Bad news for Barbaro

[bellsbendboy]

CTC you are right in that Bush has been a major setback for our country but you are out to lunch on the Jackson\'s.

They ONLY care about the horse being comfortable.  I have been aware of them for many years and their generosity and compassion are second to none. Today I received a personal note and picture of Barbaro thanking me for the small donation I sent.  Additionally, your previous prattle on his injury was without merit.  BBB

[Chuckles_the_Clown2]

bellsbendboy Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> CTC you are right in that Bush has been a major
> setback for our country but you are out to lunch
> on the Jackson\'s.
>
> They ONLY care about the horse being comfortable.
> I have been aware of them for many years and their
> generosity and compassion are second to none.
> Today I received a personal note and picture of
> Barbaro thanking me for the small donation I sent.
>  Additionally, your previous prattle on his injury
> was without merit.  BBB

The horse should have been put down immediately. Sesamoid, Pastern, Cannon bone and dislocated fetlock. The desperate measures to save him had nothing to do with generoisity and compassion. Even now with only 20% of his hoof wall intact and delirious on pain killers they can\'t do the right thing. Its patently ridiculous and anyone falling for the PETA animal love nonsense has been suckered in.

You\'ve supposedly have been around the horses. I don\'t have to tell you what is going on right now and whats in store for the next few days to a week or so. It\'s got nothing to do with animal love. They want to breed him and this horse should not and is not going to breed.

Story over.

[P-Dub]

Chuck,

I\'ve ripped you on several occassions,  but have to agree with you on this.  I\'m sure they are compassionate people. But true compasion would have been to recognize the horrific injuries and, coupled with the extreme unlikelihood of recovery,  the decision to humanely put down the horse.

I\'m sure many of us have had to deal with similar situations involving our pets. My favorite dog was a stray mutt, loyal as can be and with quirks that would  make me shake my head.  She didn\'t give litters to million dollar puppies,  but I loved her like no other dog I ever had.  When she was 12 the ligament went out in her hind leg.  I took her to the vet where they perfomed surgery.  A few days later the ligament went out again, so they again performed surgery again (kindly charging me for the anestetics only) and fused the joint.  This would allow her to walk and get around.  She wasn\'t home for 2 days when her other hind leg had the same problem. She couldn\'t walk and the only option was more surgery with no assurance that it would be successful.  I couldn\'t bear to have her go through surgery all over again,  so I made the desision to put her down.

I know...what does a dog have to do with this.  I guess my point is that putting the welfare of your pet first comes at thy expense of putting your personal feelings second. I think of her often,  and I sleep well at night knowing I did the right thing by her.  I hope the Jackson\'s do the right thing by Barbaro.

[Chuckles_the_Clown2]

P-Dub, I have a best friend story I can\'t even tell. 20 years later it still chokes me up. The best thing about the man dog relationship is that its just as good for the dog when the dog finds the right owner. Your dog was lucky and I\'m sure she knew it. Jerry has his cats. One was a diabetic receiving injections from him I believe. Did that cat get lucky or what?

The best horses are majestic, brave and dependable, yet honestly its hard to get as attached to them as a dog. Those dogs are just downright loyal. Plus the horses are an expertise thing. You can\'t get too sentimental over them. That said I visited Easy Goer\'s home shortly after he passed away and standing before his stall I got so emotional I\'m sure I weirded out the farm hand giving me the tour. When Smarty lost the Triple Crown I was major league funked out and it had nothing to do with not turning the Birdstone perfecta around.

I say some things to stir the pot. To get debate going, but I was stone sober serious about Barbaro not being a viable stud prospect and doing the right thing by him. Still, I\'m worried about him and restless, checking the sites constantly for the next bit of news even though I\'m quite sure I know what is developing. With laminitis things can happen quickly. Sunday Silence held on a week before he laid down, but he was an older horse. Barbaro was in absolute top condition when this happened and that condition and his big heart have carried him a long way. However, wishing breeding years upon him so badly that the reality is ignored is not humane. He\'s telling them he\'s tired.

[bobphilo]

Chuckles, so you have a heart after all. The man-pet bond is indeed strong. I used to have to give my cat Tiger twice daily insulin injections and towards the end, when he developed renal failure, daily subcutaneous infusions of Ringer's lactate to keep him hydrated and concocted all kinds of lactose free nutritional formulas when his appetite failed. Hardest of all was the decision to end his life when is suffering was too great at the age of 19.
I agreed that breeders should have given more importance to his breakdown and the industry more importance to soundness in breeding in general. That doesn't mean we wouldn't have wished him many happy years in the pasture in retirement.
At this point, however, I am unable to even think about his possible pros and cons as a stallion, as nature will probably apply its own cruel breeding program through natural selection and render that point moot.
I can only hope that this brave warrior can beat the long odds against recovery and if not, his last days be pain free. He is being heavily sedated with opioids, which can elevate mood as well as relieve pain. Both functions are very important at times like this.  Dr. Richardson has said that he will not let him continue in pain when all else fails.

Bob

[shanahan]

Encouraged Prado Pays Barbaro a Visit
Date Posted: 7/14/2006 5:44:08 PM
Last Updated: 7/14/2006 5:44:08 PM
you gotta love Edgar, anyone remember a jock who\'s$$$ came form a horsein distress oding htis...aside from Antley?  The pet analogies are great, and I apologize up front...but I can\'t separate \'em.  My jack russell would love Big Barbaro - and drive the big horse crazy!


(from Belmont Park report)
Jockey Edgar Prado drove to the University of Pennsylvania\'s New Bolton Center in Kennett Square, Pa. Friday morning to visit ailing Classic winner Barbaro at the George D. Widener Hospital for Large Animals.
At a press briefing on Thursday, Dr. Dean Richardson, the colt\'s primary veterinarian, described Barbaro\'s chances of recovering from laminitis in his left-hind leg as \"poor.\" But Prado, who rode the colt to victory in the Kentucky Derby (gr. I), said he has not lost faith.

\"He looked much better than I thought he would,\" said Prado, who left New York at 4:30 a.m. and spent about 2 1/2 hours with Barbaro before heading back to Belmont Park for its Sunset Friday card. \"He is very smart, and he knew me right away. I fed him, walked with him and he put his head on my shoulder and fell asleep.

\"It is a very bad situation,\" said Prado, who returned to Belmont to win the second and third races on Friday. \"But he has the will to overcome this.\"