Riders bid farewell to faithful senior stallion
KYALAMI – Pluto Elet died after a battle with colic on 7 June.
The South African Lipizzaners, based in Kyalami, is saddened by the tragic loss of Lipizzaner Pluto Elet on 7 June.
Volunteer Gina Boxley said, “Hearts are sad and broken hearing this tragic news.”
Pluto Elet was 12 year’s old and died after battling colic and colic surgery.
Lipizzaner rider Camilla Lamb described Pluto Elet as a stallion who had touched many lives and amazed many people with his huge heart and extravagant personality.
“Many of you have watched him perform the side-saddle solo with his long-time rider Dr Karen Bohme. Many of you have fed him carrots and bought your children a T-shirt featuring his very handsome [and famous] face,” said Lamb.
She added that the riders often discussed among themselves which Lipizzaner they would choose to ride forth into battle with, and all agreed that Pluto Elet was that war horse.
“He has left a massive hole in all our hearts but none more so than that of his rider Dr Karen Bohme, his partner for seven years,” said Lamb.
Bohme wrote a tribute to Pluto Elet as follows:
My sweet Good One,
When you did not come to the door to greet me with your ‘Good morning’ I knew…
The day we met you were a nobody and I was a student, but there was something between us from the beginning. I believed in you and you thanked me for that every moment, every day. You did not find your work easy, not like the other stallions, but you tried your heart out for me. You trusted me enough to perform a Pas de Deux with a car even when the car touched your leg.
You allowed me to put warthog tusks and a mask on you for the Young Stallions during Spring Spectacular. You learnt to long-rein and to piaffe in hand. You led your first and only quadrille ridden side saddle for Mother’s Day. And you became my solo horse, showing shoulder-in, travers, half pass, flying changes and piaffe in side saddle and for a special performance bareback astride.
The minute you understood what I wanted you tried, sometimes so hard that you made the task impossible for yourself. And when I asked you for a levade under saddle you even gave that to me. We never had the chance to show it in public. It wasn’t meant to be… We played in the paddock together, and loose in the arena. You allowed me to ride you without a saddle and just in a halter.
Every training day you came trotting into the indoor with your expectant and enthusiastic expression, so wanting to please. You made every day special for me.
You were always ‘my’ horse. For the last seven hours of your life you were really mine, and in those seven hours you tried harder for me than ever before. Like a true warhorse you fought through four hours of surgery and when you could fight no more, I had the privilege of holding you in my arms until your last breath.
You have now come home.
My friend, thank you for your trust, for your friendship, your love, for every single moment.
Goodbye, my good one, until one day we meet again.
