Peta reveals abuse at horse in Paris 2024. IMAGE: PETA (eople for the Ethical Treatment of Animals)

Brazilian equestrian Carlos Parro has been targeted by animal rights group PETA over the treatment of his horse Safira, as part of the organisation's general warnings at every Olympic Games.

The criticism is particularly pertinent at an event where the organisation has sought to highlight its commitment to nature and sustainability with recycled medals, unique food measures and the construction of special infrastructures just a few examples of reducing the environmental impact of such a large-scale event. 

All of this in a city, Paris, that has entered the global agenda as a champion of the 15-minute city model, where all services are within 15 minutes of reach to avoid unnecessary car journeys and waste of resources.

This Saturday, a protest by activists from Extinction Rebellion, a global environmental organisation that has carried out various high-profile boycott actions, such as interventions in museums, was avoided.

PETA called on the International Olympic Committee on Friday to ban all equestrian events after photos emerged of a member of the Brazilian Olympic equestrian team forcing a horse's neck into an extremely painful hyperflexed position, so exaggerated that the neck appears to be deformed.

The banned training method, known as 'rollkur', impairs breathing and can damage the spine and cause long-term health problems.

PETA has filed an urgent complaint with the International Equestrian Federation, demanding that the rider be removed from competition and that the abused horse undergo a thorough veterinary examination.

This practice is contrary to the messages and protocols of the International Equestrian Federation, which has issued a yellow card to the rider.



It is not the only Paris-related case they denounce: days ago they referred to a ‘shocking’ video of British rider Charlotte Dujardin repeatedly whipping a horse's legs ‘in the manner of the old circus mistreatment of elephants’ during a training session. Dujardin, who flippantly referred to her mistreatment of the horse as ‘an error of judgement’, was banned from the Paris Olympics.



But PETA goes further with its message, believing that this ‘horrible incident’ shows that equestrian sports have no place in the Olympics. ‘It seems that the sport is full of humans making ‘errors of judgement’,’ she says, citing similar cases in Tokyo, but also beyond the Olympics.