Tanya Seymour's Ramoneur Passed Away

Dressage

South Africa

South Africa's leading international dressage rider, Tanya Seymour, said goodbye top her top horse Ramoneur.

The 19-year old gelding foundered at the Tokyo Olympics and despite all efforts to heal him, his health deteriorated. On 7 September it was decided to put him to sleep.

Lifetime Partnership

Bred by Bettina Schulze-Schleppinghoff, Ramoneur has been Seymour's equine partner since he was a youngster at the time that Tanya worked for Ludwig Kathmann in Vechta, Germany.

The pair were together for ten years and represented South Africa at the 2014 World Equestrian Games and 2016 Olympics Games in Rio, alongside competing at some of the greatest CDI's in Europe. They missed out on the 2018 World Equestrian Games in Tryon, but were back for Ramoneur's final swan song in Tokyo.

Laminitis

The 37-year old Tanya had planned that Tokyo would be their last show together. On 21 July, however, he suffered from laminitis at the Baji Koen equestrian centre and was of course withdrawn from competition.

The horse was treated in the equine clinic at Baji Koen and his condition stabilized enough so that the horse could be flown back to Europe with the other dressage horses on 31 July. His treatment continued in Germany, but unfortunately he health declined. Tanya had him euthanized yesterday.

"Yesterday I lost my best friend and one true love," she took to Facebook. "They say you have have that one special horse In a lifetime and Ramoneur was mine. I'm absolutely heartbroken and devastated. Words cannot describe it. He was with me every step of the way In Europe, even though I was miles from friends and family, he was always there. Any one who knew him, loved him, he was the most kind, loving and generous horse."

She continued, "Unfortunately in Tokyo he got laminitis, with no previous indications of anything. We brought him home, and gave him 200% care but on Monday suddenly things changed for the worse and I decided it was enough. He did not deserve this at the end of such an amazing career, and that hurts me the most. We were with him to the end and he passed on in my arms. I will love him and be grateful to him to the end of eternity."