The role of a writer is to take the emotions that we have seen when we stand in the beauty of horses, and try and share that with readers the world over. We have to capture great moments of joy and happiness, and transmit that through the written word to people that were not there to witness events for themselves.
Equally, we have to convey sadness, pass on news about death – death of horses, generally, but more lately, of friends. It is hard for most of us to comprehend. And it makes the life of the writer incredibly difficult, too.
Betty Finke posted a piece yesterday – her own sense of trying to understand what has happened and to help process it. For when we cannot write, we have writer’s block – and it is here, now. An incredible sense of grief and sadness. Of knowing that I must write about Enzo, about Sigi, about Drug, about Erwin, about Wendell… Of knowing that there is so much to celebrate in their lives, but just that all these deaths coming together has made for an incredible sense of mourning across our community.
I have always counted myself has having the luckiest job in the world – I get to travel the world and see amazing horses. I get to spend time in the company of great breeders, photographers, artists. Over time, these people become friends and life is richer for it. Their horses become as familiar to us as our own, and we follow each new generation with interest. As for the people, they become closer, from ‘acquaintance’ to ‘friend’, and we look forward to seeing them as we journey around the world, to spend time in their company, to hear their news.
The Arabian world is a better place for having had so many amazing people in it – from Sheila, Peter, Sigi and Erwin to Enzo, Pianissima and Drug. For them all to go now, too soon, leaves us behind wondering why. And now that I have written my attempt to clear some of the pain that is deep inside, I must now celebrate their lives. So that when the next magazine comes around, you can enjoy a sense of pleasure as well as sadness as you relive some of the most amazing moments of their lives.
The losses that we, as a community, have felt this year will never be replaced. But time will help heal, as will celebrating the achievements of these incredible people. Rest in peace, dear friends…
Samantha
– Thank you as ever, to Stuart Vesty, for the image. It seemed perfectly fitting for this.
