The video footage that led to three-time Olympic gold medallist Charlotte Dujardin pulling out of the Paris Games shows her whipping a horse's legs multiple times in a private coaching session. 

The video, which was published by multiple media outlets, is part of an official complaint filed against Dujardin with the International Federation for Equestrian Sports (FEI).

In a statement released on Tuesday, local time, the FEI announced the provisional suspension of the British rider effective immediately over inappropriate training methods and engaging in conduct "contrary to the principles of horse welfare". 

The incident will also reportedly cost Dujardin a damehood, according to The Guardian. 

Footage shows Dujardin repeatedly striking the horse — reportedly more than two dozen times in a minute — and walking closer and continuing to whip as the horse moves away.

Dujardin was set to compete in the Paris Games but withdrew after word of the video emerged.

She said in a statement that the video from four years ago "shows me making an error of judgement during a coaching session". 

"What happened was completely out of character and does not reflect how I train my horses or coach my pupils; however, there is no excuse," Dujardin said on Instagram.

"I am deeply ashamed and should have set a better example in that moment.

"I am sincerely sorry for my actions and devastated that I have let everyone down, including Team GB, fans and sponsors."

'Unacceptable' and 'disturbed': footage sparks outrage

"What is shown in this video is first of all completely unacceptable at any point, any time in a horse's training," FEI veterinarian director Goran Akerstrom told Reuters. 

Mr Akerstrom described the whiplashes as "stupid" for the horse's learning process.

"You can certainly see that some of the whiplashes did hit the horse and the horse was stressed with it." 

UK Sport, the government agency responsible for investing in Olympic and Paralympic sport in Britain, said Dujardin's eligibility to receive public funding and access to publicly funded benefits had been suspended, pending the outcome of the FEI's probe.

"We are disturbed by the serious concerns that have been raised in the past 24 hours regarding horse welfare and Charlotte Dujardin," it said in a statement.

Animal rights group PETA called for International Olympic Committee to remove equestrian events from the Olympic Games.

"Yet again, an Olympic rider has been caught on video abusing a horse to force the animal to behave in an entirely unnatural way, simply for her own glory", a statement from PETA senior vice president Kathy Guillermo said.

The 39-year-old Dujardin won gold at the 2012 London Olympics in team and individual dressage and won another individual gold at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games.

She took bronze in team and individual events at the Tokyo Games in 2021 and a silver in the team event in Rio.

Her six medals are tied for the most by a female British Olympian.

ABC/Reuters