban as soon as it became aware of the incident.

“The FEI has officially announced the provisional suspension of British Dressage athlete Charlotte Dujardin effective immediately from the date of notification, 23 July 2024,” it said of the decision.

“This decision renders her ineligible to participate in the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympic Games or any other events under the jurisdiction of the FEI.”

The FEI would not disclose who the “undisclosed complainant” was that submitted the video, but confirmed Dujardin’s admission that it was her in it.

“Charlotte Dujardin requested to be provisionally suspended pending the outcome of the investigations and voluntarily withdrew from the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and also confirmed that she will not participate in any competitions pending the outcome of the FEI’s investigation,” it said.

“The FEI condemns any conduct contrary to the welfare of horses and has robust rules in place to address such behaviour.”

The lawyer who filed the complaint on the whistleblower’s behalf, Stephan Wensing, has told Good Morning Britain the behaviour is disturbing and not isolated.

“My client used to be a sponsor, and she was in the UK, and she sponsored a lesson for Charlotte to a student,” Wensing said.

“It was a young girl of 19 years old riding her horse, and she got a lesson from Charlotte Dujardin in the UK.

“Charlotte Dujardin was in the middle of the arena. She said to the student, ‘Your horse must lift up the legs more in the canter’.

“She took the long whip and she was beating the horse more than 24 times in one minute and really hard, really harsh, really tough.

“This is not just one incident. My client has visited Charlotte Dujardin’s stable more times and she has seen it happen more times.”

Dujardin is Britain’s equal most successful female Olympic athlete of all time, with three gold included in her six medals.

She was set to compete in both the individual dressage and the team event in Paris with world champion Lottie Fry, as well as Carl Hester.

“It’s not fun to ruin a career. (The whistleblower is) not celebrating; she doesn’t feel like a hero,” Wensing told the BBC.

“But she told me this morning this had to be done because she wants to save dressage.”

Wensing said his client had been inspired by a similar situation unfolding in Denmark earlier this month.

The Olympic dressage competition begins on July 30 at the Palace of Versailles.