“Wish We Had More Time”: Equestrian Grieves the Passing of Her Beloved First Grand Prix Horse

Equestrian sport, without a doubt, is truly exhilarating. Moreover, it weaves a narrative of the synergy between stallion and man. The transcendental power of the love between humans and animals usually involve a lot on angst as well. A horse remembers his loved ones just like a human undergoes bereavement and is heartbroken when confronting loss. As a Turkish-based Swiss dressage loses one such dear one, her heart wails in agony.

Whether it was an end to her sadness or not, the Grand Prix rider loved the horse in her care. Despite trying every recourse in the last several months, the beloved equine had to eventually face a dreaded end.

The pangs of separation from her beloved horse eat at Ibrahimzadeh

Rotem Ibrahimzadeh fell in love with Dutch Warmblood Glorieus at first sight. But as folklore love stories go, the end of this relationship was also way too soon. Glories fell ill last September, and the prognosis was due to laminitis. “We tried to do everything in our power to atleast bring him to a place where he could retire and be happy in his field but it just wasn’t possible“, a heartbroken Ibrahimzadeh muses.

After consulting and conferring with several vets over the months, there was no decision left for her but to put the horse to sleep. However, it was a very calamitous moment for Ibrahimzadeh, rather a moment of helplessness. “I loved my horse to my core i know it wasn’t perfect always and we had many ups and downs but he taught me so many things. His family misses him, wish we had more time together“, she explains. After falling in love with Glorieus in May last year, it was indeed a very short stint together for the two.

The heartwarming tale of Rotem Ibrahimzadeh and Glorieus

Glorieus was first owned by Andrea Ursula Kaefer. Before he met Rotem Ibrahimzadeh, he had already appeared in 5-year-old tests with Miguel Jorda Forteza. But it was under Ibrahimzadeh’s tutelage where he would shine brightest. “It was in a way love at first sight but also he had quite a lot of talent“, she explains the sweet moment of their faceoff in May 2022.

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The duo made their CDI debut in November 2022, and in addition to several other achievements, they would go on to win four Amateur Grand Prix classes and ride in the senior tour as well. “It was the first horse that I had that knew the Grand Prix movements“, Ibrahimzadeh says, praising the 12-year-old T. Hassink bred. While it was a heartbreaking end to this magical tale, it would nonetheless go down as one of the most heartwarming moments in the equestrian community.

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