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Rider disqualified from Paris Olympics after treating sick dog, farewell to a popular eventing stallion, and other things the horse world is talking about

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  • Rider disqualified from Paris Olympics

    Belgian dressage rider Domien Michiels has been disqualified from the team final at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games for failing a drug test. The positive test result for dorzolamide was caused by Domien coming into contact with a prohibited substance when treating his sick dog.

    The test was carried out on 3 August, the day of the grand prix special, which decided the Olympic dressage team medals at Paris 2024.

    A statement from the International Testing Agency (ITA) said that over the course of proceedings, Mr Michiels “was able to establish that dorzolamide entered his body inadvertently when he administered eye drops containing [the drug] to his dog to treat the dog’s illness”.

    The drug is listed under diuretics and masking agents on the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) prohibited list. It is classed as banned at all times – except when directly applied to the eyes.

    What this means for the Olympic results

    Popular coloured event horse dies aged 26

    The much-loved coloured event horse stallion Glenhill Gold has died.

    His rider Declan Cullen said ‘Tonto” was the horse who took his career beyond his dreams. He added: “Tonto spent 21 years here with us on the farm and he left us peacefully, surrounded by the people that loved him.”

    The stallion’s dam was Irish sport horse mare Travellers Gold, and he was by thoroughbred stallion Saracen Hill. He was bred by David Black in Dungannon, was bought by Stephen Orr and joined Declan’s yard as a four-year-old. Declan produced Tonto through the levels to three-star level (now four-star) and their greatest achievement was winning Ballindenisk CCI3* (now CCI4*-L) in 2011.

    “He gave 100% and he had more heart than anything I ever knew. My biggest regret was that we never got our chance to go to Badminton and that’s the one axe that grinds away at me. He was entered twice but due to changes to the minimum eligibility requirements that line in the sand kept moving away from us,” added Declan.

    Read the full tribute

    Horse fatally injured after being chased by dog

    The owners of a horse who suffered fatal injuries after he ran into a road while chased by a loose dog plan to campaign for a change in the law to prevent such tragedies happening in future.

    Loki, an eight-year-old Welsh section C, “shattered” all four legs in a collision with a car and had to be put down at the roadside in Lofthouse, West Yorkshire, on Saturday (25 January). His owners told H&H he had bolted on to the road as he was scared by a dog, who the owner refused to put back on the lead.

    Read more on this story

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