Equestrian star Charlotte Dujardin’s mentor, Carl Hester, has come to her defense following the emergence of a video showing her repeatedly whipping a horse. Hester, who has been a close coach to Dujardin in her successful career, emphasized that the incident in the video was out of character for Dujardin and not reflective of her usual methods of training. Dujardin herself expressed deep remorse for her actions and withdrew from the 2024 Olympics.
Despite the controversy, Hester believes that forgiveness should be given considering the four-year gap since the incident. He highlighted the importance of putting the welfare of the horses first and learning from the situation to showcase better practices in the equestrian world. Dujardin, a six-time Olympic medalist, has been a prominent figure in equestrian dressage, consistently performing well in major competitions.
Hester, a decorated equestrian rider himself, is currently competing in the individual dressage competition at the Paris Olympics, aiming to add to his collection of medals. Dujardin’s incident has shocked the international sports community, but her mentor’s support and her own acknowledgment of her mistake show a commitment to learning from the situation and setting a better example in the future. The equestrian community will be closely watching as Dujardin and Hester continue to compete and represent their country on the world stage.
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