IDOC Meets with Dressage Activists and Experts at 2022 General Assembly in Frankfurt

Dressage

IDOC

The International Dressage Officials Club (IDOC) invited three guest speakers to its 2022 General Assembly in Frankfurt, Germany, to share view points and contribute to topics such as dressage education, training, competition, and welfare.

The three invited guest speakers were Dr Eva Van Avermaet (founder of the group “Collectif Pour les Chevaux”), Dr. Kathrin Kienapfel-Henseleit (member of the research team of the Swiss National Stud-Agroscope), and Dr. Charles Trolliet, President of the Swiss Horse Industry Council and Observatory.

Preserving Horse Sport and Horse Welfare

Both shared their common passion for the horse in dressage - in training and in competition - but also their common goal: preserving horse sport and horse welfare.

"Both the IDOC and the guest speakers strive to spread knowledge, education, and information about equestrian sports," the IDOC stated in its summary of the annual meeting. "Dressage is a beautiful sport, and both parties stated quite unequivocally that when performed according to the rules it is beneficial for the horse as an athlete."

IDOC continued, "a common ground was that knowledge must be evidence-based and not based on emotions, hearsays, or inaccurate data. Rules should be applied to the sport to protect the horse as an athlete and the horse/rider combination should convey the image of working together in great cooperation, harmony, and lightness. Training methods and rules must protect the needs of the horse to ensure an adequate development and longevity, and the judging and stewarding must always have welfare first in mind – as stated in FEI Code of Conduct."

A Pursuit of the Ideal Image

Kathrin Kienapfel-Henseleit and Eva van Avermaet

IDOC further stated that "the FEI's rules for training and competition are a pursuit of the ideal image, and although everyone strives to achieve this ideal it is not always achieved, which means that we still have room to improve."

"Judges have an important influence on direction of sport so as the welfare organisations, therefore, the mutual support, the constructive, honest, and respectful dialogue (without finger pointing), and a serious commitment to education at al levels (officials, riders, trainers, scientists, media, etc.) is paramount."

"Although the parties had different opinions on some topics, the message that they would like to drum home is that both are committed to preserve the sport and promote the welfare of the horse," IDOC concluded.