Upsetting news that Zara Phillips’ horse Tsunami II was put to sleep after being injured in a horrendous fall at the Pau ***** FEI Classic in France. I feel sad for everyone who knew and cared for this horse, I’m sure the grooms will be devastated more than most other folk but co-owner Melanie Duff will be badly hit too.
I just wish the writers of the Daily Mail would get their facts right, ‘7ft fence’ indeed. Stupid cnuts.
B.
I get really upset when this happens. Poor wee mite. Or, poor 15-odd hand, 700-odd kg mite. And the moron journo at the Daily Mail didn’t even give the poor girl a mention!
Lis, I don’t think there’s a human being who wouldn’t get upset at this.
I’m less bothered about Zara though (speaking as someone who’s had his fair share of falls and breaks (one and no more, thanks!).
From what I can gather the fence was brush that measured 3’5″ with a 3’3″ spread – a very jumpable obstacle on just about any horse let alone one competing at *****-level, but it was narrow. It sounds as though they stumbled on landing and the horse went down on his nose. Poor chap.
I too have had a break only mine happened because I stayed on the horse, had I had hte good sense to fall off the side I probably wouldn’t have spent 6 weeks in a full length leg cast and a further 12 in a cricket splint. Poor Tsunami and poor Zara, she must be gutted.
I suspect that the reason the Mail got it wrong is that the only thing the combined staff list knows about a horse is the arse end has the tail attached. Anything more than that and they’re pretty much stumped.
Bloody hell, that was a fall! Sorry to hear about it. I take it this happened some time ago and you’re riding again now?
When I got dumped the psychopathic equine made it a point to trample over me several times just to make sure he was doing a good job. It was a very good job; I was off work for nine months and over the course of a year had five operations to repair various bits of my left leg. One has to admire thoroughness in a Thoroughbred. 🙂
It was a couple of years back now and as soon I was given the all clear I was back on a horse again but I’m still a bit nervous about jumping.
Yours sounds like a corker as well. 5 operations? Nice. The horse sounds like a charmer, there’s nothing like kicking a bloke while he’s down, especially if you’ve got 4 heavily shod feet to do it with.