06/16/2026
We all have those special companions that we will absolutely never forget.
The animals we grew up with, worked with, who went through the most with us, the animals who helped us through the impossible, or helped us become who we are today.
Even people who work with animals daily can pinpoint specific animals who brought a special light to their world.
What was the name of the animal(s) who stood out in your personal timeline for you? 🩷
I posted this photo and got the horse’s name wrong.
Russell Crowe corrected me.
Not because he wanted to talk about himself. Not because he wanted to promote a movie. He corrected me because the horse deserved to be remembered by the right name.
He wrote:
“That white horse is Rusty. He has passed on. George was the dark horse at the beginning of Gladiator. The one Max makes the ‘2 weeks from now I will be harvesting my grapes’ speech, ‘What we do in life…’ etc. George has also passed on. I’ll ride them both again… but not yet.”
I’ve thought about that comment quite a bit since then.
What struck me wasn’t that Russell Crowe remembered the horses. What struck me was that after all these years, all the movies, all the success, all the people he’s met, he still cared enough to make sure Rusty was remembered as Rusty and George was remembered as George.
Horse people understand that.
A good horse is never just a horse.
They become attached to seasons of your life. Certain trails. Certain jobs. Certain adventures. Sometimes they carry you through the best years of your life. Sometimes they carry you through the hardest ones.
Years later, you may not remember what truck you drove. You may not remember what saddle you rode. You may not even remember what year it was.
But you remember the good ones.
You remember the sound of their nicker when they saw you coming. You remember how they looked standing at the gate. You remember the feel of their stride, the little quirks that made them uniquely themselves, and the quiet confidence that came from knowing exactly who was underneath you.
That is why I think Russell’s final sentence resonated with so many people.
“I’ll ride them both again… but not yet.”
That isn’t really a movie quote.
It’s something every horse person who has ever lost a great horse understands.
Here’s to Rusty.
Here’s to George.
And here’s to the good ones who become part of our story long after they’re gone.
