A KEEN horse rider killed herself in a fume-filled car because of her heartache over a man, an inquest has heard.

Tracy Brock, 32, of Cortland Mews, Milton Regis, wrote a suicide note before she died on August 7. Her body was found in her parked car by farm workers at Swanton Farm, Bicknor.

In a statement to the inquest the dead woman's best friend, horse trainer Louise Gaston, said she received a text message from Miss Brock before she died.

"I got a message from Tracy that said 'please look after Muttley until he finds a new home'," she said. "I believe she had been drinking. I got quite a few messages. There was something wrong but she kept assuring me she was OK.

"I tried to look for her but I wasn't successful. I knew she was depressed over a man."

Verdict: suicide.