Boyd Martin and Barney Rubble. Photo by Sally Spickard.
Boyd Martin shared the devastating news yesterday that the Barney Rubble Syndicate’s Barney Rubble, an 11-year-old Hanoverian gelding who had just stepped up to the CCI4* level last year, passed away suddenly on Sunday, September 7. New Bolton Center Hospital in Pennsylvania is performing a necropsy on Barney Rubble to determine the cause of death. An aneurysm is suspected, Boyd wrote.
“This past Sunday, I was giving Barney Rubble a light cross-country school at our farm in Pennsylvania,” Boyd shared on social media. “He was jumping like a champ, and during a walk break between exercises he suddenly began to lose his balance and fell. Within seconds, he was gone. It was one of the most traumatic experiences of my life, standing there helpless as he passed.”
“Barney was without question one of my all-time favorite horses,” he continued. “He was high-energy, galloped like the wind, and had endless scope in his jump. He could be a handful with his enthusiastic character, but I absolutely loved riding and producing him. Every day with him was a puzzle worth solving, and I was certain he was going to blossom into a 5* horse. To lose him to such a freak incident is absolutely heartbreaking. He is undergoing an autopsy at New Bolton Center, and while we suspect an aneurysm, we’ll know more in the coming days.
“I’ll miss this horse immensely. He was such a special guy. I’m deeply grateful to the Barney Rubble Syndicate, who believed in him as much as I did and gave him the time he needed to develop. Walking past his empty stall now, I keep wishing this was just a bad dream. Rest in peace, Barney.”
Boyd Martin and Barney Rubble. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.
After starting his international competition career with Australia’s Chris Burton, Barney came to the U.S. to continue his tutelage under Boyd’s care. He successfully stepped up to the 4* level at Bromont in 2024 and had most recently been top 10 in his first CCI4*-L at Tryon earlier this spring. Barney had been aiming at the US Equestrian Open of Eventing Final at Morven Park in October.
We’re sending the Martin team our love and support and will miss Barney Rubble dearly.
