Rescuers recover a horse Monday in Moore, Okla. / Associated Press
Maybe it’s being the dad of a 1-year-old, or the husband of a teacher, that makes the pictures from Moore, Okla., almost unwatchable. The devastation wrought on innocent children and teachers delivers more of a gut punch than the shocking images of a town bulldozed. The heroic efforts by teachers to save children leave me speechless.
My second reaction, after all that, was amazement seeing so many pictures of horses standing beside wreckage. Trade publication accounts have detailed damage to the Orr family’s Celestial Acres Training Center, the training track of which can be seen in some helicopter camera views of the wreckage. One man survived in a stall. The Orrs are posting Facebook updates.
The scenes on TV reminded me of hearing about horses that were killed, injured or stranded in the March 2, 2012, tornadoes in Southern Indiana and Kentucky. It also reminded me that beyond the fight-or-flight instinct we all hear so much about, horses can be an amazingly resilient bunch.
Seeing a track in photos (the training center), I initially wondered if the tornado was near Remington Park, which is in Oklahoma City. As best I can see from mapping programs, it looks like the tornado was south of Remington. Remington’s Facebook page today said it was accepting donations of water and other items at a track entrance to take to Moore.
“Our team already made one trip last night with bottled water, chips, candy, and sandwiches. Today we will be making another run,” the post said, including delivering more than 100 pizzas. “All our employees will be ready to help. All Please help us help others! Let’s make a difference together!”
As thoughts, prayers and donations turn to Oklahoma, the final takeaway is what an absolute miracle it was at Churchill Downs on the night of June 22, 2011, when neither horse nor human was hurt when a tornado went through the backside.
Let’s make a difference, indeed.
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