Every horse that races on our tracks. Every horse that lives in our barns. Every horse that grows up on our farms - matters to us.

It’s easy to talk about them as numbers. They’re the foal crop, the racehorse population, or the broodmare band. On spreadsheets, they fill races and drive economic activity. They have hip numbers at yearling sales, and their saddle cloth numbers fill the nation’s betting slips.

But we all know better.

We know better because we get to look into their eyes. We see strength, fear, affection and curiosity. We understand that every horse is an individual, with quirks and traits that are truly unique and special. We see weakness and vulnerability when they are in need. We see strength and courage when they are confident and ready to take on the world - encouraging us to do the same.

We might wonder if we were put on this Earth to care for our horses, or if our horses were put here to care for us. We might spend more time with the horses in our lives than with the people in our lives. And because of what they mean to us, we might never wish for that to change.

We might shed tears when they are hurt. We might feel lost when we are torn apart from them.

If given the choice between feeling the loss, or not ever having had the opportunity to be in their presence, we’d choose the pain. We’d choose the bond. We’d choose the relationship. We’d choose the bumpy road we’ve experienced together.

After the extremely tragic fire at Classy Lane Farms that claimed the lives of far too many of our beautiful horses, we struggle with front page stories and Internet comments that attempt to quantify the whole thing. Earnings and dollar figures may nicely compartmentalize the loss for those outside of the horse world, but for those most closely affected, the pain won’t wash away.

The horses in this wonderful industry will never owe us anything.

Today, we mourn the lives we so sadly lost.

Today, we hug those horses that we are blessed to still have with us.

Today, we appreciate what many in the rest of the world may never appreciate - that numbers can’t provide unconditional love. And that our horses are not numbers.

Tomorrow, we wake up and determine what our future will look like.

Tomorrow, we take a little of what our horses have taught us.

Tomorrow, we bravely take on the world.

Darryl Kaplan
[email protected]