Balkenhol's Rubins Royal Passed Away

Dressage

Germany

Anabel Balkenhol's retired international Grand Prix horse Rubins Royal has been euthanized at age 21 on 23 April 2018. The Oldenburg gelding was losing his mobility and to spare him from suffering, he was put down.

"At age 21 his feet no longer wanted to carry him," Balkenhol told German equestrian magazine Reiter Revue. "It was a decision in the benefit of the horse. It was clear to us that this day would come. He shouldn't suffer.

Rubins Royal was born in 1997 and bred by Claudia Krempien. He was by Rubinstein out of Virginia (by Vargas xx x Diskaro x Leonardo).

He was first competed by Krempien in 2003. Two years later Stefan Wolf took over the ride and trained him up to Prix St Georges level. He competed the bay gelding until May 2007. One year later Anabel Balkenhol debuted the gelding at international Grand Prix level at the 2008 CDI Dortmund and finished third.

Balkenhol and Rubins Royal competed at international Grand Prix from 2008 till 2014. They rode in Aachen three times, won the 2011 CDI Hamburg Grand Prix Special.

The horse spent his last years in retirement in the field. His last day was spent eating grass and bananas before he was peacefully put down in the presence of his long-time rider.