SIR - All eyes will soon be on the 2024 Paris Olympics. Whilst there will be displays of impressive human athleticism and sporting prowess and tales of athletes overcoming adversity, a darker undercurrent lurks - the use of horses.

Equestrian sports are inherently cruel and have no place in a progressive society. There are countless tales of abuse in the world of equestrian sports; horses being whipped, kicked, neglected, left with bleeding wounds after aggressive use of painful artificial aids (equipment used to maximise a horse’s ‘performance), subjected to cruel (and outlawed) training regimes, pushed to their physical and mental limits and punished for not scoring highly enough.

In 2024, it is simply unacceptable and unnecessary for animals to be used in sport. Humans at their best are compassionate, respectful, and willing to change for the better. These qualities are gold-medal worthy whilst the subjugation of an innocent animal is not.

Nina Copleston-Hawkens, Animal Aid Campaigner Tonbridge