Oratorio

[Crazy_cat_lady]

WFP is one of the few horsey people I follow on FB, but it looks like Oratorio has died - based on the comments it seems it happened at an event

 

[nikicb]

Top five-star horse dies of a heart attack on first run of the season

William Fox-Pitt’s five-star horse Oratorio died of a heart attack on the cross-country course at Lincolnshire Horse Trials yesterday

www.horseandhound.co.uk

 

[humblepie]

Yes just seen it on the H and H news page. Crossed post.

 

[Nicnac]

Can't believe it. Saw William and Rio last Tuesday evening jumping at a demo. Such a wonderful partnership. RIP big man - he went doing what he loved just before the last fence. Good that BE put he retired rather than E on his record.

 

[Barton Bounty]

Very sad to hear

 

[BallyJ]

I was there fence judging. Was heartbreaking to witness, but the whole team handled it so well and WFP was so professional throughout. A very sad day

 

[Upthecreek]

Very sad. A 14 year old at my yard died in the field from a heart attack recently. No signs whatsoever of any problem beforehand.

 

[Red-1]

I bought one, vetted 5 stage the day before, dropped dead half and hour after arrival.

My vet told me it is more common than you may think.

I am glad that WFP is OK, could have been more nasty if he'd been taking off at the actual last fence. A friend's horse did the same back in the 80s out hunting. We were lined up for a 5 bar gate, me behind him... the horse in front of him refused so he had to pull his horse up and me mine. It seemed the exertion of pulling up tipped the heart attack. We were all grateful for the refuser as it was not pretty and my friend would doubtless have been badly injured had the mare taken off.

Once mine died, so many people told me that they knew horses who'd had heart attacks. Most of them straight out of the blue. As I said, my vet says it is out of the blue in many horses. I had a PM on mine, he looked perfect, the vet said it was a sudden electrical disturbance rather than rupture.

One thing for sure, Oratorio went at the top of his condition, doing the thing he loved. RIP.

 

[Supertrooper]

My first horse died of a heart attack while hacking down the road, luckily I realised something was happening and jumped off. It was terribly distressing for me and everyone there but don’t think he knew much about it

Feel for WFP and all the connections

 

[scats]

Such sad news. I’ve known several horses drop dead from something similar. A friends gelding was one- he went out one day and suddenly was flying around the field on his own, all the other horses looking quite confused, then he ran to the gate and dropped dead. Obviously something was going on inside him during those last few minutes.
Another dropped while out competing, rider was injured but recovered.
It’s dreadfully shocking when it happens.

 

[conniegirl]

I had one have a heart attack/malfunction.
He was 7, came out of his stable like a dragon that evening and i thought i’ll lunge you before i get on. He dropped whilst bucking and farting on the lunge.

 

[Honey08]

My stepson had a horse die on him half way through a polo match. He got stuck underneath it, it was pretty upsetting. He said the mare had been incredibly feisty and was pulling his arms out to go faster right up until she died. The vet thought she was gone before she hit the ground.

Very sad news and loss of a lovely horse. I’m glad William is not hurt.

 

[hairycob]

I was at a hunter trial years ago. Collecting ring steward was a friend and we were admiring a particularly lovely horse at the start. For the 1st 2/3 of the course the comments over the radio were flying and lovely clear then all of a sudden a tearful fence judge called for the vet, then the hunt to collect. It had just stopped between fences and gone down

 

[Orangehorse]

Very sad for everyone.

But like everyone else we have heard of it happening to horses of all ages, although it does tend to be the older ones.

 

[Snowfilly]

Very sad, probably the best way for a horse to go but what an awful shock for everyone involved.

 

[Michen]

I will never forget arriving back at the yard and a friends horse had reared, flipped over backwards and cracked her head on the concrete just before she mounted. I guess a heart attack made the mare rear. There was so much blood from her head though it was horrendous.

 

[ycbm]

I was on a horse just about to turn 6 years old, pulled up from a lovely gallop and the extra pressure caused by stopping when the heart was still racing caused his aorta to split and he went down poleaxed with me still on his back. I've seen 2 other heart attacks and they were much less instant, but it is pretty common, sadly.
.

 

[eggs]

I remember Lucinda Green's Wide Awake dropping dead just before her lap of honour after winning Badminton.

 

[MuddyMonster]

Gosh, how sad for everyone involved