Petition: A Call to Protect Our Sport’s Integrity and Future

Fellow members of Federation Equestrian International, Equestrian Australia, British Dressage, United States Dressage Federation, and other National Bodies affiliated by the FEI, stand at a crossroads. The discipline we  love, Dressage, is under threat, not from competition or lack of talent, but from an unchecked tide of bullying, negativity, harassment, and trial-by-media that festers on social platforms. Today, we, the undersigned members, unite to demand change. We call upon the Federation Equestrian International, Equestrian Australia, British Dressage, United States Dressage Federation, and all affiliated national governing bodies to act decisively to safeguard our sport’s integrity, protect its athletes, and secure its future as an Olympic discipline.

Our first request is clear: implement and enforce a robust social media policy across all official pages. These platforms must be actively monitored to remove posts that bully, harass, or defame—content that drags our sport into the mire of public condemnation without evidence or due process. Negative commentary has its place, but when it crosses into personal attacks or orchestrated smear campaigns, it must be stopped. Repeat offenders should face consequences: deletion of their comments and, if necessary, permanent blocks from these spaces. Our sport’s official channels should be a beacon of professionalism and respect for their athletes, not a battleground for vitriol.

Second, we demand that all welfare concerns—matters of utmost importance to us all—be handled internally, with transparency only after a fair and thorough investigation has concluded. Athletes deserve due process, not premature vilification. The current trend of trial-by-media undermines justice, ruins reputations unjustly, and erodes trust in our governing bodies. Let guilt be determined by facts, not headlines or viral posts. Only then should findings be shared, ensuring accountability without sensationalism.

Finally, we urge the protection of our sport’s intellectual property. Professional media content—videos and images produced by accredited outlets—should be copyrighted and fiercely defended. Entities like “Dressage Hub” and others must no longer be allowed to lift, edit, and repurpose this footage to fuel negativity or profit from division. By securing this content, we can curb the spread of manipulated narratives that paint our sport in a false and damaging light.

Why does this matter? Because the stakes are existential. If we allow unchecked negativity to define equestrian sports, we risk alienating sponsors, losing public support, and jeopardizing our Olympic status. Dressage is not alone—its fate is tied to eventing and jumping. If one falls, the others may follow, dismantling a legacy built by generations. We cannot stand by as our passion, our livelihoods, and our horses’ welfare are dragged through the mud for clicks and outrage.

We, the undersigned, are not asking for silence or censorship of fair critique. We seek a sport that upholds dignity, fairness, and unity. We implore the FEI, EA, BD, USDF, and all national affiliates to hear us: adopt these measures, protect our members and athletes and ensure equestrian sports thrive for years to come. Sign this petition. Raise your voice. Together, we can stop the spiral and preserve the sport we love.

**Please note, when signing we are not calling for donations, any donations are to the host of this petition website, Change.org, and not to this particular cause.  If you do not wish to share, just go to the next page by clicking Not Now to finalise your signing.  Thankyou!