Charisma (30 October 1972 – 7 January 2003), nicknamed "Podge" and "Stroppy", was a horse ridden by New Zealander Mark Todd.
After an injury ended her career, she was bred to the Thoroughbred stallion Tira Mink, [1] and Charisma was foaled on 30 October 1972.
He was soon bought by David Murdoch, who placed the yearling in a small pasture with a four-foot fence, which Charisma jumped.
[2] Mark Todd was offered Charisma to ride by Virginia Caro, as his experienced horse was sick.
A few months later, at the Los Angeles Olympic Games, Todd and Charisma finished well after dressage and then put in a clear cross-country and stadium round.
Knowing that Todd wanted the horse badly, Purbrick managed a deal with him to buy Charisma behind Clark's back.
[1] At the 1988 Olympics, Charisma put in a stellar dressage test, and jumped clear rounds in both the cross-country and stadium.
He won the individual gold yet again, and beat the second-place horse, Sir Wattie, by the incredible margin of 10.20 penalties.
On 7 January 2003, Charisma was euthanized at Mark Todd's Rivermonte Farm in Cambridge, after breaking a shoulder in the field.