Farewell to IRA bomb survivor
Former police horse, Echo, (on left in picture) who was severely injured in the IRA’s Hyde Park bombing in 1982, has died at the Home of Rest for Horses, aged 32. He was put down last week following a bad attack of colic.
Rebecca Keeting of the Home of Rest for Horses told HHO: “Echo will be sadly missed by everyone who knew him. He had many supporters around the country. We have been inundated with calls from people wanting to send flowers in his memory.”
Echo was retired to the home in Princes Risborough, Bucks in 1983, after it became clear that he was too traumatised to continue his work as a police horse.
“When Echo joined us he had recovered for the physical injuries he had suffered in the blast, but was still psychologically scarred by his experiences,” explains Rebecca.
“Over time he settled down and learnt to enjoy his life with us and he had many happy years of retirement. He always remained a bit of a worrier though and suffered recurring bouts of colic.”
The home has cared for all three of the horses that survived the IRA’s terrorist bombing. The most famous of the three, Sefton, passed away in July 1993 and Echo was the home’s longest resident prior to his death.
The remaining survivor, a 35-year-old former member of the household cavalry named Yeti, (on right in picture) was a close friend of Echo’s and the pair lived with another horse named Blossom in a specially converted barn at the centre.
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“Sadly, Yeti is ‘the horse that the public forgot’,” says Rebecca. “He was also injured in the blast and has been at the home since 1986. He is a very resilient sort, who has had no medical problems beyond slight arthritis throughout his stay.
“Although Yeti is missing Echo, I am sure he will bounce back with Blossom’s help. The new barn which they live in means he can move around, which helps his arthritis, and he is looking better than he has in years.”
To find out more about the Home of Rest for Horses, or to make a donation, visit: www.homeofrestforhorses.co.uk
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Carol is an experienced journalist and editor, who is also a passionate amateur rider and dedicated horse owner, having ridden since childhood. She has a particular interest in the emotional well-being and ethical training of horses, alongside veterinary matters, having garnered extensive first-hand experience of numerous equine health conditions through more than 30 years of horse ownership.