Showjumper Katherine Morel has died at the age of 33 after her horse landed on her after a fall.

The Canadian, who was vying for a place on the national team in this summer's Olympics later this year, was competing in Florida.

Morel was riding her horse Kerry On at the Rocking Horse Winter III Horse Trials but fell at the eighth fence of the cross country course. The horse also died in the fall.

Equestrian Canada's high performance director James Hood said: "Today, the equestrian industry lost not just an exceptional athlete, but an exceptional person, as well as the horse she loved.

“On behalf of EC, I extend our sincere and heartfelt condolences to the friends and family of Katherine, as well as to the entire team who surrounded Kerry On.

"Katharine was just entering on to our radar of international events. She was a great developing athlete and a great person."

Morel was taken to Waterman Hospital in Taveres, Florida, but died from the injuries she sustained.

Speaking in 2018 about her relationship with Kerry On, Morel said: “I had a horse who I kind of maxed out with and I needed a new prospect.

“I came upon a three-year-old thoroughbred mare named Kerry On. She was a horse who wasn’t racing well — in fact, in her last race before I bought her, she walked out of the starting gate. She just wasn’t a runner.

"I looked at her and you just kind of get to see them in the stall, not even ride them, but I just liked her instantly.

"I had no idea if she would even want to jump anything. But I took a chance on her.

"It took her a few years of training to get her feet and she has turned out to be phenomenal.”