Helen Erbe's Rational Died Unexpectedly

Dressage

German Dressage News

2015 German European pony team member Helen Erbe has lost her junior rider's horse Rational in April 2017. The 8-year old licensed Westfalian stallion died unexpectely while being led into the stable.

Rational was a 2009 born Westfalian stallion by Rock Forever out of Bonduelle (by Bormio xx x Bartok x Grünhorn III). Bred by Hubertus Hummel, the Erbe family acquired the stallion for 158,000 euro at the 2016 Westfalian Autumn Elite Auction from the Westfalian State Stud.

The dark bay stallion was approved at the 2011 Westfalian Stallion Licensing in Munster and did his 30-day Stallion Performance Test in Adelheidsdorf in the autumn on 2012. He scored 7.87 in total with 8.29 for dressage and 7.8 for show jumping.

Warendorf state stud rider Anja Wilimzig began Rational's competition career and competed him at the 2014 and 2015 Bundeschampionate, where he finished 5th as a 6-year old. Wilimzig competed the stallion through 2016 until he was sold at auction.

The 16-year old Helen Erbe made her show debut on Rational in February 2017 at M-level. In March coach Heiner Schiergen competed the horse at M and S-level at the Rhede-Krommert regional show and was first and second with him. Helen rode the last competition on Rational in April in Bottrop, where she finished second in the M-level test.

The University Clinic of Hanover carried out a necropsy to determine the cause of death. The Erbe family is still waiting for the report.

"We have had him for about half a year and Helen loved him more than any other horse before," said mom Nicola Erbe who was shocked about this unexpected passing of the horse. "He never had any diseases or problems before."

Helen still owns and rides the 8-year old Westfalian mare Bocaccia (by Basic x Dimension x Weinberg) at M-level, but for the moment the rider is out of the running for German junior team qualification.