A Dozen High-Priced Arabian Horses Die in Barn Fire

A prized Arabian horse

The average horse killed at the Goslin-Nix Stables blaze was worth about $60,000 and included one world champion valued at $100,000.

The Arabian horses, which are known for their "unequaled ability to bond with humans" due to their being "bred and reared in close contact with man from the earliest records," were housed in an approximately 5,000-square foot barn that was completely destroyed.

According to the Fire Marshal's office, the barn fire was large enough to bring in fire fighters from The Woodlands and Needham fire departments.

Fortunately, at least half of the 28 horses housed in the stables managed to escape the blaze. Neighbors and passersby went into the barn and opened stalls when they spotted the fire around 6 a.m.

The rest of the horses may have stayed in the barn despite a chance to escape, which is "a strange thing they do" often during barn fires, according to Horseback Magazine Editor and Vice President of The Greater Houston Horse Council, Steven Long.

Fire sprinkler systems, which are common in high-end stables, may have been overcome due to the overwhelming drought, or simply may not have been installed in the facility. Also, 28 fans used to cool the horses off may have contributed to the blaze, which firefighters think could be related to the dry and hot weather conditions.

Fred and Jennifer Goslin of Goslin-Nix, who own and operate the Goslin-Nix Training Center located at the junction of Farm roads 1774 and 1488, offer services ranging "from lessons, to boarding, to training and conditioning programs, to show services, to breeding services, and sales services," according to their Web site.