EN Today: RIP Grasshopper

Horse Nation extends its deepest condolences to Megan Moore, whose partner The Grasshopper passed away on the advanced cross-country at Pine Top Horse Trials in Georgia on Saturday afternoon.

From John:

I am very saddened to report that Megan Moore’s horse The Grasshopper aka “Hopper” has passed away on the advanced cross-country at Pine Top Horse Trials this afternoon in Thomson, GA.  It is believed that Hopper passed away from an aneurysm.  Megan was uninjured.

Based out of Lexington, Kentucky, Megan and her team at Team CEO Eventing are mainstays of the mid west and east coast eventing scene.  EN readers should be familiar with Megan from our regular links to Megan’s blog.  Hopper was purchased from a truck to slaughter in 2006 and was competing in his very first advanced at Pine Top.

Pine Top has released the following statement: This afternoon at Pine Top Advanced Horse Trials in Thomson, Georgia, Megan Moore’s horse “The Grasshopper”, a 12 year old Thoroughbred gelding, collapsed while jumping fence 17. Megan was not injured. A full necropsy will be performed due to a suspected aneurysm.  Pine Top Farm and the officials at the horse trials extend their heartfelt condolences to Megan and her father, Howard, the owners of this horse.

Team CEO’s website describes Hopper’s development after his purchase in 2006: [Hopper] immediately began eventing and, despite the fact that he was mostly grouchy and hateful, he and Megan loved each other. He moved up to Training in June 2006, and we couldn’t have been more thrilled. But then tragedy struck in a freak schooling accident, when he barely rubbed a cross country fence and a huge spike drove into his coronary band. It was heartbreaking, and explained that it would be career-ending. We spent the next 8 months recuperating him, doing every bit of experimental research and struggling to find hope. He returned to competition against all of the odds.

All of us at Eventing Nation extend our thoughts and prayers to Megan, Hopper, their entire family and team, and all of those at Pine Top.  Go Hopper.

[Pine Top Results]