Daisy Berkeley's Spring Along dies at Gatcombe Horse Trials

27 March 2011

Daisy Berkeley's event horse Spring Along has died of a suspected heart attack at the Gatcombe Horse Trials. The 18-year-old Irish Draught Sport Horse died suddenly while jumping fence 23a (The Supercharged Steps Up), the Gazette Series reports.

Spring Along was on his first run of the season, after finishing last season with a win at the British Open Championship at the Festival of British Eventing at Gatcombe.

Spring Along, bred by Pallas Digion, will be mourned deeply by Daisy, her mother, his joint-owner Caroline Dick, as well as masses of fans. Spring along "was one of the most popular event horses of the past decade, known for being a great character, his consistency cross-country and his occasional naughtiness in the dressage," Horse & Hound says.

Arriving with Daisy as a five-year-old, Spring Along represented Britain four times, achieving a gold medal at the 2007 European Championships, silver at the 2006 World Equestrian Games, and bronze at the 2008 Hong Kong Olympics.