Princess Anne’s daughter, Zara Tindall, has lost a dear companion – her horse Toytown.
The royal’s husband Mike Tindall announced the sad news on Twitter.
“So sad to say goodbye to the big man today, been a massive part of our lives giving us so many highs! RIP Toytown.”
The world champion eventing horse was a 17 hands chestnut gelding.
Toytown and Zara had been a force to be reckoned with for almost 20 years.
Together, they won individual gold and team silver in the 2006 World Equestrian Games in Germany.
The duo rode as Zara held the Olympic flame in 2012.
Zara is a celebrated equestrian, and with the help of her noble stead the 36-year-old found victory at three European Eventing Championship, along with one solo gold medal in 2005, plus two team golds.
The royal sadly just missed out on the chance to compete at the 2004 and 2008 Olympic Games because of injury.
In 2011, following the Festival of British Eventing at Gatcombe House, Toytown retired.
The stead did take a moment from retirement to help his dear friend carry the Olympic flame in 2012 for the London games.
The victorious pair at the 2006 World Equestrian Games in Germany.
Mia Tindall’s mummy was known to call her love “Noddy” or “Ginger.”
Speaking of Noddy’s ending their career, she confessed: “I think it will be difficult. It’s the end of an era.”
Musing she added, “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 compete horse. And cross-country, he was just a machine.”
Before concluding, “I don’t think I am ever going to find another horse quite like him, but hopefully others that will be good enough to go to the same level as he did.”
Toytown enjoyed life after competing, living at Princess Anne’s Gatcombe Estate, where Zara and Mike live with their daughter Mia.
RIP Toytown.
