In July, the traditional Falsterbo International Horseshow took place as usual. These photos are of Tørveslettens Stamina who has replaced Akeem Foldager as Andreas Helgstrand's premier Grand Prix horse. The pair took part in the FEI Longines Nations Cup dressage and the Danish team came 4th. These photos (scroll down for link to all photos) were taken over two days in Falsterbo and sent to us by photographer Crispin Johannessen.

"Why do you always publish this type of pictures of Andreas Helgstrand?" That's a question we get sometimes and only one answer is needed: "Because you are still asking that question". As long as there are people who can look at photos like these and only pity the person holding the reins, we have a job to do. Remnants of taboo to shatter. But for those who really want to know what makes Andreas Helgstrand hit the headlines again and again, here's a brief history lesson from the only people who can tell you the truth about Epona.tv.

The Danish Equestrian Federation has finished its investigation of the controversial photos of Tørveslettens Stamina and Andreas Helgstrand at Falsterbo this year. According to a press release issued today, the Danish FN sees no evidence in the photos that a steward ought to have intervened on welfare grounds. However, to protect the image of the sport and himself, Andreas Helgstrand has been asked to make sure all his warm up sessions are video filmed from now on and the footage made available to the federation's officials.

What the eye can't see; equestrian photo controversy through the ages Why do fans of horse sport find it so difficult to believe their eyes when they see photographs of ugly riding? The usual explanation is that you can't make up your mind based on "a single moment in time". But fine art photographer and lifelong horseman, Crispin Parelius Johannesen, offers a different perspective: Perhaps equestrian fans believe too much in moments in time. Perhaps the strict policing of the moments in time published in the popular, equestrian press has given people the wrong idea about what riding really looks like. In this feature, Crispin Johannessen takes us through a short history of equestrian photography and moment-in-time controversy. From Edweard Muybridge to the present horse welfare debate. Copyright Epona.tv - all rights reserved.

Sometimes your horse needs "more motivation than what is beautiful" "Sometimes your horse needs more motivation than what is beautiful" - the quote is from an article in Sweden's premier equestrian newspaper from 2016. In the aftermath of ugly warm up photos from Falsterbo Horse Show causing a scandal on social media, the publication sought to calm its readers by reminding them that riding isn't always beautiful. To photographer Crispin Parelius Johannessen, this quote sums up the problem faced by equestrian sport. Riding is not always beautiful. In fact, it is usually ugly. And nowadays, every spectator carries in their pocket the power to expose it. Copyright Epona Media A/S - all rights reserved All photos and video courtesy of Crispin Parelius Johannessen.

FEI stewards are on an impossible mission. They have to be of service to the riders but they also have the job of protecting the horses against abuse from those same riders. As scientific evidence has emerged that competition horses are suffering from excessively tight nosebands, a new and thankless job has been added to the list for the stewards. They now have to be seen to perform noseband checks on nosebands which we all know are too tight to pass. And the stewards have to do this without embarrassing the riders or - Heaven forbid - give out any yellow cards for abuse. In 2016, photographer Crispin Parelius Johannessen decided to document the elaborate theater that is the mandatory noseband check. Here is what he found. Photos and video from Falsterbo Horseshow 2016 courtesy of Crispin Parelius Johannessen Copyright Epona.tv - all rights reserved

At Epona.tv, we don't just know that we're not welcome at horse shows. We also know why. We know because years ago, show organisers, stewards and riders used to be honest enough to admit that they didn't want us to show the ugly images from the warm up. Eventually, they learned not to say that. It doesn't sound like a very good reason to prevent journalists from doing their jobs, and major media outlets were becoming interested by all the secrecy. So the sport invented a new reason: Broadcasting rights. The IOC tried it in 2012. The FEI European Dressage Championships tried it in 2013. In 2017, Falsterbo Horse Show decided to introduce a hasty photo ban when it became clear that Epona.tv was documenting what was happening in the warm up arena. Here's the story of how we managed to get thrown out by the police for simply showing the world what equestrian sport really looks like. All still images used in this video are courtesy of Crispin Parelius Johannessen. This feature was originally published on www.epona.tv in 2017 Copyright Epona Media A/S - all rights reserved

‘Catalogues what happens to sport horses in plain sight … should be compulsory reading for all of us who care about horses.'— Professor Paul McGreevy BVSc, PhD, FRCVS, Professor of Animal Welfare and Behavioural Science, University of Sydney

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Passionate, yet rigorous and meticulously researched, this eye-opening book holds equestrian sport up to Olympic standards and finds it sadly wanting.

Doping agents that used to cost Olympic medals, rebranded as benign ‘medication’. Shell federations with no riders or horses, propped up to make the sport seem ‘global’. Judging that favours spectacle over the welfare of the horse. From the failure to prevent rollkur, to the easing of the ‘blood rule’ to appease riders, to horses competing with the nerves in their legs cut to numb the pain of injuries: this is a tale of entitlement, privilege, and spineless regulation, always at the expense of the horse.

This compelling book challenges the reader to confront the reality of high-level equestrian competition today and say, along with so many others, ‘I can’t watch anymore’.

cover photo @Crispin Parelius Johannessen

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