The biggest shocker during the equestrian portion of the Paris Olympics was the fall of world number one Henrik von Eckerman in the individual finals, when his horse, King Edward, went left, and he went right.
Sadly, Henrik had no chance to show his appreciation for King Edward in victory at the Olympics, but this photo from the 2022 World Championships expresses his love for the horse.
Here is his explanation of what happened and his feelings about the lost opportunity for himself and his special horse, known affectionately as Edi. Henrik stated:
“It ended in a way I could never have imagined. Everything felt as it should until I misjudged a distance after the open water, which resulted in a hectic jump over the Eiffel Tower plank and a very long five strides to the next oxer.
“I wanted to resettle my balance and signs weren’t clear to Edi and the situation ended in a misunderstanding and a fall in the turn,” the Swedish rider continued.
“What’s hurting the most is that these were the last Olympic Games for King Edward; his shape and spirit were there to fight for medals in the jump-off, he deserved that so much. To take that away from him is a bitter pill to swallow.
“But with time, the wound and pain will heal (he’s speaking figuratively here, not literally) and the scar that stays will hopefully make me a better rider and horseman. I’m forever grateful to you, my king, my team and my family. Lastly, I wanted to reach out to all of you who have sent their support and all the kind messages I’m receiving. It’s touching me deeply.”