It’s official: Totilas has been retired from competitive dressage. The Dutch warmblood stallion has been diagnosed with edema to the bone and this latest injury has prompted the decision to retire him.
“As already known from various sources, the examination last weekend showed that Totilas has an edema in the bone,” the owners wrote in an official statement published on the Totilas Facebook page. “This is being treated in the best possible way by a superb team of veterinarians.
“Resulting from this new injury, we collectively came to the decision against the active sport. Totilas will not come back into the competitive dressage sport in the future. His injury is going to heal on his home yard Schafhof, given all the time it needs. This will also give him a gentle transition into his athletic retirement.”
Totilas, who won gold at the 2010 World Equestrian Games and at the 2009 European Championships with Edward Gal, has suffered several injuries in recent years, which have resulted in him missing many important championships, including the 2014 World Equestrian Games.
His return at Aachen’s European Dressage Championships with Matthias Rath was much awaited but the pair’s performance, at 75.971%, appeared well below the stallion’s previous, dazzling heights. After analysing videos of the test, which revealed “an irregularity in the movements” of the horse’ s left hind-leg, the owners announced that Totilas would be withdrawn from the Championships. News of his retirement came four days later.
Now the owners hope that, if his health recovers enough, “Totilas will continue being available for breeding via the service station of Paul Schockemöhle.
We really hope for the understanding of all those people that are moved by this horse as much as we are. Also, we would like to take the opportunity to thank all the admirers and fans for their support during all this time.”
Image: Totilas with Matthias Rath at the Aachen leg of the FEI Nation’s Cup in 2014, by FEI/Dirk Caremans
