‘No horse might have been luckier’: unhappy farewell to much-loved eventer aged 26

The homeowners of a horse who was discovered “ravenous” as a two-year-old however went two-star (now three-star) eventing with Ros Canter have paid tribute to the “excellent gentleman” after his loss of life aged 26.

Honest Expression competed in 11 seasons with riders together with Ros, his proprietor Sue Ringrose and Sue’s daughter Laura. He needed to be put down this month after a cheerful retirement at his house of over twenty years.

“We had him in our household for 22 years,” Sue instructed H&H. “He’s had a beautiful time.”

Sue, a coach and former skilled eventer, purchased “Percy” from Eire to provide and compete herself.

“I purchased him from a dairy farmer in Limerick, Michael Enright,” she stated. “He stated ‘This one may be a bit chunky for you’, however they put him in a area with the dairy cows and he went from the underside to the highest of the hill on this wonderful highly effective medium trot, and I stated ‘I’ve to have him’. He was beautiful.

“He was very large and uncooked, with a leg at every nook, however he beloved his job and was all the time so cautious.”

Sue evented Percy as much as intermediate stage, then Ros took the reins in 2006, competing him as much as the outdated two-star stage. Then Laura took the reins after success in pony trials.

“Laura received on him when she was too large for her pony, and carried on doing Pony Membership with him,” Sue stated. “She was on the profitable showjumping and eventing groups, and was twice on the junior regional novice profitable workforce, and got here fourth individually. Our horses are all particular however he was very well-known in horsey circles and he shall be missed by many.”

After Laura’s aggressive profession with Percy got here to an finish, he stayed with the household however was ridden and competed by others.

“We had a woman on an apprenticeship earlier than she went to vet college, and he taught her to experience,” Sue stated. “I keep in mind telling her her leg place had actually improved and she or he stated that if she put her leg again in any respect, he’d canter, so she realized to maintain it nonetheless. On her remaining evaluation, he was cantering spherical and each time he received to the quarter marker, he’d do medium canter, then again to collected for the nook. The assessor stated ‘You’ve actually come on, that’s wonderful’, and she or he simply smiled as she knew she wasn’t doing something, he was doing all of it.”

Sue added that Percy was all the time an “absolute gentleman” to take care of and experience, and though he had his quirks – in 22 years, he would by no means use a drinker however needed to have his water in buckets – “you could possibly do something with him”.

In these 22 years, Percy by no means wanted a vet, other than vaccinations, till just lately, when he was identified with PPID (Cushing’s) and stress-related laminitis, and the decision needed to be made.

“He was an amazing character,” Sue stated. “Laura worshipped him; she received married at our native nation home resort in 2019 and he was there on the garden. The ladies had turned him out as if for a two-star occasion, and all of us had our image taken with him. He could possibly be spooky, however he was sensible, I feel he knew it was a big day.

“He had a poor starting to life; Michael purchased him at two as he discovered him actually ravenous; he took him house and his spouse stated ‘You’re alleged to promote them, not rescue them!’ However that turned his life spherical as he had a beautiful house with them, after which with us. No horse might have been luckier.”

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H&H information editor

Eleanor is an skilled journalist who spent over eight years working for native and nationwide newspapers earlier than becoming a member of H&H as information editor in March 2016. Keen about equine welfare and exposing the reality, Eleanor has reported on all points of the trade, from Brexit to anti-bullying campaigns, and from dressage guidelines to mules. Her sport of selection is showjumping, wherein she competes her personal horses, and she or he additionally enjoys reporting at native leaping reveals via to worldwide championships.