Death, Taxes and the Cycle of Life
P I
t’s early April as I write this column, and it’s been quite a ride since we published our last issue of Warmbloods Today in mid-February. In that short time, four of our staff members, including me, lost loved ones: a mother, a father, a cousin and an aunt. And our staff isn’t really that big, so it’s been a somber time.
Since tax deadlines are also around the corner, recently Benjamin Franklin’s famous quote came to mind: "In
the world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes." Our founding father was right; we can’t avoid either one. Te word ‘taxes’ is plural as we face paying taxes on practically a daily basis in some form or another. Death, however, is something that we each face—hopefully—not too frequently. Death, the experts say, is merely a part of life. But losing a loved one, whether human or animal, can leave us heartbroken and sad. Recently a friend visited my farm who had changed careers a few years ago and was now an EMT working for
the second busiest fire department in the state of Florida. I had to ask her this question as I was curious—does she see death oſten on her emergency calls and how does she deal with it? Her answers were simple. Yes, she confirmed, it was a frequent occurrence in her profession. “But,” she replied, “a corpse is no longer the person that everyone knew. Without that person’s spirit, it’s just a body.” Her comment was matter-of-fact yet leſt me with some comfort. It’s a person’s spirit that we will miss, that we will remember, that we should celebrate, that shouldn’t be forgotten. Last issue’s “Warmblood Whoas” column was apparently popular with many readers, as Scot described how the
spirit of the horse affects him daily and helped him deal with his brother’s death years ago. He wrapped it up by concluding, “Horses save me. Tey give me hope, direction and something in which to believe.” Is it the spirit of our animals that draw us to them, who give us unconditional love and make life interesting and fun? What I find fascinating is that as we nurture and train them, if our minds are open, they can teach us a thing or two! And when we are kind to them, they are so eager to give back to us. In this issue, our two ‘come back’ stories are perfect examples of people willing to go out on a limb and give a
horse a second chance. Te potential negative outcome for these two horses all too early was avoided, so kudos to Wendy and Julie. And whether you breed or not, I think you’ll enjoy what eight different breeders have to say about their breeding “bucket list” for the future. Along with the Oldenburg section and our other regular columns and features, please enjoy this twenty-fiſth issue of the magazine. Our tax return deadline is behind us. Tere are training and showing goals to tackle. And there is new life to
witness as I frequently hear, “I’m on foal watch!” Spring is finally here. Let’s all take a moment to remember the cycle of life and to celebrate the miracles of birth, the joys of living and the rebirth that comes with second chances.
Liz Cornell, Publisher
editor@warmbloodstoday.com
ublisher’s Welcome
Our Mission: Warmbloods Today is the leading magazine in North America focused on the entire spectrum of Warmblood breeds. It’s a place where people from all aspects of the sport horse community can come together: amateurs, owners, trainers and breeders. Each issue contains interesting, informative and often heart-warming stories of peoples’ experiences with their horses, along with thought- provoking opinions from various professionals and amateurs. We cover all horses from European descent bred for the sports of jumping, dressage, eventing and driving including the Iberian breeds and American Warmbloods.
10 May/June 2013
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