Monday, October 17, 2006

Fire Destroys Epona Farm, But Not the Spirit of Its Members

From Tranquility to Tragedy

The fire departments from many surrounding communities responded but unfortunately too late for our dear, beloved horses. We lost 33 beautiful creatures that day, perishing from the smoke we were told, probably within as little as two minutes. Many witnesses spoke of the eerie silence, even at the outset, and we take some comfort in knowing they died swiftly. Even though the barn was totally destroyed our horses were all found in their stalls, lying down, at peace, no sign of panic. Many from the equine community arrived within minutes offering to help in any way they could, many bringing trailers, not knowing they would leave empty, others doing the sad job of notifying the boarders of the tragedy and helping take over tasks for the distraught owner of the barn.

All the horses were identified and given a respectful burial in a pasture on the property. Their 33 graves are all marked, they are with their barn mates, and they will always, always be with us. Some wonderful ladies from a nearby school made the crosses for their graves. On Sunday, October 9th, we had a beautiful memorial service to honor our fallen friends. So many people came, familiar faces, and many unknown, to pay their respects and give us comfort. We hope for closure, and though the healing will go on, we will need to rely on our families and friends for support for a long time. Our horses were everything to us.