A Danish documentary shows controversial images from Dane Andreas Helgstrand’s horse farm.
The same group includes Swedish Patrik Kittel’s stable.
– This is something that has gone off the rails, says Kittel when he visits TV4’s studio on site during the Sweden International Horse Show.
Equestrian sport has been rocked by a major scandal lately. A Danish documentary has captured images from the Danish WC medalist Andreas Helgstrand’s farm. After the publication of the documentary, Helgstrand has been accused, among other things, of horse abuse and torture-like training methods.
The Swedish profile Patrik Kittel’s stable is part of the same group as the Danish stable. When Kittel visits the TV4 studio at Friends Arena during the Sweden International Horse Show, he is crystal clear about his own position.
– For me, it was very important to say that what you have seen is very wrong, it is not something that we want or strive for, or what is actually everyday life. This is something that has gone off the rails. They have also said that it is wrong and that they need to change their minds, says Patrik Kittel to TV4 and continues:
– At the same time, I think their business is their business and I am responsible for my business. I can only keep track of what I manage in my business. At the same time, we are part of the same group and you have to point out that this must not happen and I have a close dialogue with the group where I say: how can we change this and how can we get this on the right track.
The scandal has caused strong reactions in various forums. But Kittel, who is not very active on social media, has not noticed – but believes that it is important to learn from what has happened.
– I personally haven’t noticed much of this. However, the lesson is that we all have to take our own consequences and examine ourselves at all levels and make sure that we drive good horse welfare forward regardless of what we are doing, sums up Kittel.
See the interview with Patrik Kittel in the player.
Horse party at Friends
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