‘The world was their oyster’: sad farewell to promising four-star event horse

Elite event riders Tom McEwen and Daisy Berkeley have paid tribute to Strike Smartly, a horse who “always had a smile on his face” who has had to be put down aged 12.

The grey Irish sport horse gelding died last weekend (6 January) as a result of complications caused by colic.

Tom, who rode “Paddy” to victory at Chatsworth CIC3* and Cappoquin CCI3* in 2017, as well as completing the horse’s first Badminton on 2018, described him as “one in a million, who would give his heart to everything he did, asking for nothing in return except his food”.

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Article written by: Eleanor Jones