Tortuga Bay, ridden by Ashley Kehoe and owned by Natalie Hummel, fell at fence 6 on the preliminary cross-country course at the Pine Top Thanksgiving Horse Trials (Ga.) on Dec. 1. “Mickey” was subsequently euthanized on the scene and was taken to the University Of Georgia Veterinary Hospital for a necropsy. 

“I’m still a bit shocked and confused, though the three top veterinarians that were there on scene suspect it was an aneurysm, because before he collapsed at the fence he was a bit funny coming to it,” said Kehoe. “We are awaiting necropsy results.” 

Kehoe, Chatsworth, Ga., and Mickey, a Thoroughbred gelding, started competing together in October. 

“I have been riding Mickey since July for his owner and my good friend Natalie, who is doing a semester in Spain,” said Kehoe. “He has not competed a lot in his career, a handful of trainings, and I recently moved him up to preliminary at the Ocala Horse Trials [Fla.] in November. He was all heart and such a trier.”