The veterinary association’s criticism after the words about the condition of the horses in SVT

SVT’s commentators trivialize the pain of horses, according to the Swedish Veterinary Association.

In an open letter, SVT’s reporting of the Dressage World Cup receives strong criticism.

– Our intention was not to blame the horses, says Johanna Bäckström Lerneby, head of news at SVT Sport, about the open letter.

In an open letter, the Swedish Veterinary Association strongly criticizes SVT’s reporting of the Dressage World Cup.

During the program in SVT, the problem that Sportbladet highlighted in several articles was discussed – that horses in the world elite in dressage suffer from a lack of oxygen in their tongues.

The veterinarians point out in the letter that SVT’s expert commentator and presenter trivialized and defended that horses are ridden with too much pressure in the mouth.

This is how to write:

It can never be the horse’s fault that the blood supply to the tongue is obstructed during riding. It is the impact of the rider’s hand, together with the type of bite, that determines the load on the horse’s mouth.

The Veterinary Association writes that they expect SVT to be based on current animal welfare legislation during broadcasts.

Many emails from viewers

In the broadcast, SVT received many questions about horse welfare by e-mail from viewers. One viewer wondered how the presenters saw Patrik Kittel being in the competition – despite his horse having a blue tongue.

In the broadcast, SVT’s presenter then says that it is not “forbidden” with a blue tongue on the horse. That’s why you can’t think too much of the fact that different riders’ horses got blue tongues – because according to the regulations, they didn’t do anything wrong.

It is this statement that the veterinary association reacts to.

It is explained that even if it is not stated explicitly in the International Equestrian Federation’s rules and in the Swedish Equestrian Federation’s competition regulations that it is forbidden to ride the horse so that it gets a blue tongue, it should be understood.

The association points out that regardless of what is stated in the rules for competitions, they are trumped by Swedish animal welfare legislation.

It is also pointed out that it is not in line with Swedish animal welfare legislation:

“…to ride a horse and use bit and hand in such a way that the horse gets reduced blood circulation in its tongue and thus causes it discomfort and pain.”

The Veterinary Association also believes that SVT’s commentators should not excuse behavior – which is not acceptable or permitted in terms of animal welfare.

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SVT answers: Not our intention

SVT-sport’s news director Johanna Bäckström Lerneby comments on the open letter as follows:

– Our commentators are primarily tasked with commenting on competitions and championships based on competition regulations. The commentators are also tasked with broadening and putting the sport and competition rules into context when commentating. For example. in the biathlon, it can be about explaining why flour valla is now not allowed and why you have different skis in skate and classic style, says Johanna Bäckström Lerneby and continues:

– As far as the commentary on the World Cup in equestrian sports is concerned, we try to do exactly that.

Johanna Bäckström Lerneby points out that SVT devoted a large part of the broadcast to talking about the welfare of horses.

– In the first long break in the competition, we brought up the big, important horse welfare issue, we talked about it for about a quarter of an hour. And we did it based on the photos that have been taken of dressage horses’ blue tongues during competition that many have reacted to. Our ambition was to explain what the rules look like, for example what a kandar is and how the rules differ in Sweden and abroad.

– Sweden has come a long way when it comes to horse welfare. This is, among other things, why in Sweden it is not a requirement to ride with canes in competition, but voluntary. We wanted to highlight all this from different perspectives, we did not intend to speak against the Animal Welfare Act or any other law.

Didn’t want to assign blame

The vets believe that the commentator blamed the horses when she explained that it is the horses themselves that cause the pressure on the tongue to be too hard. What is your comment on that?

– Our intention was not to blame the horses.

It is written that there is no reason for SVT’s commentators to excuse behavior that is neither acceptable nor permitted in terms of animal welfare. What is your comment on that?

– We do not agree that we excused such behavior.

What should you do to avoid this happening again when you refer to equestrian sports in the future?

– We do the same after this broadcast as after all our broadcasts. We evaluate, discuss. What was good? What was bad? What should we change for the next broadcast? It can be how we comment and what questions we ask when we interview. But it can also be how we are dressed in the studio to which images we show.

Do the commentators continue to be trusted to comment on dressage competitions?

– Yes. At SVT, we don’t fire people because there is criticism in connection with a broadcast.

Magnus Rosenquist, union director at the Swedish Veterinary Association, writes as follows in an email to Sportbladet about the purpose of the letter:

The purpose of the letter is to rebuke SVT and also inform those who listened to SVT that what the commentators expressed does not give a fair picture, and that there is both a code of conducts and legislation aimed at protecting the horses during training and competition.

The entire open letter from the Veterinary Association can be read here: