Still Can't Believe It...

It's been 3 days since the tragic fire that took 6 horse's lives at the barn Boyd Martin rented at Phillip Dutton's True Prospect Farm.  Despite the passage of a brief bit of time, it doesn't seem any more comprehensible that something like this could happen. 

My heart goes out to Boyd, his wife Silva, and everyone else touched by this senseless tragedy.  The horror that these people experienced and now have to work through is unimaginable.  I can't even wrap my mind around what it would be like to lose my horse, much less experience a loss of this magnitude.  There has to be a special place in heaven for Lillian, Ryan, Caitlin, Boyd and Phillip and all those that helped try to rescue the horses, and I know there are 6 new angels that are taking care of the people who took care of them.

One can't help but be moved by the efforts of the equestrian community to help those affected by the fire.  There are so many ways to help and the following list is just a fraction of them.  I know we'll all do whatever we are capable of doing.

Eventing icon Denny Emerson is donating 50% of the proceeds from his book How Good Riders Get Good .  Really wish I hadn't already purchased this -- looks like now I'm going to have to purchase a few as Christmas gifts.

New Jersey eventer Doug Payne has announced that 50% of all sales of his collaborative video with Jimmy Wofford, The Rider's Eye, during the month of June will be donated to the TPF recovery fund.  Again, wish this was not already in my DVD library.  Trying to think of a few friends who might enjoy a copy...

Trafalgar Square Books will donate 15% of all online sales at http://www.horseandriderbooks.com/ in the week ahead to the relief fund.

ECOGOLD, one of Boyd's sponsors, put up six special edition saddle pads for sale, in memory of each of the lost horses.  Those sold out quickly, however, ECOGOLD has offered an unlimited amount of Secure Cross Country Saddle Pads for sale and will donate 50% of the sales to Boyd.

Koper Equine, maker of colorful rein snaps, is donating 50% of all June sales.

During the month of June, Five Star Tack will be donating 10% of their profits to support the relief effort.

Photographer AK Dragoo tweeted that 20% of all photo purchases will be going toward fire relief.

A fire relief fund has been set up through SCES, a non-profit based in California that supports equestrians.

You can also donate to each of the riders (Lillian Heard, Caitlin Silliman and Boyd Martin) on their pages at the American Horse Trials Foundation.

Additionally, a fire relief donation is accessible from Phillip Dutton's site.

The surviving horses are all in various stages of recovery.  The following video was posted on YouTube and featured on the website Eventing Nation as a tribute to the 6 lost horses: Call Me Ollie, Charla, Phantom Pursuit, Ariel, Cagney Herself, and Summer Breeze.  If you can watch it without bawling your eyes out, your a much stronger person than I am.