Jette de Jong's Young Riders Horse Indini Succumbs to Laminitis

Dressage

Belgium

Indini, the internationally competed small tour horse of Belgian young rider Jette de Jong, has succumbed to laminitis.

Indini was a 12-year old Dutch warmblood by Chippendale out of Scarpini van de Vannahoeve (by Romeo). He was bred by Jette's mom Marielle Hoefsmit.

Belgian Young Riders Team Horse

The home bred Indini made his international show debut in 2021 at the CDI Sint-Truiden at junior riders' level with Jette. The pair competed in Opglabbeek, Exloo, and Zandhoven that year and continued through 2022 with more starts in Lier, Opglabbeek, and Hagen. They won gold at the 2022 Belgian Junior Riders Championships.

At the end of 2022, Jette moved Indini up to Young Riders level at the CDI Aachen Indoor, where she finished third and second with him. Also serving as the back-up horse to her number one, Heavenly Charming, Indini proved consistency in 2023 at shows in Le Mans, Waregem and Aachen.

In 2024 Jette gave the ride on Indini to Belgian young rider Britt van de Weyer whose horse got injured. Britt competed him at the CDI's in Le Mans, Hagen and Aachen and was nominated on the Belgian team for the 2024 European Young Riders Championships in St. Margarethen, where she placed 41st in the individual test.

De Jong was back on board at the end of 2024 for the CDI Aachen Young Stars. This year she showed him at the Aachen Festival 4 Dressage and CDIO Lier. At the 2025 Belgian Championships Indini scored the silver medal.

Indini was the first choice for Jette's nomination for the 2025 European Young Riders Championships in Kronberg, but Heavenly Charming ended up going.

Laminitis

On 6 August De Jong took to Instagram why Heavenly was chosen over Indini.

"On June 10, we had a veterinary inspection for the KBRSF, in which he turned out to be in tip top order and therefore selectable for the European Championship," said Jette. "However, for the first time in his 12 years, we wanted to see if we could help him. Consequently, an injection was done in both hindlegs to "support" him. What we didn't know was that a vet injected him in both hindlegs with cortisone without telling us (which product)."

Shortly afterwards Indini began to founder, first on one leg than three.

"My buddy is fighting for his life, because of cortisone he has become severely laminitic. Walking and even standing has become very painful for him. I really really really hope he is pain free soon and he can walk again and can be himself. I also hope that more thought will be given to the use of cortisone as well as warning about the aftercare."

Untimely Passing

Unfortunately Indini's condition continued to worsen and on 16 August he was put to sleep.

"Our hearts are broken, I can't believe it, so sad and especially unimaginable," De Jong wrote. "Unfortunately you really couldn't save yourself and you are now the most beautiful star in the sky. We did everything we could to save you, but it was just too much and the cortisone just kept working.... This hurts so much, intensely sad, this loss is huge, an empty barn, not your memory anymore, no more wonderful trainings and no more shining in the ring, because you always gave that little extra. This really shouldn't have been this way, 12 years young. We are so devastated by this"