Barbaro Update

[Lucy_Ally]

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I was trying not to be horrid but I have to admit that inside, I wouldn't want to see my once graceful horse reduced to such a disabled invalid. It'd break my heart each and every day to see what he'd become. It truly would.

I'm not sure if they intended this to be the outcome when they first started the fight to repair his leg. Maybe they got swept along with the desire to save him, whatever the cost financially and to the horse's quality of life.

He has to be in pain to some degree doesn't he, or at least discomfort. I just don't see that he can be retired normally in a field, I just don't see it at all.

Sorry GTs, I was trying to be a pony patter and not offend as I know his story has captured the hearts of you all stateside. I just feel sorry for Barbaro that this is how he'll be remembered....an invalid, not an amazing racer.

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I agree whole-heartedly. For me this has just been an egotistical exercise by the vets and a loving but misguided decision by the owners. I can't see this optimistic future of him grazing peacfully in a field somewhere all happy and contented. He is a racehorse bred and trained to gallop and now he can barely move. He has no dignity and a future full of pain and discomfort. Its heart-breaking.
I couldn't bear to see my horse like that

 

[miller]

Lucy_Spring - agree completely - I wouldn't want my horse to live like that personally - agree veterinary science ahs come a long way BUT I thought the whole thing with Veterinary Science/Practise was 'for the best of the animal' and sorry but I think this is 'for the best of the owner'

 

[Clodagh]

Agree with you. Its horrible, all in the name of science, no for the good of the horse about it.

 

[showjump2003]

Won't be long before allhis other joints start to pay the price for the severe deformity he has.

 

[k9h]

It's amazing how well he has "recovered". Cant see the vid though keep getting adverts!!
Have just heard that they are so impressed with what the vet did for his leg that he has been asked to work on a polar bear with a broken leg in a zoo!!?
Barbaro does look extremely well in his coat!!

 

[Ferdinase514]

I love that in he video they call the vets "his doctors"

He looks OK to me.

 

[Enfys]

I have to agree that this is not in the horses best interest. It's a TB stallion for Heavens sakes, quiet as he may be, isn't he going to try to have a bit of a buck and a kick around, and how can he do that with those limbs? Poor sod. It's no life for him, regardless of how valuable he may be as a sire, or how much he is loved as an individual. If he can't be used for breeding will they have him castrated and sedated to keep him calmer as a field ornament?

Yes, all credit to his owners for trying their best to save him, and lucky them to have the funds to do it. Well Done to the Veterinary and Nursing teams who have put him back together, a lot will have been learned from this obviously, but at whose cost?

GTs, I have followed this story through your posts and found it very interesting, Thanks for putting them all up.

 

[Dogbetty141]

would the owners really put him through the pain though if he was in any! i cannot see it he is obviously worth a lot more than just money to them! People have bad opinions of people! I cannot see it that his owners would let him sffer in pain fair enough he has been in pain but surely they would not let him be in pain now??

 

[Enfys]

I wasn't saying that he was in pain, or could be in pain, there would be no way I could tell that of course,you would hope not. I certainly don't think badly of the owners, why should I? Everybody would treat this sort of situation in a different way for different reasons.

Mind, I'm a horribly cruel person anyway, I had a perfectly healthy 14 year old arab put down last year because he was going blind.......perhaps I should have followed peoples advice (not on here, because I didn't ask) and sent him off to a Charity Centre.

 

[S_N]

I certainly don't think he has any value as a breeding stallion. Not only would it be impractical for him to attempt to breed a mare, but I wouldn't want those genes passed along - even if he was unbeaten till he broke down!

Whilst I'll stand by what I said earlier; this can only go towards helping other horses down the line. I don't like to see him, or any horse for that matter, in a situation like this!! I do empathise with his owners wanting to do all they can for him, as I'm sure we all can. But there does come a time to draw the line and say enough is enough - medical advances or not! I guess they were maybe thinking he might make a recovery akin to Lyphard, who knows.

 

[GTs]

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I'm not a fan of racing so hadn't heard of him before this case came to light (sorry for my ignorance) but will people wish to breed from him now more because of the fame from his fight for recovery or because of his success on the track before hand?

Is there nothing in the back of anyone's mind that would question if there is a genetic weakness in his conformation that predisposed him to break down so catastrophically? A weakness that could may be passed on to progeny?


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It was caused by a bump from Brother Derek, not a flaw of his in anyway. His owners already have breed a full brother of him, and have another full brother/sister in uteri. Barbaro was thought to be a true triple crown contender, even more so than Smarty Jones whose opening stud fee was $100,000.

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To say his he will always walk with a "hitch" has to be the biggest understatement of the year!

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As ligaments get stretched out with increased walking I believe the hitch will become less dramatic.

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I would also be very reluctant to turn him out with such a severe gait abnormality and twisted leg for fear of further injury.

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Well they are looking for a place to turn him out now, so I do not think that is their concern.

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Have just heard that they are so impressed with what the vet did for his leg that he has been asked to work on a polar bear with a broken leg in a zoo!!?

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That was a while ago - the Polar Bear died on the way back to the zoo. Not sure the cause of death though.

My thoughts are you have to give the benefit of doubt to the people looking after him - a top surgeon, the owners of one of the premier racing farms, and a hall of fame show jumper - they all have always said they were will to put him down when he seemed defeated, and I have no doubt they would have.

If you look at what was done to Barbaro compared to that lame horse who ran and broke down in that large race in England - it shows difference of opinions on the subject from each side of the pond.

 

[clipertyplop]

thanks for saying all that......just wish i could put my thourghts into words like that......that poor horse will never have a normal life

 

[GTs]

Normal life no - painfree happy life is what they are aiming for.