Zara Tindall’s beloved horse, Toytown, has died at the age of 24 it has been announced.
Toytown, who was owned and ridden by Mrs Tindall, was a 17 hands tall chestnut gelding who won many prestigious equestrian awards during his long career.
Paying tribute to Toytown, Mike Tindall said: “Sad to say goodbye to the big man today, been a massive part of our lives giving us so many highs! RIP Toytown.”
Born in 1992, the horse was first spotted at the age of seven by Zara’s father, Mark Phillips. A few months later after watching him jump, she bought the horse marking the start of a relationship lasting for almost two decades.
In that time, the duo won individual gold and team silver at the 2006 World Equestrian Games in Germany.
He also achieved many other medals and awards in the world of showjumping until his retirement in 2011.
Most recently, Toytown came out of retirement briefly for the 2012 Olympic Games where he carried the Olympic torch with Zara on board for the relay across the country.
Zara officially retired the horse, who was affectionately known as ‘Noddy’ or ‘Ginger’, during the final day of the 2011 Festival of British Eventing at Gatcombe Park.
At the time of his retirement, Zara said: “I think it will be quite difficult. It’s the end of an era. He was the horse of a lifetime for me. We grew up together, we went through the levels together, and it all just seemed to go our way.
“His movement, his character, it all combined to make the complete horse. And cross-country, he was just a machine.
He lived a happy retirement on the grounds of the Gatcombe Estate where the Tindall family reside, alongside with The Princess Royal.
Nicely written until that last sentence –
‘He lived a happy retirement on the grounds of the Gatcombe Estate where the Tindall family reside, alongside with The Princess Royal.’
Sorry, but on first read I had visions of the Princess Royal being put out to pasture alongside the horse! Knowing that was probably not the case, I realized that the Princess lives next door to the Tindalls.