Equestrian-Scandal-shaken riders 'put the horses first' in Versailles show

VERSAILLES, France : The world's finest riders delivered classicist chic and epic medal battles at the Paris Games, while repeating their "put the horses first" mantra as equestrian grappled with fallout from a scandal that revived fears about the sport's Olympic future.

Riding fans were shocked when six-times Olympic medallist Charlotte Dujardin was barred from the competition a few days before the Games over a video that showed her hitting a horse, renewing a debate over the sport's ethics.

Governing body the FEI pledged it would be uncompromising in enforcing animal welfare during the eventing, showjumping and dressage competitions in the Palace of Versailles grounds.

FEI officials sanctioned a Brazilian rider for a controversial neck hyperflexion and disqualified some horses who had minor bleeding during events.

It also said it found evidence of horses with blue tongues caused by oxygen shortage during dressage competition, but did not take any disciplinary steps on the matter.

While all of the riders and officials Reuters interviewed during the competition were united in their condemnation of the violence seen in the Dujardin video, some expressed the respect they had for the British rider as an outstanding athlete.

Britain's dressage veteran Carl Hester, who discovered Dujardin's talent and worked with her for over a decade, said "this is not her that I know of.

"It's going to be a long road for her and a lesson for everybody, really, in the horse world. We've got to put the horses first," said Hester.

Isabell Werth, who became Germany's most decorated Olympian, called for a culture change on every level of the sport to always call out abuse and protect the horses while expressing doubts about attacking Dujardin