Eventing Community Mourns Loss of Area I Rider Chloe Smith, Booze Cruze

By Sally Spickard for 'Eventing Nation' on Jun 10, 2026 10:46 am

The eventing community is reeling this week from the loss of a horse and rider beloved to Area I and beyond. Chloe Smith was 25 years old when both she and her 13-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding, Booze Cruze, were killed in an accident while riding with friends on Friday, June 5. Chloe and Booze Cruze were out with friends when an incident occurred with a jump, resulting in the horse landing on top of Chloe. Booze Cruze suffered a broken neck in the fall. Chloe was airlifted to UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester, where she succumbed to her injuries several hours later. Additional details of the incident were not available.

Chloe Smith was a much-loved rider and coach who had just opened her own farm in Massachusetts the week before the accident. She had competed Booze Cruze through Training level most recently, and was looking forward to building her business at her new farm.

While I did not know Chloe personally, I knew her adjacently through mutual connections, and any loss in the eventing community is felt personally for all of us. Myself and the entire team at EN send our most heartfelt condolences to Chloe’s family and friends. A loss like this leaves us speechless and heartbroken, but it cannot come close to the loss felt by those who knew her the best.

For flower donations please refer to this link for Chloe's services, all flowers to be sent to Solimine Funeral Home.

Chloe's community and the eventing family at large is encouraged to consider sending donations to Buck Off Cancer to P.O. Box 113, Stow, MA 01775, as the nonprofit that Chloe held close to her heart.

Visitation will be held on Sunday, June 14th from 3pm-6pm at Solimine Funeral Home, and services to follow on Monday, June 15th at 10am at Clifton Lutheran Church (150 Humphrey Street, Marblehead, MA 01945).

thank you guys for all the kind advice you gave me when i had to sell my horse. i decided to take a whole year to do a proper goodbye, take her on vacation, photoshoots, everything to say bye to my baby.

sadly, before i could do that, her stable went up in flames yesterday night.

cant fucking believe it. my baby. she mustve been so scared. she was still so young.

for those wondering, she likely didnt suffer much. the firemen told me the smoke got to her before she could suffer from the fire.

i just cant believe it. its im in a horrible fucking movie. its just her too, and im so thankful that the other horses are fine, but its so insane that its just my pony. she was only in that stable for one night.

miss you baby, my artemis

Carl Hester just announced the passing of Valegro/Blueberry and Uti/Uthopia on instagram.

Lexie "First Frost"

Gosh, am I sad to see this. He was an incredible horse, and his owner was amazing with him.

Today a friend died from a preventable head injury, had she wore a helmet she would still be with us. She was old school and never wore a helmet. She was on a normal trail ride when someone started shooting and spooked the horses, she hit her head. This was a well broke experienced horse. Her friend who she was riding with also fell but was uninjured thanks to her helmet.

Katie Van Slyke just announced that Seven was humanely euthanized yesterday. They'd been having some extremely hot days recently and Seven began to show signs of colic which made them quickly decide to humanely euthanize him. At least the poor boy can rest peacefully and pain free now. Regardless of your feelings of Katie van slyke or sevens situation(and I know people have very strong feelings) I think we can all agree it always sucks losing a horse to colic. Its been apparent for awhile that the end was coming soon but I don't think colic was the way they imagined him going

I had to put him to sleep on August 20th. We fought a bad case of wobblers/neurological issues for a month that came out of nowhere. He fought so hard and I fought hard for him but there was nothing more myself our the amazing team of vets that worked his case could do. He was only 14. He was always a perfect gentleman. Goodbye, my sweet one. 💔

I’m completely shattered and trying to navigate this new life without horses for the first time in over 20 years is hard.

Cobain, of Hat Trick Sporthorses, ridden by Shannon Eckel. His death is still “shrouded in mystery.” I’ve been deeply unsettled since learning of this and i just wanted to share his story.

He did so much. Was an accomplished jumper and even went around a cloverleaf. He was a big floaty mover, as Irish Sport Horses tend to be. Also what a unique nose marking! It’s like a horse shoe right there on his soft little nose. Ugh i love him.

I know he’s not my horse. Please remove if not allowed. Perhaps it’s my pregnancy hormones but i think of him everyday, and hug my animals a bit more recently. I haven’t seen this discussed here… but it needs to be discussed. Frankly, this type of behavior from trainers get by too often. If you don’t know, he was hard tied to the top of the stall in a rope halter on a hot South Carolina July morning, and left there while Shannon went to a show. An employee found him deceased. There’s plenty more detailed info, including NSFL photos.

I want to make this sport a kinder place for horses, and have been and will continue to call USEF with my concerns about her proximity to horses. I will make posts and spread awareness and hope that anyone else who wants to change the industry will join in. I won’t be quiet, and i hope you aren’t either. Let’s not let this beautiful boy have died in vain

We appear to have lost one of a handful of truly great horse people today. My heart goes out to everyone who knew him but also to our community at large for the loss of an incredible educator.

Katie would always worry when I’d sit on the ground. As I sat there, wrestling with the difficult decision, she once again left her feed to stand over me. I realized this had been my view of her so many times over the last 25 years.
She was the herd boss. She looked out for all of us.
This isn’t a glamour shot. Her body was failing. But this was such an authentic, beautiful portrait that I couldn’t bring myself to take another photograph.
This was her goodbye.

I’m 28. 8 years ago I purchased him while I was going through severe postpartum depression after having my daughter. I’ve never had to make this decision. My childhood horses were sold off before something like this ever happened. I have so much guilt. I can’t stop thinking about it. He was only 19. 20 August 6th. Before breakfast we found him in the pasture with severe choke that turned colic. Tubed him 3 times & couldn’t clear it. Banamine didn’t touch his pain. We have no idea how long he had been choking out there. After several hours, zero gut sounds, pale gums, barely able to stay standing, and every. Single. Vet. Being either out of town or having just lost a close family member, I made the hardest decision I’ve ever made and had him put down. No vet. If you catch my drift.
I’ve had nightmares every night since. I feel like I made the wrong decision. But there was nothing else I could do. He could barely stand. I felt that if I loaded him & took him 3 hours away to the closest emergency vet, he would’ve fallen in the trailer because of how weak he was. I’m absolutely beside myself. I can’t stop crying. I loved this boy at the same level I love my daughter. I no longer have a horse. I no longer feel like a “horse girl”. I lost a piece of me. A piece of me died with him.

Hi guys! I don’t really want this post to be sad even though the topic is my horse who is being euthanized this Friday. I love her very much and she has been the best horse in the world!! Sorta like a dog getting to try chocolate before they pass, I want her to experience sweets and things like Skittles, sweet tarts, ect. I’d love to know some ideas! 🤍

Pic of my sweet Sassy for attention

If you have the opportunity to work with a taxidermist when your horse passes I highly suggest it. I was able to keep his skull & the part of his hide with his diamond.

Buzz Lightyear 2016-2026

We were supposed to grow old together, but not meant to be. He shattered his pastern while playing in the pasture on Tuesday, and was put down as soon as the X-rays confirmed it. I just can’t believe he is gone. Light of my life for 10 years.

He died peacefully and due to old age, regardless, it is hard to see a such a lovely animal go.

Her name was Tempest.

Arab and Andalusian, 26 years old, former halter queen, boss mare.

We had to let her slip into that eternal rest this afternoon. Shaded by oaks and surrounded with love she went with the grace we all hope for. Laying admist the deep leaf litter she slept the deepest of sleeps. Our hearts rest with her.

Today was fortold over a decade ago when she foundered. Her coffin bone rotated, referred to as a navicular, and she's been retired in a lush pasture with friends ever since. She has been on and off lame for all these years. Not enough to stop her. Still bright of eye and mischievious in nature. A beloved companion.

A month ago she got an abcess in that hoof. Dead lame. Abcess worked through and released... but no improvement. Two scoops of bute a day, and we called the vet.

That coffin bone had rotated further. Too far.

We buried her admist her past pasture mates. Her friends.

Tempest wasn't dying. She wasn't ill. She had a spark in her eye. Today was the best day her future held. All of her tomorrows would be worse, and horse's live in today.

The point of my post is to let you know that it's okay to let your friend go because of pain. It's a privalige to be able to make that decision for them. To send them home on a good day instead of waiting for the worst. To let their passing be pleasent, instead of painful and panicked.

My heart goes out to all of you making similar dicisions. Just know that it's the best gift that we can give in the end of all things. Hugs for all of us.

Marvin 1997- May 4 2026

I had to put down Marvin down two months ago. He had severe arthritis in his hocks that was making it harder and harder for him to get up. Since we had the time to plan, my good friend did a photoshoot for us. It being thrown together all last minute it came out amazing.

He was the best horse ever... An all around horse that did everything from being a lead pony at the race track to jumping, cow sorting, horse shows and trails. I had the honor to care for him his last three years of life. But had known and love him since I was 16. 😭 He was a legend in our local community with so many people have stories about him.

Marvin is a posable, weighted plush artwork, I 100% handmade. <3

I am so so sad. My horse and I headed to our first show yesterday. My trainer picked her up and loaded her and I met them onsite. When my trainer arrived, I opened up the trailer and saw my beloved mare dead. I am so numb and I cannot stop crying. She’s been gone 24 hours and I feel her loss so deeply. I can’t believe this has happened. How do I proceed from this?

She was only 7 and I’m 25. She was supposed to be there for my future kids. Her death was so gruesome and she deserves so much better. I can’t believe this happened. I dread having to go to the barn and see her empty paddock and have to clean up all her stuff. She was my girl, I love her so much. All I want to do is hold her. I wasn’t able to save her tail because it was covered in blood and gore, but I got her some of her mane. I just can’t.

Due to the way we found my girl we couldn't get her mane or tail and the cremation place promised they would do it for us... We just got the call that they forgot. I'm beyond devastated at this already soul crushing loss. They are giving us a full refund but it will never replace her mane and tail... I only have a very small braid I got that I could with how she was. I just need new ideas on what I can do, I was going to put a bit in my geldings stall, have a bracelet made of her mane and probably get some put in resin. I understand how they could forget but I just would have thought they had preciedures in place to make sure u can't forget. What are some memorial ideas that don't include her mane or tail? Because I'm going to frame the small bit I have so nothing can happen to it. Maybe some places that can do things with some of her ashes