Dutch dressage riding sisters Jacqueline and Jeanine Fiechter had to say goodbye to their heart horse Dequan. The retired small tour horse passed away at age 28.
Dequan was a KWPN gelding by El Corona out of Bienvenue. He was bred by W. Noll.
Dequan was internationally active at small tour level from 2000 till 2004. He was mainly competed by Jeanine Fiechter, who rode him internationally with starts in Mechelen, Rotterdam, Saumur, Achleiten, and Arnheim.
He was initially started by sister Jacqueline and then briefly sold to the U.K. as a 4-year old, but returned for his boisterous behaviour.
"He came back because he wasn't nice, or to say it better very dangerous," Jeanine Fiechter told Eurodressage. "We castrated him and we started riding him ourselves, first Jacqueline and then I. He won much and lost much because he wasn't the easiest, but we enjoyed him very much."
In 2005 Jacqueline took over and rode him in The Netherlands at small tour level. In 2008 Dutch Puck Slaats briefly showed the bay gelding at junior riders' level.
In August 2012, a 21-year old Dequan became a Grand Prix schoolmaster for Maxime van der Vlist, who ended up working for seven years at Fiechters' stable, until July 2019.He was also ridden by Yvonne Fiechter.
The Fiechters run a dressage sales business in Merksplas, Belgium, but Dequan was never sold. He spent his retirement at home. He passed away on 15 October 2019.
"Dequan taught us a lot. He had a special character," said Jeanine. "He already had colic surgery when he was 18 but I thought he deserved the chance. He got better because he's a fighter, which he proved to be till the end."
Dequan spent the last 6 years retired in the field with a mare. He suffered from another bout of colic.
"My friend Inge called me that he hardly reacted anymore, so I drove faster and by the time I got to her place he had stood up and nickered. It was so weird. I always thought that a horse doesn't know you as well as a dog, but this was scary and maybe coincidence. He became very quiet and when the vet arrived he felt the small intestine and said operating was no longer an option, so we made the choice to put him to sleep. It was his time. I had a lot of trouble with him, but also beautiful moments, much love and sadness together. We shared 24 years of my life together."
Related Links
Scores: 2004 Dutch Dressage Championships
Scores: 2003 Dutch Dressage Championships
Scores: 2008 CDI-PJYR Weert