06/30/2025
This is Ruby, the last horse to leave the coal mines, stepping into the daylight on December 3, 1972, with flowers around her neck and music playing to honor her quiet courage. Like so many before her, Ruby spent her life in darkness, pulling heavy coal wagons underground, never feeling the sun or fresh air. Yet these horses carried on with quiet strength, knowing when their day should end and refusing to move if the burden was too much.
They worked side by side with their human partners, sharing the weight and silence of a world beneath the earth. Today, we take the time to honor Ruby and all the brave horses who lived and worked in the shadows, reminding us of their dignity and sacrifice. They will always be the ghosts of the coal mines.