Andreas Helgstrand/Akeem Foldager (DEN)

Andreas Helgstrand (DEN) prepares his horse for the ECCO FEI European Championships. The horse was ill with respiratory problems at the time. Read the blog post here: www.epona.tv

[@karlaconti1]

thank you for showing videos like this to the horse world! I hope that some day they will cause a new way of thinking about decent horse training.

[@joannetyrrell364]

I can't watch anymore. Excellent read people.

[@Marixxen2]

I've acually never seen that bad use of spures at this level (even in the moderen competitions). - but I suppose he's just trying to compensate for not being able to ride a horse into real collection, so he's trying a "new" and even more better and brutal way of simply kicking the horse to "collect". Well done - i really though i couldn't like you any less, Helgestrand, but you proved me wrong. again!

[@farbschlacht]

And again I say: Good work EPONA! Let's hope we'll see the day, when you have nothing horibble to film anymore.

[@Orangelionfur]

That horse deserves a medal for being so forgiving. Nobody should use spurs, unless they can achieve the same thing without the use of spurs.

[@jayewink11]

Nothing Forced Can Ever Be Beautiful- Xenophon

[@Zenocrate]

Do we have any evidence - beyond Helgstrand's dubitable word - that the cause of Akeem's breathing difficulties is allergy and not the rider's signature crumpling of the horse's neck?

[@enlighteneduk]

I think the fact that in the interview he terms his horse 'It', rather than 'He or she' says it all................

[@mclean1970]

Utterly Disgusting....He Should Of Been Disqualified! *Shame On You & Shame On The Judges*

[@ngranen4111]

Its really sick, the horse dont even ”respond” when he kick HARD with the spurs?!? The poor horse is so used too violence.... broken💔

[@coldwhitespring5004]

10 years ago we already knew about his practice.

[@Maanlingxx]

I wish I had not seen this. Andreas Helgstrand, you are discusting.. but that's how it goes when a lot of money is involved...

[@kiwib76]

God those are some hard hands! How did this guy get to compete at FEI level??

[@stinahumana]

It is strange that he could make it to the European Championships in the first place. Riders with lightness should be able to qualify not with such hard hands. How many horses has this rider already "used up" - anyone knows?

[@4ridersify]

'Dressage' has given 'dressage' a bad name. Place the onus squarely on the shoulders of the judges. What is rewarded will get stronger and more extreme, it is the nature of competition.

[@karinakoch7734]

if he wants to fight.. maybe he should start with boxing instead

[@galorbre]

Que font les organisateurs ? Les commissaires de paddock?

[@millsixstudios]

7:03 - HELGSTRAND needs a full boycott As long as the money flows, this will continue at the highest level.

[@DanishButterCookie]

He is a rude money hungry man. Even his stable tours are mostly of how much money was spent on it, rather than what the horses get out of it. Met him once at the JBK event as a gate keeper, he was rude to everyone, even his own groom!

[@betsthebets1]

We see this films, and we are outraged. What is being done to help these animals? What is being done to retrain the judges for rewarding the outcomes of this torture? I see comments all over the Internet, but never any action. Now Totilas has gone to the notorious trainer, Sjef Janssen. Such shameless greed!

[@slaney1231]

Aww jeez, I also wish I did not see that, just heartbreaking to watch.. Someone needs to kidnap that horse. Amazing how in normal time you don't notice so much what is going on, distracted by the amazing movement.. Slow it down & we see such a different story. Very sad

[@KarenmitchellANI]

How the fuck does this person (and anyone else who does this) sleep at night!! Oh I love Kalma!!

[@sweetfoxpexington]

the horse , the ultimate form of slavery -A slave that forgot its own nature and are willing to die for its master. So sad and horrible...!!

[@StefSkjol]

certain lack of empathy

[@sandieratahullettblack3849]

Happy couple ?????

[@StimmeGegenRollkur]

That's really bizarre!

[@Calypso1955]

Why is this man allowed to continue competing?!?!?! He should be barred from all competition of any kind!! For at least 10 years!! I'll bet any horse he rides hates to see him coming!!!

[@annip5573]

Should be arrested for protection of horses, what a mean person.

[@nikolineh.e.8739]

Drf are turning the blind side to what happens, because he has power and money. He have been reported to the police several times for animal abouse. He has won all the lawsuits he has been involved in, because the lawyers are stupid.

[@coldwhitespring5004]

@@nikolineh.e.8739But now the full abuse at the Helgstrand stables are on video for the world to see, finally.

[@Marixxen2]

Epona: jeg anbefaler dere å be folk om å "like" videoene deres (slik som denne) hvis de støtter deres sak, i steden for å trykke "dislike" pga. mishandlingen vi ser. Det er tross alt videoer som fremmer saken for dyrevelferd og biomekanisk riktig ridning, og jo flere "likes" en slik film som dette får, jo lettere blir den sett flere ganger, og anbefales videre til flere seere.

[@Zenocrate]

An awful, nameless, pitiful lot. :-( I still cry over Casmir...

[@EquineJunkie88]

I can't imagine calling my horse it. Always He or She (in my case HE). it doesn't sound grammatically proper to call him an IT or is it my first choice of words for him. So I am going to disagree it is not very common for a person to call there horse it. I am also in a boarding barn and haven't heard the other owners call their horses IT, either.

[@sophiesaraby1105]

So much mechanical force, now become normal in competition dressage. How has it gone so wrong

[@malgorzatanowak2770]

Fy fan 😢

[@lisastumpf2580]

Warum macht keiner den mund auf und holt ihn vom pferd ???

[@enlighteneduk]

Lame argument? Open your eyes.

[@stephenrinaldoHomeSolutions]

with these sort of riders, I also question why the sheep skin cover over the girth :/

[@gg3596]

Why is he still allowed to train horses when he is so physically abusive to these animals?

[@eponatv]

This is not considered abuse by the International Equestrian Federation (FEI) Many types of painful and harmful riding are allowed as well as drug use and performance enhancing surgery.

[@Ridingboots1979]

A real proper rider.... ;-)

[@PollyGrohlFF]

horrible to watch! stop this pain!

[@MrFlamants]

Just one more time lack of respect to an animal, not worsthy to a rider, who was for many an example. He'd better buy a motorbike and change profession.

[@metalgodkill]

just think that buddha was a horse in one of his lifes. this is baad karma. one assh... is dooing something wrong and 10000 are watching......he will incarnate in a horse next time-grand prix

[@linemadsen9214]

Come on, lame argument. I only have my horse as a pet - I do not compete in any way, but only ride and take of my horse for fun. I love my horse of all my heart, but - very often actually - I call it "it" as well...

[@Carkjol]

Disgusting.