Spring Along dies at Gatcombe Horse Trials

Monday, 28 March 2011 09:30

Daisy Berkeley's popular event horse Spring Along has sadly died of a suspected heart attack at Gatcombe Horse Trials.

The 18-year-old bay died instantly while jumping the two steps up to palisade, fence 23ab on the 25-fence open intermediate course. Daisy was not seriously injured.

Spring Along was having his first run of the season, having finished last season on a high by winning the British open championships at the Festival of British Eventing at Gatcombe. Daisy then announced she was pregnant with her first child, stopping competing soon afterwards.

The Irish-bred by Pallas Digion will be mourned not only by Daisy and her mother, his joint-owner Caroline Dick, but also by his many fans. Spring Along was one of the most popular event horses of the past decade, known for being a great character, his consistency in cross-country and his occasional naughtiness in the dressage.

As well as his 2010 British open win, he won the CIC*** at Barbury in 2009 and was third and best of the British at Badminton last year. He also represented Britain four times, helping the team to gold at the 2007 Pratoni European Championships, silver at the World Equestrian Games in Aachen in 2006 and bronze at the 2008 Olympics in Hong Kong.

Here at Animal Friends we are saddened to have lost this fantastic horse from the eventing world, and our condolences go to Daisy and Caroline at this difficult time.