For Whom The Bell Tolls

It was a beautiful day Churchill Downs yesterday for the Kentucky Derby, but it ended on a very sad note with the fall and death of a beautiful filly named Eight Belles. 

This beautiful photograph (by Amy Sancetta)  the day before the race captures that intimacy known only by a horse and it's rider and the ground beneath that may bring glory or intense grief.  Big Brown received the glory.  Eight Belles and her family the intense grief.

Being forced to put a horse down is difficult enough.  To have to do so in front of the entire world, without a moment of quiet to kiss her goodbye, to tell her what an amazing creature she was, to thank her for running with her whole heart and soul for you, for giving up her life trying to do what she did best...that takes it beyond difficult to a place no owner/trainer/jockey/groomer ever wants to go.   My horse-loving heart goes out to all those people and the many more who were touched by her loss. 

Michelle