In the Olympics Horses Should Get a Medal As Well As the Rider
I’m going to be politically correct. I’m going to write about animals generally which I think I’m allowed to do on a cat website. You may be watching the Olympics. You may like horses. I don’t particularly like horses but I was very impressed with Britain’s Charlotte Dujardin riding her horse Valegro.
This is a fantastic horse. He is magnificently obedient, well trained and highly consistent. He is reliable. He performed what he was trained to perform to very high level when he had to.
https://youtu.be/Qu_0n-xbL40
Charlotte got a gold medal. It was richly deserved. I believe that her horse should have received some sort of formal recognition from the IOC at the medal ceremony. Dressage is a partnership. Perhaps most of the work is carried out by the horse. If so Valegro is the more important partner. Shouldn’t he have received some sort of recognition; his own gold medal, which could have been pinned onto him at the medal ceremony?
I believe that the Olympics is a little bit too human-centric in the sports where the horse performs in partnership with his/her rider. Do you have any ideas about this? Do you think I’m being silly and overly politically correct?
I think that if the Olympic committee decided to do as I have suggested then it would gently and subtly enhance animal welfare. It would give animals a greater status and in doing so improve their welfare.