FEI Sports Forum Opens Crucial Discussion on the Future of Dressage
The second session of the 2024 FEI Sports Forum in Lausanne brought dressage under the microscope, with a focused and open conversation about the discipline’s future. Key concerns such as judging standards, equipment, education, communication, and welfare were discussed at length by a panel of top-level experts. The newly formed Working Group on Dressage Strategic Action Planning presented its early findings and thinking, emphasizing that the moment of intense scrutiny around dressage is also an opportunity for meaningful reform.
The session on dressage was opened by FEI Secretary General Sabrina Ibanez and she gave a bit of background.
”We decided to form this task force at the board meeting in December, and you have really been working very hard on many items. Further to the sports forum of last year, where we really discussed with all of you the importance of having this collective responsibility for horse welfare and well-being, we do see a shift.”
FEI Dressage Director Ronan Murphy took the stage after an introduction by the secretary general. With him on stage was a majority of the members in the Dressage Strategic Action Plan Group.
Dressage Strategic Action Plan Group
George Williams (USA), Chairman of the working group. Former President of USEF, Coach, Athlete, Team Trainer.
Monica Theodorescu (GER), Athlete, German National Dressage Coach.
Raphael Saleh (FRA), Level 4 Dressage Judge, President of Ground Jury Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Kyra Kyrklund (FIN), Athlete- six-time Olympian and FEI World Cup Champion, Coach.
Klaus Roeser (GER), Secretary General of International Dressage Riders Club.
Lise Berg (DEN), Associate Professor at University of Copenhagen’s Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences.
Ronan Murphy started of the session with a brief background. He described the underlying framework for the group’s work to refer to.
The framework consists of reporting to Dressage Technichal committe, FEI Rules revisions in two instances, Equine Ethics and Wellbeing Action Plan, Ethical training Working Group as well as relevant research and development.
The group has met since January and started with a situation analysis.
Opening Remarks: A Shared Responsibility
FEI Dressage Director Ronan Murphy introduced the session with a strong call for transparency and evolution:
“We don’t need to reinvent the wheel here. These words represent what we are actually trying to do in the sport.”
He reaffirmed the group’s commitment to a widely accepted definition of the sport’s objective:
“The object of dressage should be the development of the horse as a happy athlete in a positive mental and physical state, through harmonious education… thus achieving the perfect understanding with the rider.”
Murphy outlined the timeline for reform, with a full strategic roadmap to be delivered by January 1, 2027.
He acknowledged the sport’s growing vulnerability in terms of public perception and social license:
“There’s a general sentiment that the sport is not in a trustworthy place at the moment… and we have lost confidence.”
Full presentation with slides
Judging Under Pressure
The first topic tackled by the panel was judging — a major source of both internal debate and public critique. George Williams (USA), Chair of the working group, opened the discussion:
“What is the real purpose of the dressage test? Is it a test of the riding? The training? Or the horse?… It is a combination of those three things.”
He continued:
“We really need to find a balance between those elements and ensure that our judging reflects that. Are we going too far toward the spectacular? Are we demanding too much from the horse, or not enough from the rider or trainer? These are the kinds of questions we need to be brave enough to ask.”
Kyra Kyrklund (FIN) noted the sport’s drift toward over-demonstration:
“We wanted it more spectacular. And now I think we have gone over the line. Now we have to go a little bit more back.”
Klaus Roeser (GER) emphasized the strain placed on judges:
“It’s a very complex task… I’m a little bit in favor of this group trying to reduce complexity for the judges.”
Raphael Saleh (FRA) underlined the importance of consistency and transparency:
“What is super important is to work as a team and to have a clear line where we want to go. With a panel of seven judges, individual influence is relatively low, but the perception of the public demands clarity and unity. We need to make judging more transparent, and we are very open to support from tools like artificial intelligence to help us focus on the essential aspects of performance.”
The Double Bridle Debate
One of the most technical and emotional discussions focused on the role of the double bridle.
George Williams raised concerns:
“Is it really appropriate for a junior to be able to compete in a double bridle? Do they have the expertise?”
He added:
“When I see five- and six-year-old horses being shown in full bridles at sales, it really upsets me. That’s not what we should be encouraging. The double bridle tests the rider’s skill, and both horse and rider must be properly prepared.”
Kyra Kyrklund offered an unforgettable analogy:
“Double bridle is an amazing tool… But it’s a bit like coming from Finland. We use knives. They are very good to use when we are eating. But sometimes people get killed by knives. It is the one that keeps the other end of the knife.”
Lise Berg (DEN) reminded everyone to tread carefully:
“You always have to think about potential consequences… Sometimes things do have consequences that we did not think of. If we make a change too quickly, we risk unintended ripple effects. A slower, evidence-based rollout allows us to study and adjust along the way.”
Communication and Consensus
Communication — with riders, with fans, and with critics — became a recurring theme during the floor discussion.
Jason Brautigam (GBR) raised the issue of inconsistent definitions around hyperflexion and poor imagery.
Lise Berg responded:
“We really need to face this head on… When is it a problem? When is it not? We have to be honest that we are seeing situations that aren’t ideal. But without a shared understanding and better scientific evidence, we’re left making decisions based on incomplete knowledge. We must be transparent about what we know and what we don’t know.”
Ronan Murphy added:
“This is one of the best opportunities we have ever had… to secure [the sport’s] future.”
Klaus Roeser argued that communication must start at the grassroots:
“We should start much more earlier… try to communicate what is horsemanship, why do we love horses.”
Ethical Training Methods and Tack Fit
The session closed with a series of remarks on the importance of respect, patience, and sound tack use.
Monica Theodorescu (GER):
“Treat your horse as your partner, as your friend… If it’s not your day today, get off. Walk your horse, graze it, leave it in the field.”
Kyra Kyrklund:
“Whatever we’re doing in promoting the sport, we have to be sure that it does not cause unethical training methods at home.”
Systemic or Isolated?
Closing the session, Rowly Owers of World Horse Welfare asked whether issues in the sport reflect systemic problems.
“I don’t believe that it is a systemic problem,” said Kyra. “You always have some murderers going around. But you can’t say that everybody is a murderer because of that.”
The FEI working group plans to deliver a comprehensive action plan by early 2027. Meanwhile, stakeholders are invited to continue contributing ideas, research, and practical experience to shape the sport’s future from the inside out.
Link to FEI Official summary of the session
Quotes from the session
Quote Bank for IAEJ Colleagues
On Judging
• George Williams (USA):
“What is the real purpose of the dressage test? Is it a test of the riding? The training? Or the horse?… It is a combination of those three things.”
• Kyra Kyrklund (FIN):
“We wanted it more spectacular. And now I think we have gone over the line. Now we have to go a little bit more back.”
• Raphael Saleh (FRA):
“What is super important is to work as a team and to have a clear line where we want to go.”
On Tack and the Double Bridle
• George Williams:
“Is it really appropriate for a junior to be able to compete in a double bridle? Do they have the expertise?”
• Kyra Kyrklund:
“Double bridle is an amazing tool… But sometimes people get killed by knives. It’s not the knife — it’s the one who holds it.”
• Lise Berg (DEN):
“You always have to think about potential consequences… Sometimes things do have consequences that we did not think of.”
• Monica Theodorescu (GER):
“There are a lot of wrongdoings that need to be addressed… Riders or trainers also need education in that.”
On Communication and Public Perception
• Lise Berg:
“We really need to face this head on — not as a conflict, but as a conversation.”
• Ronan Murphy:
“There’s a general sentiment that the sport is not in a trustworthy place at the moment.”
“This is one of the best opportunities we’ve ever had… to secure its future.”
• Klaus Roser:
“Try to communicate… why do we love horses, why do we do this? That’s horsemanship.”
On Ethics and Training
• Kyra Kyrklund:
“Whatever we’re doing in promoting the sport, we have to be sure that it does not cause unethical training methods at home.”
• Monica Theodorescu:
“Treat your horse as your partner, as your friend… If it’s not your day, get off and try again tomorrow.”
On Tack Fit and Education
• Andrew McLean (AUS):
“It’s really important to analyze systematically what the curb can do… it can do quite a lot of implicit damage.”
• Monica Theodorescu:
“There are a lot of wrongdoings that need to be addressed… The tack doesn’t fit.”
• Kyra Kyrklund:
“Because the rider doesn’t see it, he doesn’t understand why.”
On Whether It’s Systemic
• Roly Owers (World Horse Welfare):
“Is this a systemic problem? Is this what one has to do to get horses to the top?”
• Kyra Kyrklund:
“You always have some murderers going around. But you can’t say that everybody is a murderer because of that.”
Notes taken to the best of my ability for the International Alliance of Equestrian Journalists (IAEJ).
If in doubt, for verification of quotes you can go to the youtube sessions published by FEI.