Toytown, Zara Tindall’s best friend

A horse fit for royalty, we pay tribute to Zara Tindall’s horse of a lifetime

AS WONDERFUL AS all horses are, every rider will always have one who stands out above the rest. Zara Tindall is no exception. The royal event rider made an emotional farewell to her horse Toytown last month after he was put down at the age of 24. The 17hh gelding officially retired from competition in a ceremony at Gatcombe held in 2011, bringing the curtain down on an incredible career spent with Zara. Together, the pair conquered European and World Championships – winning the Blenheim European Championships in 2005 and taking the world title in Aachen the following year. They regularly finished in the top 10 at three- and four-star events, including a win at Bramham and a second place finish at Burghley. Following the news of Toytown’s death, Zara said: “I’m heartbroken to say that I had to say goodbye to my greatest friend and horse of a lifetime, Toytown. He was the most incredible athlete with the biggest heart, European and World champion back to back. “He made my career and I couldn’t be more grateful to him for the amazing times we had together — he was a huge part of my family, an amazing animal and a true champion.