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FEI, or the International Equestrian Federation, is the governing body that covers a range of equestrian sports including dressage, eventing, show jumping, reining, combined driving, endurance, and vaulting. Headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland, their code of conduct is meant to protect the welfare of equine athletes and prevent physical abuse and doping.
Every year, proposed changes to their rules are discussed and any amendments are announced in January. While it is the goal of the organization to promote the welfare of horses in competitions, many are critical of their rules. Recently a change in the code of conduct was enacted that sparked many equestrians to speak out against the amendment.
The 2023 Rule Change
The change removed rule 401, the principles of dressage, and turned the contents into a guideline. At face value, the distinction seems small, but the contents of rule 401 for many are essential in ensuring dressage remains an ethical discipline. While the article covers a number of dressage principles the one that is most problematic is section 5.
Article 401
5. In all the work, even at the halt... the head should remain in a steady position, as a rule slightly in the front of the vertical, with a supple poll as the highest point of the neck, and no resistance should be offered to the Athlete.
People are upset because this clause deals with the highly controversial practice of rollkur. Rollkur is hyperflexion of the horse's neck, often seen as a horse with their head curled up to their chest and displaying extreme sideways movement in turns. While most governing bodies allow flexion behind the vertical, the practice steps into rollkur when excessive force is used to hyperflex the horse's neck.
Despite some misconceptions surrounding the practice, there are no real benefits of hyperflexion and an array of negative consequences. In addition to extreme discomfort, rollkur causes airway obstruction, musculoskeletal pathology, an impaired field of vision, and pain. The practice relies on force, discomfort, and fear to control the horse, often leading to resistance and unwillingness from the equine athlete.
The 2010 Ruling
In 2010, FEI took strides to eliminate the practice. FEI officials met for a constructive round-table discussion where they debated how to move forward over the issue of hyperflexion. The discussion was sparked after Dr. Gerd Heuschman submitted a petition containing 41,000 signatories against the use of rollkur.
FEI was able to come to a unanimous decision to ban any head and neck position achieved through force. However, riding in a long, deep, and round position without forcing the horse was still deemed acceptable. While many horse welfare advocates were pleased with the outcome of the round-table, 13 years later the story is not over.
The Future of Dressage
As of January 2023, rule 401 is no longer a regulation but a guideline. Since 2014, competitors have watched as FEI has slowly taken wording surrounding the horse's head position out of its rulebook. As of 2023, there is no reference to suppleness, submission, or position of the horse's head and poll. Over the years, a shift in how horses are judged has already been observed. While horses competing at a lower level are penalized for hyperflexion, horses at the highest levels of competition are not.
Between 2001 and 2014, gambling on greyhound races dropped by 70%, and by 2022 greyhound racing was banned in 42 states. It is naive to think that can't happen to horse competitions too. Every groom, rider, and organization plays a part in making sure equestrian competition remains favorable to the public and animal rights activists. FEI removing welfare clauses from their rulebook sets the tone for how the public sees competition. Even someone with no horse experience can see a horse in rollkur and know it doesn't look right. That is not the image we want when people think about dressage.
This shift from rule to guideline exposes FEI's stance on horse welfare. Multiple studies have proven the dangers of riding in a hyper-flexed position and therefore it should never be seen at some of the most watched equestrian competitions in the world. In the modern day, there is no place for the exploitation of animals for sport. If we want to create a sport that will last long into the future, it has to be done ethically. FEI has to keep horse welfare at the forefront of its operation. As a governing body, it is their responsibility to ensure the safety of horses on competition grounds. A responsibility that, as of 2023, has been forgotten.
We don't want the next generation of competitive dressage riders to grow up watching rollkur in competition. We cannot have hyperflexed positions become normalized. When people look at the world's top dressage riders, they should be observing the pinnacle of the sport with correct riding and happy horses. 2023 may very well be marking the date dressage begins to devolve from dancing to torture.
The integrity of dressage is at stake with the recent change in FEI's code of conduct. We need to be taking strides towards better horse health, eliminating the use of force, and rekindling classical riding. Dressage should be as much for the horse as it is for the rider. However, FEI's newest rule change shows they are not willing to stick up for the horse.
Remember, as riders if we lose the horse, we lose everything.