Miners Frolic, the Olympic-medal winning partner of Tina Cook, has been retired.
Mixed emotions
The 16-year-old gelding’s heart went into ‘fibrillation’ – which causes an irregular heartbeat – while hacking out from Tina’s yard in East Sussex last week.
When ‘Henry’s’ condition didn’t improve, he was sent to Rossdales Equine Hospital in Newmarket for further investigation. His heart was still in fibrillation yesterday (3 February) and the decision was made to retire him by Tina and his owners, Valda and Nicholas Embiricos and Sarah Pelham.
“I obviously have mixed emotions and it’s very sad that we’ve been forced into this situation,” said Tina. “He’s still very well in himself, but we felt that at 16, the treatment that he would have to undergo to correct the heart would be too intrusive and he owes us nothing other than to have a happy retirement.
End of an era
“It does feel like the end of an era; I started eventing him when he was five, and we’ve been competing together for 11 years now – everything he has done for both my owners and myself – he’s just been a superstar.”
It is expected Henry will retire with one of his owners. The condition will not affect his quality of life and he will still be able to enjoy hacking.
Hall of fame
Henry’s last competitive run was at the 2013 FEI European Championships. Prior to that he won individual and team bronze at the Beijing Olympics, individual and team gold at the FEI European Championships in 2009, team gold at the World Equestrian Games in 2010, and team silver at London 2012.
“Miners Frolic was as close to the ideal type of event horse that you would wish for,” said World Class Eventing performance manager Yogi Breisner. “Very few horses make it to Olympic Games yet he made it to two, winning medals for Britain at both. His Olympic achievements combined with his European individual gold puts him among the hall of fame of top event horses ever.
“He has been fantastic for the British team in contributing to several big successes in his career. He was a wonderful individual and a lovely horse to be around.”