Buck Davidson announced Aug. 19 that Park Trader, his alternate mount for the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games (France) U.S. Eventing Team, has tendinitis. He’s withdrawn the horse from World Games contention—the pair was ranked fifth on the alternate list—and from the Land Rover Burghley CCI**** (Great Britain) in September. “Kobe” flew home from France on Aug. 23.

“He is such a nice horse and has come so far, the right thing and best thing to do is take care of him and back off hard work for a bit,” said Davidson, Riegelsville, Pa., in a post on his Facebook page. “I feel terrible for Kobe most of all. Even though he has not taken a lame step, he still tries to bite me! I love him for what he is and sometimes isn’t.”

Kobe, a 12-year-old Irish Sport Horse (Master Imp—Ballyhast Polly, Highland King) gelding owned by Carl and Cassie Segal, finished 12th at this year’s Rolex Kentucky CCI****. Davidson is slated to ride Ballynoe Castle RM, another horse owned by the Segals, on the U.S. team in France.

“I feel terrible for them,” said Davidson of Carl and Cassie. “They are so classy when things go wrong. I only wish I was that good of a person. Carl said, ‘Our string just got cut in half in France now; we are lucky to have two at this level. You always do the best you can do. Sometimes things happen.’ ”