03/13/2025
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𝐁𝐥𝐮𝐞 𝐇𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐞 𝐓𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐚 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝: 𝐀 𝐃𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐌𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐃𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐇𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐞 𝐖𝐞𝐥𝐟𝐚𝐫𝐞
The world is waking up. Across industries, sports, and daily life, conversations about animal welfare are becoming impossible to ignore. In equestrian sport, the debate has reached a critical moment one that demands real action, not just words. Leading the charge for change is Blue Horse, one of the most influential names in Danish and international dressage. In a bold and unprecedented move, Blue Horse has announced a temporary withdrawal from dressage competitions, choosing horse welfare over ribbons and rankings.
This is more than a pause. It is a statement of principles, a refusal to participate in a system that has yet to fully define what ethical training and competition should look like. It is a message to the entire equestrian world: change is coming, and we must all take responsibility.
𝗕𝗹𝘂𝗲 𝗛𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗲: 𝗔 𝗟𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗰𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗘𝘅𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆
For years, Blue Horse has been at the heart of international dressage. Founded in Denmark, it is not only a competition powerhouse but also a world-class breeding operation, home to some of the most sought-after dressage stallions in the industry. Blue Horse stallions have shaped the modern dressage landscape, producing top-tier horses that have competed at the highest levels of the sport.
Beyond breeding, Blue Horse is a leader in training, education, and the promotion of dressage as an art form and sport. Their riders, horses, and trainers have set benchmarks for quality, but their commitment has always extended beyond competitive success. Now, they are demonstrating leadership in a different, more profound way by prioritizing the well-being of horses over immediate competitive goals.
𝗔 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗨𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗦𝗰𝗿𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗻𝘆, 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀
Dressage has long been celebrated as the pinnacle of harmony between horse and rider. But in recent years, concerns over training methods, competition pressures, and overall horse welfare have sparked fierce debate. Are horses being pushed too hard? Are the judging standards encouraging training methods that prioritize results over the well-being of the horse? Is the balance between sport and ethics shifting in the wrong direction?
The Danish Riding Association (DRF) has recognized these concerns and launched a new initiative: Sammen om Hestewelfærd (“Together for Horse Welfare”). This strategy aims to set clearer guidelines for the ethical treatment of horses in sport, improve education, and rethink competition scoring to ensure that horse welfare remains the top priority.
Blue Horse’s decision to step back from competition aligns directly with this movement. Rather than continuing in an uncertain environment, they have chosen to pause, reflect, and push for clearer, stronger ethical standards.
𝐋𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐈𝐧𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝, 𝐀 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐄𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐄𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲
But this is not just about elite dressage. Every rider whether professional, amateur, or leisure must take a moment to reflect. It is easy to point at top-level competition and demand change, but what about at home?
• 𝘼𝙧𝙚 𝙬𝙚 𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙝𝙤𝙧𝙨𝙚𝙨 𝙞𝙣 𝙖 𝙬𝙖𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙥𝙧𝙞𝙤𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙯𝙚𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙞𝙧 𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙜-𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙢 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙩𝙝 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨?
• 𝘼𝙧𝙚 𝙬𝙚 𝙥𝙪𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙢 𝙩𝙤𝙤 𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙙, 𝙩𝙤𝙤 𝙛𝙖𝙨𝙩, 𝙞𝙣 𝙥𝙪𝙧𝙨𝙪𝙞𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙚𝙩𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙨𝙪𝙘𝙘𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙤𝙧 𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙡 𝙜𝙤𝙖𝙡𝙨?
• 𝘼𝙧𝙚 𝙬𝙚 𝙩𝙧𝙪𝙡𝙮 𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙤 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙮 𝙣𝙚𝙚𝙙, 𝙗𝙤𝙩𝙝 𝙥𝙝𝙮𝙨𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮?
Blue Horse is leading by example, but change must come from every corner of the equestrian world. The responsibility does not lie solely with professionals; it is a mindset that must be adopted by every horse owner, trainer, and rider, regardless of discipline or level.
Despite stepping back from dressage competitions, Blue Horse’s daily operations continue. Their renowned stallion shows, including the highly anticipated event on March 29, will go ahead as scheduled. The breeding, training, and education programs remain in full operation.
But make no mistake this pause in competition is not a passive decision. Blue Horse is using this time to push for meaningful change, to be part of the conversations that will shape the future of dressage. And when they return to competition, it will be with the confidence that the sport is moving in the right direction.
The next three months will be a test not just for Blue Horse, but for the entire dressage world. Will the sport embrace change? Will governing bodies, riders, and organizations step up and take responsibility? And, most importantly, will these conversations lead to real, lasting improvements for the horses at the heart of it all?
Blue Horse has made its stance clear. Now, it is time for the rest of the equestrian community at every level to prove that horse welfare is not just a trend or a talking point, but the foundation upon which the future of the sport must be built.
Blue Hors we applaud you ❤️
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