Zimbabwe

[Posts: 99Joined: 22 Jan 2010, 17:13]

Not entirely sure where to put this, maybe memorials but also perhaps just the horse racing section, but this hurdler, named Zimbabwe, went missing a few months ago, was never seen again, trainer has since given up finding him alive and a helicopter search found nothing. The horse was being given a workout on Camber Sands during that weather we had where it did nothing but snow for about a month and a half and lots of meetings were abandoned, where he galloped free and onto a military firing range, have since checked for any update but found nothing, perhaps one of you guys on here heard about it and knows something? if not i just thought id bring it up. Sad story and unfortunately is probably lying dead somewhere now.

[Posts: 223Joined: 17 Feb 2010, 23:46]

Hadn't heard about this kez but that is horrible. Sounds so sad. Hopefully his owners will eventually get some closure.

[Posts: 2576Joined: 21 Feb 2007, 15:53]

What terrible circumstances and you have to feel for the connections not knowing what has actual happened.

It’s also strange that because there is a thread on here about horses with the same name I had thought about this horse only yesterday. I once got it confused with a Paul Nicholls chaser of the same name that was having an outing over hurdles and with the Nichols horse rated about iirc 30lbs higher I thought I was on to a good thing.

[Posts: 7355Joined: 31 May 2004, 16:52Location: Ubiquitous]

I'd presume, sadly, that the worst has come to pass with Zimbabwe by now.

The saddest aspect of this story is that Zimbabwe had already come back from the proverbial brink once in his life. He had been painstakingly nursed back to health by Sussex-based permit holder and equine rehabilitator Phillip Sharp, having broken down terribly in a May 2007 Plumpton claiming hurdle on his final outing for Gary Moore.

That Zimbabwe had shown little in three runs back for Sharp after two years on the sidelines mattered little and was never really the point; nor is it that Sharp remains winless from 56 runners since taking out a permit. This was an animal he'd given the chance of a second crack at life, and he was understandibly very despondent to have lost the gelding in these bizarre circumstances.

gc

[Posts: 17Joined: 17 Mar 2010, 16:03]

Oh that is so tragic to think of that poor horse running scared..surely something as big as a race horse just cannot vanish just because it snowed for along time..that snow will have thawed and melted but still no sight of a horse !!!!! Exactly how big is this place where it vanished (camber sands ?)..please god someone look out for this horse or atleast find his body so everyone can have closure and he can be laid to rest in peace..am i hoping for too much ...fingers xd

[Posts: 36Joined: 22 Dec 2009, 14:21]

Oh that is so tragic to think of that poor horse running scared..surely something as big as a race horse just cannot vanish just because it snowed for along time..that snow will have thawed and melted but still no sight of a horse !!!!! Exactly how big is this place where it vanished (camber sands ?)..please god someone look out for this horse or atleast find his body so everyone can have closure and he can be laid to rest in peace..am i hoping for too much ...fingers xd

I think the main problem hollymolly is that the horse went onto an MOD firing range full of unexploded bombs and the like. It is 22 sq miles so a huge area. If you google it there are all sort of articles about it.

I remember seeing an article in Horse and Hound at the time and thinking it was such a horrible way to loose a horse.

[Posts: 17Joined: 17 Mar 2010, 16:03]

Thanks Gem1802 for explaining it for me ...i just thought it was abit weird an animal as big as a horse can just go missing !! but your right it is a huge area and i just wish it had a happier ending really..for both the horse and its owners.

[Posts: 3Joined: 17 Aug 2010, 10:48]

Does anyone know what happened to this horse? Hope he was found...

[Posts: 123Joined: 25 May 2005, 16:02Location: kent]

Sorry to report the very sad news but Zimbabwes body has been found in a ditch on the MOD property. A very sad loss to all his connections.
I have just read this in the link below
http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/s ... p?t=397636

[Posts: 4691Joined: 12 Mar 2008, 23:07Location: Taunton Somerset]

Very sad.