U.S. Equestrian Federation President David O’Connor stated that preliminary findings indicated that Tigger Too had ruptured his aorta in two places, and that his fall and subsequent death were the direct result of this rupture.

Tigger Too, who competed at the four-star level with O’Connor, fell at fence 28, the Lighthouse, with Lauren Kieffer on cross-country on May 10 in the Jersey Fresh CCI***. The 17-year-old Thoroughbred gelding passed away shortly after hitting the ground, and Kieffer escaped with no major injury.

“He passed me 100 yards away from where it happened, and there wasn’t one 1/1,000th of an idea in my mind that there was something wrong with him,” said O’Connor. “He was always a very careful horse and a good jumper and a fantastic cross-country horse. He had a wonderful relationship with Lauren.

“He was very fit, and obviously he had a lot of experience,” continued O’Connor. “He was an ex-racehorse. He wasn’t tired at all. I don’t know how that happens. I don’t understand. These aren’t exhausted horses. Any ones that I’ve seen [this happen to] were really not even what I would call tired. I’ve ridden tired horses before. I don’t understand why this would happen with a fit, not tired horse. I’m not really quite sure if we’ll ever know.”

O’Connor said that medical and veterinary issues were one of four major topics that will be discussed at the upcoming USEF/U.S. Eventing Association Safety Summit, June 7-8 in Lexington, Ky. Other topics include course design, rider responsibility and education of riders and officials.

This event was intended to be Tigger Too’s final event. “He kind of had a hard luck life with his body,” said O’Connor. “He had three colic surgeries. I was always afraid of walking into his stall one night and finding him colicking.”

Instead, O’Connor said, the horse died doing what he loved.

“It was a silver lining to a very dark cloud,” he said.