A team chasing stalwart has been retired after a glorious career spanning 11 years.
Perrys Pearl was a member of three national championship-winning teams and won many hunt races, including the Melton Hunt Club ride twice and the inaugural running of the Golden Button Challenge.
Owner Yvonne Goss said a joint problem had forced her to make the difficult and emotional decision to retire 15-year-old “Perry”.
“He’d always had mild arthritis, but he went quickly downhill in recent months,” she explained. “He’s fine in walk, canter and gallop, but can’t trot at all. The vet can’t find anything wrong.
Yvonne added: “I’m not sure how he’ll adapt to being retired, though. We will have to see how he goes, but I may have to think about having him put down.”
This news story was first published in Horse & Hound (12 July, ’07)