Blue Hors Pauses Competition Participation During Animal Welfare Debate

Dressage

Denmark

Blue Hors stud announced today, 10 March 2025, that it will pause its participation at international dressage competition while a new framework for horse welfare is being drafted in Denmark.

Blue Hors has two dressage riders active on the international show scene: double Olympic team medal winner Nanna Skodborg Merrald and Under 25 Grand Prix rider Sophia Ludvigsen

Statement

In a post on social media, Blue Hors stated the following:

Danish dressage is in a time of change, in which horse welfare, training methods and animal ethics are up for debate. These developments are taking place against a deeply serious backdrop and are crucial to the future of the sport.

The debate has triggered a long-awaited effort to establish clearer guidelines for the ethical use of horses in the sport. The initiative is part of the Danish Equestrian Federation's new strategy “Together for Horse Welfare”, which also focuses on better education and changes to competition judging.

We support the work of the Danish Equestrian Federation so that together we can create a better and clearer framework for the future - for the sake of horses, riders and the sport.

As long as there is so much uncertainty about the correct ethical use of horses, we have temporarily decided to pause Blue Hors' participation in dressage competitions. Initially for three months, after which we will assess whether a greater common understanding of horse ethics and the sporting guidelines has been reached, or whether we should extend the suspension further.

The decision has no impact on Blue Hors' daily activities, and we will continue to run the stallion show on March 29 as planned.

Blue Hors Stud

Blue hors stud has been one of Denmark's leading dressage stallion stations and training facilities. With the acquisition of Don Schufro and Romanov, the stud stamped Danish Warmblood breeding.

Dressage riders such as Lars Petersen, Andreas Helgstrand, Maria Anita Andersen, Sune Hansen, Daniel Bachmann Andersen, and Nanna Skodborg Merrald saw their careers launched by riding for Blue Hors.

In September 2023 the stud announced a major downsize, selling the facility in Randbol and relocating to Stutteri ASK in Fyn. Riders Merrald and Ludvigsen were the only two retained for the dressage department, alongside breeding director Martin Klavsen.