RIP Kauto Star

"There also appears to have been a fracture to the spine at the base of the neck, probably between C6 and T2. This ultimately was the most significant injury as it produced the paralysis that made it impossible for him to stand.

"The secondary problems that contributed were pneumonia as a result of being cross tied and unable to put his head down, and laminitis which was the result of the toxins in his body and having to stand for so long."

The vet report doesn't read well does it, poor horse. Especially after Clive saying that he didn't suffer.
 
I am sure that everyone had the best of intentions for Kauto but it might have been better, on realising how serious his injuries were, to simply let him go before pursuing what sounds like quite intensive treatment. Reading this has made me really sad. RIP Kauto.
 
I dont think speculating is helpful, im sure this horse was given the best of veterinary care in the hope he might recover, sometimes injuries and fractures dont properly show themselves for a few days, it sounds to me like theyve done and tried everything to give him every chance of recovery, and thats exactly what id do for any of mine until its obvious its not working, when the heartbreaking decision to pts sleep is made.
 
I just find it so sad :(

But in my head if the paralysis made it impossible to stand why put him through 5 days he cant have walked in from the field like that? :(
 
He will have been looked after on the best possible way with the best possible vetinary care, they obviously fought very hard to keep him alive. It's such a shame he's gone :(
 
SpringArising said:
The very definitions of tragedy are "an event causing great suffering, destruction, and distress, such as a serious accident" & "a play dealing with tragic events and having an unhappy ending, especially one concerning the downfall of the main character".

Bit of a strange post - I'd imagine you'd expect a bit more sympathy than what you're currently giving if one of yours dropped dead tomorrow, no?
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No, I just think that his dying is not what most would define as a 'tragedy'. Mine died from a broken leg, I got plenty of sympathy, thanks, but I didn't say it was a tragedy. It was extremely sad for me and his other owner, not a tragedy.
 
Like everything to do with his retirement, non of it makes any sense and saying something about his injuries just leads to more speculation. The whole thing has been a PR disaster and that includes his death.
 
CherryTree said:
So sad. RIP Kauto, run free. He had a good life and a great career.

What is odd is how the Vets report has made it into the press? I don't believe we needed to know all the details, I'd rather have just have remembered him cantering round a field, not being winched and cross tied with pneumonia and laminitis :(
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Don't worry, Clive Smith says horse did not suffer ......... another statement from the owner which lacks credibility. Sorry to be cynical, but there was such a lot of bad feeling about his removal from Ditcheat and it was all so unnecessary, now this. I think Mr Smith will find his reception in NH circles even colder than it has been recently.
 
cinnamontoast said:
No, I just think that his dying is not what most would define as a 'tragedy'.
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Based on what? 95% of the articles I've read about him dying so far have all described the incident as tragic and his death as a tragedy. I would imagine his hundreds of thousands of fans, trainers, owners, funders, grooms and riders would probably disagree that what has happened, and how it happened, isn't tragic.
 
Bonkers2 said:
Don't worry, Clive Smith says horse did not suffer ......... another statement from the owner which lacks credibility. Sorry to be cynical, but there was such a lot of bad feeling about his removal from Ditcheat and it was all so unnecessary, now this. I think Mr Smith will find his reception in NH circles even colder than it has been recently.
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Come on guys let’s not try and be negative, it’s sad enough that probably the greatest national hunt horse has died without all these comments. We all know that it was very controversial him moving from Ditcheat to Colletts yard, let’s just say our respects and leave this conversation for another time.
 
Bonkers2 said:
Don't worry, Clive Smith says horse did not suffer ......... another statement from the owner which lacks credibility. Sorry to be cynical, but there was such a lot of bad feeling about his removal from Ditcheat and it was all so unnecessary, now this. I think Mr Smith will find his reception in NH circles even colder than it has been recently.
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I don't believe that Clive Smith realises that horses can suffer in the first place.
 
Paul Nicholls has expressed his disappointment he was not allowed to say goodbye to KS he was only told minutes before the press release which beggars belief really.
 
cinnamontoast said:
No, I just think that his dying is not what most would define as a 'tragedy'. Mine died from a broken leg, I got plenty of sympathy, thanks, but I didn't say it was a tragedy. It was extremely sad for me and his other owner, not a tragedy.
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Whether something is viewed as a tragedy is subjective - some people will view this as tragic and others might not. The same applies to any event. Either way we are all agreed its not welcome news however we might chose to categorise it ourselves.
 
cinnamontoast said:
Poor Laura, she must be so sad. :(

Tragedy? No. A tragedy is a mass shooting of innocents on a beach, not a horse dying.
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I agree , horse who has a full life with fabulous care PTS with his owner present is very very sad but it is what happens with horses .
Tragedy is going on holiday and being murdered by a terrorist on a beach .
 
katherinef said:
Paul Nicholls has expressed his disappointment he was not allowed to say goodbye to KS he was only told minutes before the press release which beggars belief really.
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I'm so gutted for Paul and his team, they have been treated appallingly throughout this and he has only ever wanted the best for that horse. Such a sad thing to happen, the vet's report is pretty damning to be honest.
 
This horses owner can't win if he had the horse euthanised straight away people would have complained , and is also condemned because clearly they attempted to assessed whether he could be saved , personally I would not have done this but I would not condemn someone for taking a different choice .
After he foundered they would no have choice , I just don't believe that a horse man of PN calibre would be annoyed that the horse was euthanised before he had a chance to say good bye, do some people really think that a horse in this situation should wait it PTS until after its former trainers pops in to see it , the moment to do it ASAP after the vets decide enough is enough .
Fantastic horse just the best most exciting horse to watch .
 
Goldenstar said:
This horses owner can't win if he had the horse euthanised straight away people would have complained , and is also condemned because clearly they attempted to assessed whether he could be saved , personally I would not have done this but I would not condemn someone for taking a different choice .
After he foundered they would no have choice , I just don't believe that a horse man of PN calibre would be annoyed that the horse was euthanised before he had a chance to say good bye, do some people really think that a horse in this situation should wait it PTS until after its former trainers pops in to see it , the moment to do it ASAP after the vets decide enough is enough .
Fantastic horse just the best most exciting horse to watch .
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I guess he probably meant (and I haven't seen what he said) that if the horses condition was so serious he would have liked to have been told so he could see him, in case the inevitable happened. I assume he wasn't even told about the accident until just before it was released.

In all of this, the person I feel for most is Clifford.
 
Goldenstar said:
This horses owner can't win if he had the horse euthanised straight away people would have complained , and is also condemned because clearly they attempted to assessed whether he could be saved , personally I would not have done this but I would not condemn someone for taking a different choice .
After he foundered they would no have choice , I just don't believe that a horse man of PN calibre would be annoyed that the horse was euthanised before he had a chance to say good bye, do some people really think that a horse in this situation should wait it PTS until after its former trainers pops in to see it , the moment to do it ASAP after the vets decide enough is enough .
Fantastic horse just the best most exciting horse to watch .
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I agree, its a no win situation for them, nobody knows the full situation except those involved, and im in no doubt they made decisions in the best interest of the horse on the information as it presented to them
 
cinnamontoast said:
No, I just think that his dying is not what most would define as a 'tragedy'. Mine died from a broken leg, I got plenty of sympathy, thanks, but I didn't say it was a tragedy. It was extremely sad for me and his other owner, not a tragedy.
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Seriously, does it matter?

The terrorist attack is terribly sad.
KS not longer being here is terribly sad.

No need to be pedantic.
 
[QUOTE They are so big and powerful, yet so fragile.[/QUOTE]

This completely; precious, beautiful animals. Make the most of yours while you can!
 
bonny said:
Like everything to do with his retirement, non of it makes any sense and saying something about his injuries just leads to more speculation. The whole thing has been a PR disaster and that includes his death.
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id love to know why a 24yr old eventer was given Kauto Star in the first place although i have no doubt she did the best she could under very challenging media circumstances.
 
Ceriann said:
Whether something is viewed as a tragedy is subjective - some people will view this as tragic and others might not. The same applies to any event. Either way we are all agreed its not welcome news however we might chose to categorise it ourselves.
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Well said. What might be viewed as a tragedy to some might not be to others. There is not a death count which makes anything below very sad and anything above, a tragedy. Cant believe we're discussing semantics here. Let it go.
 
As always on this forum there are some very judgemental statements and a lot of supposition. It's very sad, but horses do awful things to themselves, and whatever intervention the vast majority of owners/carers make they think it's for the best, even if afterwards they may have done it differently.
Sad for everyone but not for me to say what the owner should or shouldn't have done during the horse's life.
 
Sounds like hooleying, Bigbenji. Sadly the ground is concrete though. Hence why jump racing is only on during late autumn/winter, there'd be carnage if they fell on sun baked ground.
 
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