Olympic star Bredow-Werndl’s horse died for another reason

Gold medalist explains

But not a virus: the Olympic star’s horse died for another reason

Dressage rider Jessica von Bredow-Werndl lost her great hope for the World Championships in Aachen with Diallo. Now she shared another emotional post about the cause of death.

The four-time Olympic dressage champion Jessica von Bredow-Werndl has been mourning the loss of her horse Diallo for a few days. The rider’s hope for the future was taken to the horse clinic in Munich on Monday and died the next day. The eleven-year-old gelding was considered a candidate for the World Championships along with von Bredow-Werndl Aachen in August.

Bornavirus was initially considered a possible cause of death, as von Bredow-Werndl himself explained. As it has since emerged, the horse probably died for another reason. “According to current knowledge, all regionally relevant viruses (including Borna virus!) can now be excluded,” wrote Jessica von Bredow-Werndl on Instagram.

After ruling out other diagnoses, an unforeseeable cause of the disease, such as a brain infarction, is probably a possible cause. With a broken heart emoji, Bredow-Werndl continued: “This doesn’t alleviate my pain, but I feel the need to share these new insights with you.”

Diallo was considered the sporting successor to the mare Dalera, with whom von Bredow-Werndl won, among other things, four Olympic gold medals. The pair most recently won the Grand Prix and the Freestyle at the World Cup tournament in Stuttgart in November. “I am very sad that we have lost a horse with a very good international perspective and a lovely character,” said national trainer Monica Theodorescu.