THERE has been a lot of controversy following the difficult scenes on view in the equestrian leg of the Olympic modern pentathlon event. While many are now saying that removing the equestrian component altogether is the solution, it is important not throw the baby out with the bathwater and to understand the sport from its origins to derive the ethos. The sport has its foundation in the military, emulating the tests that a soldier would come across in battle. The sport first came on the Olympic scene at the Stockholm Olympics in 1912 and has been an exciting staple ever after.

In modern culture, with social media and keyboard warriors becoming ever more powerful, care must be taken to discern the truth and logic from the sensationalised headlines.