On April 13, 2021, videos were filmed in the Warendorf State Stud that show how two young stallions are ridden “not horse-friendly” under the guidance of Landstallmeister Kristina Ankerhold. This is what the German Equestrian Association (FN) calls it. The Landstallmeister’s first reaction: Under threat of punishment, photography and filming are prohibited in the Warendorf State Stud. The scenes took place in the riding hall of the German Riding School, the training place for budding horse landlords and horse management masters.
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Kristina Ankerhold, State Stable Master at the Warendorf State Stud, instructed an employee in training two young stallions on April 13, 2021. So far so good. Only that the two stallions, one four years old, the other five years old, are ridden “not horse-friendly”. Video recordings prove this. Thies Kaspareit, head of the training department of the German Equestrian Association (FN), gave the opinion that the state stallions were not handled in a horse-friendly manner.
Crime scene: German riding school in the Warendorf state stud
In addition to the Landstallmeisterin Ankerhold and the employee who rides the two stallions with their necks clearly too narrow and one of them with draw reins in this posture, other people are also present in the hall of the German Riding School. Horse landlords who are preparing for their upcoming master craftsman examination. The German Riding School is part of the North Rhine-Westphalia State Stud Warendorf. Here, people are trained in courses that will later be allowed to train apprentices themselves. For the participants in this course to prepare for the horse management exam, a theoretical unit is available in the riding hall of the German Riding School. The young woman who is supposed to bring the future horse management masters closer to guideline-compliant riding and teaching is an employee of the FN training department. Just like the participants, she will be an eye-witness of how young stallions acquired with tax money are handled in the traditional stud farm, which is almost 200 years old. The young people speak to the FN employee about how to assess what they have seen.
Videos to document incident
In the group, Thies Kaspareit reported in an interview with St. GEORG, unrest had arisen. Several of the future horse management masters reached for their smartphones and filmed how Ankerhold instructed her employee from below. Kaspareit knows this because he has two of these videos. Those who filmed there “didn’t know what else to do with the situation,” said Kaspareit. One should not forget that it is not that easy if the head of the institution where you are a guest acts in this way. Kaspareit’s employee turns to her supervisor, shows the videos and describes the situation.
Two days later, on April 15th, Thies Kaspareit calls Landstallmeister Kristina Ankerhold, reports the FN training manager. He argues with the guideline that defines the riding on the warm-up area. He says that he made it clear to Ankerhold that it was “riding that is not horse-friendly”. The way the supervisory judge at the warm-up area should seek a conversation in such a case, he too acted, says Kaspareit. Ankerhold had listened to the arguments and also admitted that the horses were “certainly too tight” in their necks. But that was due to the circumstances – tightness in the hall, young stallions. Kaspareit remembers that the country stable master had explained to him: “It couldn’t be any other way!”
Kaspareit’s objection that, in addition to the intolerable handling of the two young stallions, the situation should also be considered, did not dissuade the state stable manager from her position. Kaspareit insists on making an appointment with these two horses on site. The conversation was followed by a letter on May 7th, in which the eventing team Olympic champion became clear.
It is unacceptable to ride horses like this!
The training that can be seen on the video is not “relevant to animal welfare”, but a meeting is essential. To this day there has been no suggested date, said Kaspareit in an interview with St.GEORG. He also “wrote down” the conversation in a letter on May 7, 2021.
Filming and photography are prohibited in the Warendorf State Stud under threat of punishment
There is already an initial reaction. Filming and photography are now prohibited on the grounds of the Warendorf State Stud. “Violation will be reported,” it says on the laminated signs. In other respects, too, the trained lawyer Ankerhold is quickly on the spot with her guild. Kaspareit can confirm that lawyers are now also active in the matter.
Photography ban at the Warendorf State Stud (© Facebook)
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What he cannot confirm are representations that are presented as true facts on the Internet. In this context, he was also assumed to have wanted to cover up the matter and asked to delete the videos. “I expressly oppose this!” However, even Kaspareit cannot rule out that other videos of incidents that have nothing to do with April 13th are circulating.
Country stable master Ankerhold has informed Kaspareit that in future Hans Heinrich Meyer zu Strohen will be entrusted with the training of dressage stallions of the state stud Warendorf. You should make the local appointment with the national coach. The wrong approach for Kaspareit. He wants to show the rider and her employer and the horses on site how it is right. “We have looked for the way to stop such incidents and now we expect that (the appointment) to happen.”
Hannes Müller, the director of the German Riding School, did not witness the events in the riding arena on April 13th. According to Warendorfer insiders, the relationship between the state stable master and the riding school has long been considered disturbed. Kaspareit is still interested in a good cooperation with the German Riding School and thus inevitably also the NRW State Stud. “But for this we have to pull together professionally and cannot go through the country with two different ideas about riding training in the long term.”
Westphalian state commission on case in the picture
In a press release, the FN also commented on the Ankerhold cause. It also goes into the fact that it is said that Kaspareit had been positive about the deletion of the video recordings: “In order not to burden the continuation of the talks, Thies Kaspareit initially showed himself to be accessible to the request for the FN to delete the film material available. After further consultation, the association decided to keep this material for the time being. ”And the FN has gone one step further. She has informed the responsible state commission about the videos, so the ball is now in the field of this association: It has to decide whether to proceed against the rider.
St. GEORG also asked the Head of Media & Communication – Ministry for the Environment, Agriculture, Nature and Consumer Protection North Rhine-Westphalia. The press spokesman kept a low profile, but confirmed that the case is known to the ministry: “We are currently examining the process you have described. We would be happy to come back to you again. ”The Warendorf State Stud had also promised to comment on our request. This had not happened until 11:50 p.m. on Wednesday, May 12th.
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