Australian Olympian Heath Ryan has been suspended by Equestrian Australia after a video emerged that appeared to show him repeatedly whipping a horse.

Ryan, 66, represented Australia in dressage at the Beijing Olympic Games in 2008.

The video – said by Ryan to be about two years old – shows a man striking a horse around 40 times. Ryan issued a statement to say he was acting in “the horse’s best interest”.

Ryan said the horse, named Nico, came to him after an accident which resulted in a female rider needing hospital treatment.

The Australian said that Nico “had always been a problem child and would just not stop” and after the video he was able to rehome the horse.

Ryan said, external: “I am so sad this was caught on video. If I had been thinking of myself I would have immediately just gotten off and sent Nico to the knackery.

“That video was a life or death moment for Nico and I genuinely had to try my very hardest to see if Nico would consider other options.

“All of this transpired sincerely with the horse’s best interests the sole consideration. Unbelievably it was so successful for everyone except me with the release of this video.”

Britain’s three-time Olympic champion Charlotte Dujardin missed the Paris Games last year after a video emerged of her repeatedly striking a horse around its legs with a long whip. She was subsequently banned for a year by the FEI, equestrian sport’s world governing body.

After the Ryan video drew attention, Equestrian Australia said it had received a formal complaint about one of its members and had imposed a provisional suspension from all competitions and events.

The national body said:, external “Equestrian Australia is extremely alarmed and concerned by the treatment of the horse shown in this footage.

“Our policies include high standards to protect all participants and their horses against any adverse physical, social, and emotional conditions.”