By Allison Worrall
Updated May 1, 2016 — 8.35 pm
first published at 8.05 pm
Horse riders around the country have paid their respects to a young Victorian woman killed while competing at a major equestrian event.
Caitlyn Fischer, 19, was fatally injured when she fell from her horse on Saturday during the cross-country competition of the Sydney International Horse Trials.
The Bairnsdale teenager has been remembered as a talented and passionate horse rider.
The equestrian community has taken to social media to pay tribute to Ms Fischer, posting messages using the hashtag 'Ride On Caitlyn Fischer'.
Fellow competitor Hannah Way said it was a tragedy "a beautiful girl died doing what we all love."
"Every time we leave the start box the fear is gone, the adrenaline kicks in," she wrote on Facebook.
"We know what we are doing and we trust this big beautiful animal to keep us safe. But most importantly they trust us."
"What an incredible bond we share. Caitlyn shared that exact bond with her beautiful horse."
Another horse rider Samantha Lizars wrote of seeing Ms Fischer at events with "the biggest cheesy grin" on her face.
Jessie Smith, a fellow rider on the Wilson Equestrian team, said Ms Fischer was a "very talented young lady with a bright future." "There will always be a place on the team for you, a team that will never be the same again...Sleep well Caitlyn, gallop free," she said on Facebook.
The Bairnsdale Pony Club, where Ms Fischer was previously a member, remembered her as "a delightful young girl".
"Our hearts go out to her parents, Ailsa & Mark, who were fantastic club members & her brother, Kris," the club wrote on Facebook. "A beautiful young life taken much too soon."
The outpouring of shared grief and mourning comes just two months after 17-year-old Olivia Inglis died after falling from her horse during a competition in the Hunter Valley in New South Wales.
Caitlyn Fischer had posted about the death of Ms Inglis, sharing a photo of herself riding a horse on Facebook along with the hashtag 'Ride for Olivia'.
Hundreds of horse riders and horse lovers have again shared their grief and shock at the second loss of a young woman in as many months.
One woman from Queensland wrote: "Whilst many people don't know you personally, including me, the horse world is just one big family and we all feel the heartbreak when a fellow rider has such a tragic accident doing what we all love."