Internationally known rider and influencer Matt Harnacke has had to say goodbye to his horse Emporio. In an emotional Instagram post, he wrote about the passing of his “once in a lifetime horse.” Earlier this year, Harnacke had already announced that Emporio would retire due to health reasons.
In an emotional post on Instagram, Matt Harnacke announced that his beloved horse Emporio has passed away. “Today I said goodbye to my beloved Emporio. My once in a lifetime horse, my soulmate, my everything,” he wrote. “It hurts to miss you, it’s something I’m not used to. I’m not sure I ever will. I’m not ready to say goodbye, my beautiful boy."
The heartbreaking news comes twelve weeks after Harnacke announced that Emporio would retire due to health issues. “I had to make the heart-wrenching decision to retire my once in a lifetime horse Emporio,” he wrote at the time. “For health reasons, he can no longer be ridden. There are no words to describe how painful it is to know that I will never share that feeling with him again.”
Although Emporio was no longer active in the sport, he remained at home with Harnacke, who currently lives in the Netherlands. “He will enjoy his retirement at home with us and remain a beloved member of our family,” the rider said at the time.
Matt Harnacke, born in Italy and raised in Australia, is internationally known as a dressage rider, model, and founder of HorseWorld TV. With millions of followers on Instagram and YouTube, he shares his passion for horses, classical dressage, and the unique bond between humans and animals. His horse Emporio had long been his loyal partner both in sport and in his online content.
Thousands of comments from fans, fellow riders, and organizations have poured in under the emotional post. The FEI also expressed their condolences, writing: “Our hearts go out to you.”
For Harnacke, the loss of Emporio is more than just saying goodbye to a horse. It is the loss of a companion who deeply shaped his life. “He changed my life from the moment we met,” he concluded.
