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03/13/2025
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๐๐ฅ๐ฎ๐ ๐๐จ๐ซ๐ฌ๐ ๐๐๐ค๐๐ฌ ๐ ๐๐ญ๐๐ง๐: ๐ ๐๐๐๐ข๐ง๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐๐ ๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐จ๐ซ๐ฌ๐ ๐๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ซ๐
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.
๐๐น๐๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐ฒ: ๐ ๐๐ฒ๐ด๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐
๐ฐ๐ฒ๐น๐น๐ฒ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐๐ฝ๐ผ๐ป๐๐ถ๐ฏ๐ถ๐น๐ถ๐๐
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.
๐ ๐ฆ๐ฝ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ ๐จ๐ป๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฆ๐ฐ๐ฟ๐๐๐ถ๐ป๐, ๐ช๐ต๐ ๐ง๐ต๐ถ๐ ๐๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ ๐ฎ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐
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 Hestewelfรฆrd (โTogether for Horse Welfareโ). 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 Horseโs 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.
๐๐จ๐จ๐ค๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐ง๐ฐ๐๐ซ๐, ๐ ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ง๐ญ๐ข๐ซ๐ ๐๐ช๐ฎ๐๐ฌ๐ญ๐ซ๐ข๐๐ง ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ง๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ
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?
โข ๐ผ๐ง๐ ๐ฌ๐ ๐ฉ๐ง๐๐๐ฃ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ค๐ช๐ง ๐๐ค๐ง๐จ๐๐จ ๐๐ฃ ๐ ๐ฌ๐๐ฎ ๐ฉ๐๐๐ฉ ๐ฅ๐ง๐๐ค๐ง๐๐ฉ๐๐ฏ๐๐จ ๐ฉ๐๐๐๐ง ๐ก๐ค๐ฃ๐-๐ฉ๐๐ง๐ข ๐๐๐๐ก๐ฉ๐ ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐๐ฃ๐๐จ๐จ?
โข ๐ผ๐ง๐ ๐ฌ๐ ๐ฅ๐ช๐จ๐๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ฉ๐๐๐ข ๐ฉ๐ค๐ค ๐๐๐ง๐, ๐ฉ๐ค๐ค ๐๐๐จ๐ฉ, ๐๐ฃ ๐ฅ๐ช๐ง๐จ๐ช๐๐ฉ ๐ค๐ ๐๐ค๐ข๐ฅ๐๐ฉ๐๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐ ๐จ๐ช๐๐๐๐จ๐จ ๐ค๐ง ๐ฅ๐๐ง๐จ๐ค๐ฃ๐๐ก ๐๐ค๐๐ก๐จ?
โข ๐ผ๐ง๐ ๐ฌ๐ ๐ฉ๐ง๐ช๐ก๐ฎ ๐ก๐๐จ๐ฉ๐๐ฃ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ฉ๐ค ๐ฌ๐๐๐ฉ ๐ฉ๐๐๐ฎ ๐ฃ๐๐๐, ๐๐ค๐ฉ๐ ๐ฅ๐๐ฎ๐จ๐๐๐๐ก๐ก๐ฎ ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ข๐๐ฃ๐ฉ๐๐ก๐ก๐ฎ?
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 Horseโs 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 โค๏ธ
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