Hearts Destiny Im Alter Von 11 Jahren Hingelegt: Britisches Springreiten Verliert Tokyo-Pferd

Holly Smith hat ihrer Top-Fahrt Hearts Destiny Tribut gezollt, die im Alter von 11 Jahren eingeschläfert wurde.

"Ted", der Großbritannien bei den Weltreiterspielen 2018 vertrat, bei der EM im vergangenen Jahr im britischen Team mit der Bronzemedaille saß und für die Olympischen Spiele in Tokio ausgewählt werden sollte, wurde gestern (13. August) abgesetzt.

Holly erzählte H&H, dass Ted den letzten Monat in der Pferdeklinik in Newmarket verbracht hatte, nachdem PPID (früher Morbus Cushing) diagnostiziert worden war. Er bekam Hufrehe, und es gab nichts, was man tun konnte, um ihn zu retten.

Holly sagte, sie habe die ersten Anzeichen bemerkt, dass bei den Europäern im letzten Sommer etwas nicht stimmte, wo die Kombination den 10. Einzelplatz belegte.

“he hadn’t had the best coat for a while, then he got these funny swellings above his eyes,” she said. “i asked the vet out there but he didn’t really know. then, when i was in vilamoura, one of the girls at home said they’d filled up again so i googled it - and what i found made sense.

“we’d been managing it, but they develop tumours on the pituitary gland; his was a big, aggressive one and there was nothing they could do to save him.”

holly took the reins on ted in 2017, when he came into her life almost by accident. holly had sold her top horse dougie douglas, and had some “good national horses” but broke her leg in a hunting fall and lost rides as a result.

holly’s husband graham’s twin brother paul, who hunted with ted’s breeder steph callwood, saw the horse in an inter-hunt relay at a county show. steph asked if holly had a lot of rides at the time, and after paul said no, steph dropped ted off.

“within 18 months, he was selected to go to a championship,” holly said. “he just rocketed up.

“he gave me the confidence to know i could recover, and come back even better.

“he was the most lovely, reliable, sound horse i’ve ever come across.”

holly said ted had his moments, such as a spook and leap when the band started playing after the aga khan cup at the dublin horse show, but in general, he was “a very quiet, easy character, who seemed to understand showjumping, and did everything i ever asked of him”.

“his last show was in spain, before lockdown, and he won the three-star grand prix,” holly said.

“he was something sent from somewhere, i don’t know where; heaven.

“if only love and hope could have saved you. thank you for everything ted.”