Danish double bridle and curb ban could be coming

An ethics council recommended bans, which the European Parliament has since discussed

- OSCAR WILLIAMS

A BAN on double bridles, curbs and riding behind the vertical could be coming in Denmark and has been debated in the European Parliament.

The Danish Council on Animal Ethics, which advises the government, published recommendations regarding new "legislative initiatives" for horse sport in Denmark.

This 5 December report followed a 2023 warning that if its recommendations were not implemented, the council would advocate legislation.

"The council has continued to see worrying examples of sport horses showing signs of discomfort, pain and conflict behaviour," the report states.

"We are aware the equestrian sports organisations have initiated the proposed evaluation work. However, the drafts the council have received are not sufficient in view of the signs that the welfare of horses is still under pressure."

The council said it did not initially propose bans on any specific equipment, stating that even though some can be used without causing discomfort to the horse, it might be so hard to use properly, its use should cease or be restricted to riders of a certain skill level.