Blue Hors Takes a Stand: Prioritising Horse Welfare in Dressage
The world of Danish dressage is facing a pivotal moment. With horse welfare, training methods, and ethical concerns under scrutiny, one of the sport’s leading establishments, Blue Hors, has taken a bold step: temporarily halting its participation in competitions. This decision reflects a growing movement to reassess and redefine the ethical treatment of horses in equestrian sport.
"Dressage and horse welfare must go hand in hand, with welfare always taking precedence."
A Pause for Progress
Blue Hors, a powerhouse in dressage breeding and competition, has announced a three-month hiatus from competing, citing the need for clearer guidelines on the ethical use of horses. This move aligns with the Danish Equestrian Federation’s new initiative, Sammen om Hestevelfærd (Together for Horse Welfare), which aims to enhance education, judging standards, and overall welfare measures within the sport.
Their stance is clear—without a universally agreed-upon framework that ensures ethical and humane training practices, participation in competitions is on hold. The message? Dressage and horse welfare must go hand in hand, with welfare always taking precedence.
A Shift in Equestrian Ethics
The conversation around horse welfare is not new, but it is gaining momentum. Recent discussions have called into question long-standing training techniques and competition demands, pushing organisations to rethink their policies. Blue Hors’ decision to step back and reevaluate is a powerful statement in an industry where tradition often outweighs change.
By pausing competition involvement, Blue Hors is setting an example—showing that success should not come at the expense of a horse’s well-being. This decision also raises an important question for the rest of the equestrian community: should other top stables follow suit?
While competitions may be on hold, Blue Hors is still moving forward. Their stallion show and open house event on March 29th will continue as planned, reinforcing their commitment to transparency and education in the industry.
"Riders, trainers, judges, and governing bodies must work together to ensure that equestrian sport evolves with integrity."
A Call for Collective Responsibility
Blue Hors has made its position clear: the welfare of the horse comes first. But meaningful change requires a collective effort. Riders, trainers, judges, and governing bodies must work together to ensure that equestrian sport evolves with integrity.
As the equestrian world watches and waits, one thing is certain—this decision marks a turning point in how we approach the ethics of dressage. Whether others will follow remains to be seen, but the message is clear: the future of the sport must be built on a foundation of respect, responsibility, and welfare-first principles.
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