You make a persuasive case but I think you should take it to the horses' ears. Without their participation, after all, the equestrian events couldn't go on.

There's a very good chance that they don't particularly enjoy the sport, like this one who finally had enough and refused to jump at the Tokyo competition this year.

I wouldn't want some rider whipping my butt and urging me to just get on with it (at least I don't think I would).

If more horses became aware of the courage this horse displayed, perhaps others would join in a jumping boycott.

Another approach would be to encourage fans not to buy tickets to the events.

Or start a campaign to get those who donate to stipulate that they didn't want any part of their contribution to go to flying horses to the next games.

 

On 8/7/2021 at 7:54 AM, PeterRS said:

 

Incidentally equestrian events were not included in the Melbourne 1956 Olympics due to Australia's strict 6-month quarantine policy. So it is not as though they have always been part of the programme. 

 

Equestrian events for 1956 Olympics were held in Stockholm , Sweden instead.

Thank you all for very interesting discussions above as I read whole thread in one shot. Not that anybody cares but for the record , Barcelona Olympics in 1992 were last I watched. After that,  with 1996 games sold to Atlanta instead to Athens for centennial celebrations I ordered myself to boycott whole thing and grand total of minutes I watched Tokyo games were 3 / three / 

One of the problems clearly concerns what its termed, for reasons i totally fail to understand, the Modern Pentathlon. This requires fencing (using only épées), freestyle swimming, pistol shooting, cross country running and ending with equestrian show jumping! This combination was thought up by Baron de Coubertin and seems both futile and crazy. The event has been part of the Games since 1912 and has remained despite several strong attempts to remove it.

The problem with the show jumping part is that athletes rarely make the best riders. Show jumping horses usually develop a rapport with one rider for several years. But in the Modern Pentathlon athletes are not paired with horses they know or with which they will have had any prior experience. It is purely the luck of a draw made 20 minutes beforehand who rides on which horse.

I happened to be watching when one horse was clearly unhappy during the round and then totally failed at one fence more or less running through it and throwing the rider. What followed was a disgrace with the horse trainer running on to violently hit the horse with his fists. He was quickly banned from the Games and sent home. If you think that was only a ridiculous one-off, do please watch this video. Many top athletes, including those in  medal positions up to that time, scored zero in the jumping when their horses either were just not prepared to jump or threw off their riders. They therefore ended up close to last place. It was a total farce. Soon several allegations of animal cruelty were being alleged.

Why should any event based exclusively on skills required by soldiers during World War 1 be part of today's Olympics? Madness!

From Deutshe Welle

"Bucking horses urged on with a riding crop although they clearly don't feel like jumping over obstacles or even entering the course. Howling riders who have completely lost their nerve. Numerous falls by riders that just about walk away without serious injuries.

"Sweating animals with wide eyes who, even after several throw-offs, have to ride on until the finish line is finally reached and the agony is over. No one needs to see scenes like these. The show jumping portion of the modern pentathlon on Friday was anything but good advertising for equestrian. What occurred in Tokyo's Baji Koen Equestrian Park was far from normal show jumping and should instead be described as animal cruelty."

https://www.dw.com/en/opinion-animal-cruelty-on-display-at-the-olympics/a-58790373

 

Latintopxx must be disappointed that pony riding hasn’t been brought in as an Olympic event. He’d quite fancy his chances for a gold medal.