Märit Olofsson Nääs' Strolchi Sidelined with Breathing Problems

Dressage

Sweden

Swedish Grand Prix rider Märit Olofsson Nääs will be sidelined until the spring of 2020 as her top horse Strolichi is undergoing treatment for breathing problems.

Strolchi is a 13-year old Oldenburg gelding by Sancisco out of Dolcetta (by Davignon II). He is bred by Ira Denkhaus at Gestut Kempke Hof and is listed as owned by Jessica Andersson.

Olofsson and Strolchi made their international show debut in 2015 at the CDI Ypaja at small tour level and won the Prix St Georges (70.175%) and placed second in the Inter I (69.430%). They moved up to Grand Prix level in 2017 but did just one CDI that year. They returned in 2018 with starts in Sopot, Ypaja and Hamburg. This year the pair did Sopot, Pornainen, and was on the Swedish team in the Nations' Cup at Jarvenpaa. They are members of the Swedish B-squad.

Olofsson first noticed something was not right with Strolchi in 2015 when he was more tired than normal. The veterinarians asked Marit to ride him while his lungs were being filmed. They ended up diagnosing him with a sunken trachea. It meant that Strolchi could not oxygenate himself sufficiently during exercise. He was operated on and the problem was solved temporarily.

Swedish equestrian website Hippson reported that unfortunately the issue returned at the end of August. On 8 November he was operated on a second time.

"It's an unusual problem and quite a complicated operation," Marit told Hippson. "We take it one day at a time."

While Strolchi seems to be on the better hand, the proof in the pudding will be when he is ridden again. Marit had decided to take it easy and slowly work towards a potential spring 2020 come back.