She and dozens of others rummaged the field where the Wagon Wheel Ranch's barn once stood.
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Ranch owner Kathy Brunson fought back tears before and during the memorial service.
"I really mourn not only our loss with the horses, but the others who lost horses with mine," she said. "Those barns can be replaced, but those lives can't."
The barn where the horses were kept was destroyed by the blaze, which was reported at 3:34 a.m. Firefighters arrived within two minutes of the 911 call but were unable to save the horses.
Three horses initially escaped but returned to their blazing stalls as they sought safety, officials said.
The fire was ruled an accident, and its cause remains unknown, fire officials said Saturday.
For Mrs. Brunson, Saturday was a time to reflect. She and her husband first moved their horses to the ranch on Ruth Wall Road about 15 years ago.
The ranch has been home to nearly 80 horses, including award-winning jumpers, thoroughbreds, training horses and ponies. Fewer than half were inside when the barn caught fire. The others were in pastures.
The horses that died - Elvis, Fletcher, Handy, Jake, Lacy, Mini, Nahmi and Pride - ranged in age from 7 to the mid-20s. Those who worked with them considered them family members.
Several of the animals had retired from competition and were used solely for training new riders.
Gabriela Zorrilla, a rider who trained with Elvis, said she would remember him as her best friend.
"You don't always think of animals as your friends, but they are," Ms. Zorrilla said. Elvis "was very strong, but he was also gentle and loving."
During the memorial service, Kelly Knigge, Lacy's owner, spoke about each of the horses and how they influenced their owners.
She recalled how Handy "taught kids to be tough," how Jake "was a strawberry connoisseur" and how children loved Mini, the little pony.
Another horse, Bedouin, was also recognized during the service. He died July 20 at age 13. His death was unrelated to the fire.
A makeshift memorial marks the site of the barn. Visitors covered the memorial - built with bales of hay - with photos of the horses, poems, ribbons, awards and flowers. Eight wreaths emblazoned with the horses' names surrounded the memorial.
Family members and friends laced a fence leading to the memorial with red carnations, cards and letters.
Mrs. Brunson plans to rebuild the barn and construct a permanent memorial for the horses.
Mrs. Brunson said that the huge outpouring of love and support has motivated her to move forward.
"I didn't realize how big my family was throughout the metroplex," she said. "It's renewed my faith in mankind."
Reprinted with permission, Dallas Morning News.
