Larry Windrow
Animal cruelty
RTL discovered the forbidden “parallel bars” training method used by Extra Lodger Beerbham.
Ludger Beerbham, 58, is pictured here as one of the most successful German cavalrymen of all time.
© Rolf Vennenbernd // Pixar Alliance
According to RTL’s research, riding star Ludger Beerbham used prohibited training methods. In so-called “parallel bars”, horses are struck by a pole against the front legs to encourage them to jump upwards.
This article first appeared on RTL.de.
New equestrian scandal. After nearly two years of research, the RTL extra team and investigative journalist Günter Wallraff have succeeded in exposing the use of unauthorized training methods in equestrian sports and violations of the Animal Welfare Act. The focus of the revelations was on German riding star Ludger Beerbham.
Exclusive video recordings show successes against horses
Four-time Olympic gold, two world championship titles and several awards – Ledger Beerbham is one of the most successful show jumpers in the world. Through his company “Ludger Beerbaum Stables” in Riesenbeck, he created an equestrian empire. However, animal welfare violations on the site are obvious.
RTL Extra features exclusive video recordings from Beerbaum’s inner and closest confidants. In it you can see: Ludger sees Birbham jumping over an obstacle with his horse while an employee strikes the front legs of the animal with a barbed wire. This system, called “bars”, is a violation of animal welfare law and is prohibited in this form by the laws of the German Equestrian Association (FN).
Through the foot, the horse must learn to lift the front legs and avoid touching the barbed wire in a painful way. However, according to the FN, the so-called “touch” is the weakest form of the bar, in which the horse should only be asked to jump high by holding or touching another pole. Such a strike is not allowed under any circumstances.
Secret Reporter: “The animal could not bear the pain”
Maximilian Big, animal welfare appraiser and specialist veterinarian, concludes that in this case the horses were clearly restrained and not touched. Also worth noting is FN’s rules, which distinguish between prohibited “bars” only in the sense of active slamming and “touching”.
What is the value of the horses on the farm of Ludger Beerbham? Is animal suffering accepted for success and money? Additional reporter China Meyer goes in search of clues and slips into the role of trainer in the marketing of horse mogul for his research secret. As an employee, the reporter wants to see for himself these restricted training methods. In addition to the polygonal tree poles, according to the local, she found other poles that were blocked with suspicious points that could not be assigned to the restricted training system.
“The pain caused to the animal by the parallel wires is unbearable. Show jumpers sometimes make millions with these horses. Even 30 years after the Bar scandal in the 90s, it was not possible to beat the animals out of it. Sport”, says RTL-Extra correspondent: ” Is increasing and I hope the animals will be better protected in the future. “
The RTL asked for additional panel feedback on all the allegations regarding the show jumper Ludger Beerbham, but received no response.
Laurence Malcom
