Mattias Jansson's career making Grand Prix horse Morell has passed away on 8 December 2016 at age 25. The horse suffered from a severe colic attack and could not be saved. He will be cremated and its ashes dispersed at Jansson's yard Hviderup in Sweden.
The Swedish warmblood Morell was bred by Brita Stenpil and was by Martini out of Kamelia (by Democritos).
Jansson discovered Morell through Kyra Kyrklund, his trainer at his time as bereiter at the Flyinge state stud. Kyra scouted the bay stallion as Mattias' next young riders' horse. The horse was the Swedish Young Horse Champion as a 4-year old.
Trained by Anky van Grunsven for six years, Jansson made it onto the Swedish Grand Prix team for the first time on Morell. Mattias made his debut at Grand Prix level with an 8-year old Morell at national shows in The Netherlands. After winning his international Grand Prix debut at the CDI Falsterbo, they ended up representing Sweden at the 2002 World Equestrian Games in Jerez de la Frontera, Spain, where they were 30th in the Grand Prix with 65.840%.
Morell only had a short competition career and was retired from sport as a 12-year old in 2003 after he struggled with injuries due to carpel tunnel syndrome. In 2001 he was operated on for the disease after Swedish veterinarian Jonas Tornell was the one who found the right diagnosis for Morell's recurring health issues.
"Morell was a very active pensioner," Jansson told Ridsport. "He was ridden the entire time. The last two year I felt that something like this might happen. It's quite common for older horses to suffer from colic."
Janssen had decided not have Morell operated on for colic and had his equine partner euthanized.
"Of course it is sad, but I have peae in the fact that he had a good life and a worthy end. It's a natural development and 25 is a good age for a horse," Jansson added.
Source: Tidningen Ridsport
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