09/09/2025
This past Sunday, I was giving Barney Rubble a light cross-country school at our farm in Pennsylvania. He was jumping like a champ, and during a walk break between exercises he suddenly began to lose his balance and fell. Within seconds, he was gone. It was one of the most traumatic experiences of my life, standing there helpless as he passed.
Barney was without question one of my all-time favorite horses. He was high-energy, galloped like the wind, and had endless scope in his jump. He could be a handful with his enthusiastic character, but I absolutely loved riding and producing him. Every day with him was a puzzle worth solving, and I was certain he was going to blossom into a 5* horse. To lose him to such a freak incident is absolutely heartbreaking. He is undergoing an autopsy at New Bolton Center, and while we suspect an aneurysm, we’ll know more in the coming days.
I’ll miss this horse immensely. He was such a special guy. I’m deeply grateful to the Barney Rubble Syndicate, who believed in him as much as I did and gave him the time he needed to develop. Walking past his empty stall now, I keep wishing this was just a bad dream. Rest in peace, Barney.
