Just unimaginable to think of this happening at all, much less that someone allegedly did it intentionally. Tragic and senseless. Initial reports from friends in the area that 30 or more horses were lost… please keep them and their connections in your thoughts.
Unfortunately its only the latest occurrence of a long standing practice.
Well aware, thanks. Doesn’t make it any less horrific and incomprehensible.
1 Like
If this person that was arrested is guilty, I hope he burns in Hell forever. How sick do you have ot be to set fire to a barn full of horses?
7 Likes
Word is the local horsemen want to put him in a pine box and light it on fire.
ETA: My daughter heard he turned himself in, claiming to be a drug addict who was high and hearing voices.
7 Likes
Id’ like him to hear voices. From the inside of that box.
9 Likes
I’d like him to hear the frantic, terrified voices of all those horses… forever.
5 Likes
A memorial story of the horses lost in this beyond-senseless tragedy:
5 Likes
Many years ago, I worked on a Standardbred farm. I did everything from breeding and foaling to starting the goofy youngsters to the jog cart and chaffeuring them to the track.
I loved the background info on the Tioga horses…their personalities… their people…
1 Like
Wow. What a beautifully written tribute.
Incidentally, at the GoFundMe site, someone chose to donate $5 to make an anti racing post.
What is wrong with people?
2 Likes
Judging by the photo posted on one of the Facebook pages, there was definitely something (or lots) wrong there.
My cousin lives not too far from Tioga Downs, and I have been there many, many times. What a tragedy.
Condolences to all of the humans affected, and may there be justice for the horses.
When someone does something heinous to animals, why isn’t there a penalty that is just as bad? I can be far more reasonable about murder than I am about something like this, or animal abuse. Then I go all medieval and want to be able to select from the punishments offered then.
1 Like
Horrible.
I have been following this since I first heard of it Thursday morning when they were still saying that no horses were in the barn. It breaks my heart and hits very close to home for me. While I have never been to Tioga, my retired STB raced there many summers during his career and I have close friends that stable and race there in the summer. I think this is every horse owner’s worst nightmare. I gave my guys and especially my STB extra lovin’ this weekend.
2 Likes
Oh look, a NYTimes article that is behind a fire wall. Sigh.
Does it say anything new?
It was well written and respectful (although being the Times, the writer just had to gratuitously say that the sport declined in popularity). She interviewed the person who tried to save the horses and was badly burnt as well as his wife and another couple who had several horses in the barn. They described some of the horses who died and it was heartbreaking.
Nothing on the motive of the arsonist. Since he was not known to them, he was not a disgruntled groom or anything like that.
1 Like
An update from this morning.
2 Likes
Thank you for posting that article.
Has there been any further word about legal actions against the arsonist?
