Posted on 07/10/2006 2:13:53 PM PDT by Dog
For nearly 6 weeks after the catastrophic injuries Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro suffered in the May 20 Preakness, the colt's recovery from the May 21 surgery on his right hind leg had gone better than even the most optimistic had hoped. From the start, Dr. Dean Richardson, who performed the surgery, warned everyone that it could turn the other way at any time.
In the last week, almost nothing has gone right for Barbaro. Last night, Richardson said the colt has developed "potentially serious'' complications, including an infection in the leg. When asked how he thought this might play out, Richardson said he simply could not be certain.
(Excerpt) Read more at philly.com ...
Ping
Oh no I really hope he makes it. prayers for Barbaro
Any reason why the leg can't be amputated and a prosthesis used? I've read about this on elephant feet. Good Year even was involved putting a flipper/tail on a seal. At least you could use him for stud purposes. Not a horse person, just asking.
The cast was replaced again today.
There is infection in the damaged leg, but there is healing going on where it is wanted in the bones.
This is going to take a long time.
I have wondered why they don't amputate. Many animals get along just fine.
I guess I'm a cold-hearted SOB, but I don't understand the drama in this story. Horses are far less smart than pigs, who we routinely fry and sprinkle on our salads or serve with eggs.
I hope Barbaro recovers, but I consider the horse an investment (which has already paid off handsomely) and not a cherished pet. What am I missing here?
One Thoroughbred stallion, Spanish Riddle, did have an artificial hoof.
Horses need to be fairly active to remain healthy--the actual damage done to Barbaro's leg is healing as well as could be hoped.
According to Jockey Club rules, all US foals must be the result of "natural cover". That means stallions with relatively functional hind legs.
Full brother born in March
But pigs are useless. At least horses have (or used to have) a practical use. Horses are generally cleaner, and darn it, they're just cuter.:)
Your heart.
>I hope Barbaro recovers, but I consider the horse an investment (which has already paid off handsomely) and not a cherished pet. What am I missing here?<
Quite a lot. I won't even try to explain it. Please, don't bug the blazes out of the people who do care, and to whom this does matter.
Surely there is something in your life important to you that nobody else much cares for? Don't we all have the right to personal concerns?
Horses are cuter, although Arnold was practically cuddly on Green Acres.
No, I didn't see it. Perhaps that would have given me a different perspective.
I should have known I was asking the question on the wrong thread. Obviously a lot of people care deeply for a horse they never met.
And that's fine.
"Horses are cuter, although Arnold was practically cuddly on Green Acres."
Pigs, like people, stop being attractive when they approach the 300-pound mark.
>I should have known I was asking the question on the wrong thread. Obviously a lot of people care deeply for a horse they never met.<
I've never met Barbaro personally, but I did meet a larger number of the horses in his extended pedigree over the last few decades. For me, it's personal.
Point taken. When Deeeetroits Mayor 'Kwame' disbanded the mounted section in the PD, he had them headed to a dog food company in Canada. Local people arranged to buy them instead for their riding.
That to his people maybe Barbaro's both? :)
Imagine your a professional runner, and you shatter your femur, knee, tibia, fibula, ankle, and foot....and you still keep running. The jockey stopped the horse.
But the horse is done racing, right? Obviously stud fees are at stake, but that's the financial angle to the story.
Otherwise, we're hoping that a cute horse doesn't prematurely die because we like cute horses. And who doesn't?
I repeat myself; I'd like the horse to make a complete recovery, or as complete as it can be. I was trying to understand why there's an emotional aspect to the story, and I think that's been answered.
Actually there was a horse thread about a prosthetic that was used. I didn't save it though.
Think NASA. What the vets learn from this case can benefit all mankind that have horses:')
Horse sense.
And perhaps an aesthetic sense. The sheer beauty of horses touches many people's hearts. Not to mention their spirits. Barbaro has both beauty and spirit to a magnificent degree.
>But the horse is done racing, right? Obviously stud fees are at stake, but that's the financial angle to the story.
Otherwise, we're hoping that a cute horse doesn't prematurely die because we like cute horses. And who doesn't?
I repeat myself; I'd like the horse to make a complete recovery, or as complete as it can be. I was trying to understand why there's an emotional aspect to the story, and I think that's been answered.<
The horse could be a failure at stud. There are no guarantees. Animals with every indication of success on pedigree and performance have proven incapable of siring anything more than ordinary.
Then there is another possibility: infertility.
And one more: mental problems. Japanese interests bought War Emblem hoping he would take the place of Sunday Silence, but although the animal is fertile, he isn't interested in mares. They've tried everything, but this year he has actually covered only one mare.
I don't want to go deeply into the emotional issues because this usually only ends in the people who care being ridiculed and taunted by those who obviously do not, and who enjoy shredding those who do.
Suffice to say, it goes way beyond "cute".
I think I understand what the problem is. I was either 9 or 10 years old, and I was sitting on a horse at a neighbor's place. It was a pretty big thrill for me.
There was a large crash across the street. I don't know what dropped, but the horse bolted and I went tumbling.
Broke my arm.
I've probably been holding a grudge against horses for a very long time.
If I were a psychologist, I'd send me a bill for ten bucks. ;-)
People who love horses (and not just this particular horse) value them not for the financial investment or not even as pets. Horses are a part of our nation's history and heritage.
A thoroughbred carries centuries of breeding in him, and is bred for racing and for heart. Barbaro had all of this, in spades.
Race horses are the culmination of the unique partnership between man and animal. The only thing that eclipses it is the partnership between man and dog. Barbaro's injury came at the culmination of his training, and hit people emotionally because race horses are seen as not simply animals but partners. It was rather like seeing the co-pilot of a jet injured as they were getting ready to win a round-the-world race.
Horse people and dog people are simply not able to look at animals as investments. It is, I think, something almost genetic. While I share this view, my husband (raised on a farm) does not. I don't think it has anything to do with economics or whether or not someone is a race fan. It is something more, and I can't fully explain it, although I hope I have given you a feel.
Did you ever read the book or see the moveie Sea Biscuit? That would give you a feel for what people are thinking about Barbaro.
Hope this helps!
THe arm ok, now? You could try again:')
Barbaro is a magnificent, splendid animal. His best chance of survival is to gain some use of the leg - which may be so limited that he might never be able to stud. His owner's and caregiver's only wish is that he has a pain-free life. A thoroughbred's life is motion. They can not survive on three legs - the unequal weight distribution leads to a fatal infection of the hoof. Prosthetic limbs have been tried with very poor success. The best chance for this magnificent animal is to heal.
Is that true?? How unbelievable! For one thing those mounts
were probably trained at great expense to be reliable in
the face of traffic, distractions, hurled missiles...
Tells me all I needed to know about the mayor.
also an eye for the stud fees Barbaro could command if he
can manage balancing on those hind legs...
I thought they shot horses with broken legs.
It's not about the horse. It's about what it is worth. Someone is taking a financial bath here.
Bless you. I was not trying to pick a fight.
And your answer did explain a lot of this.
Thanks for the info. I never could understand, now I do.
There are stud fees to be collected - this particular investment [at least in theory] was only starting paying out.
I've ridden horses probably 20 or 30 times since then with no mishaps.
And it's fun. I think the last time was three years ago.
But I've never owned a horse or ever bonded with one.
I probably (unwisely) entered this thread with the same kind of a question that a North Korean would have about why I've spent hundred of dollars in vet bills for my dog. A dog to me is different than a dog to him. It's a matter of how much time you've spent with them and how that relationship is working.
I just hope I never develop too much compassion for cattle or hogs. That would really cut down on my menu choices.
And I absolutely refuse to bond with a chicken. Not gonna do it.
Here's another one regarding Kwame.
http://www1.wxyz.com/wxyz/nw_local_news/article/0,2132,WXYZ_15924_4136902,00.html
I am no horse person either, but from what I understand, horses are rather fragile, and if they can't stand up, they have medical problems.
Oh no! he was doing so good and to take a turn for the worse is hearbreaking.
" == And I absolutely refuse to bond with a chicken. Not gonna do it. == "
But if you incubate the egg yourself, the resulting chicken will be perfectly happy to bond with you....
That's exactly what I'm scared of.
Stud fees?
>Is that true?? How unbelievable! For one thing those mounts
were probably trained at great expense to be reliable in
the face of traffic, distractions, hurled missiles...
Tells me all I needed to know about the mayor.<
The "final exam" is typically a revolver fired just above the ears. If they can handle that, they are ready for duty. Mounted police are a wonderful asset for an urban police department; a mounted officer can go places a foot patrol or car cannot, and quickly; you can see more on horseback, but miss little detail; and people are more likely to talk to a patrolman on horseback. The horse makes all the difference.
>I thought they shot horses with broken legs.<
This is so predictable.
Keep scrolling down. We got to that.
>It's not about the horse. It's about what it is worth. Someone is taking a financial bath here.<
Incorrect.
The horse was insured.
>It's not about the horse. It's about what it is worth. Someone is taking a financial bath here.<
Incorrect.
1-The horse was insured.
2-If these people were interested exclusively in the money, they would have sold partial interest in the horse for well up into the tens of millions. There were many offers. They passed on this possibility, saying they would do nothing until after the Belmont Stakes.
In so doing, they risked the horse running lackluster races in the Preakness and Belmont, and the value of the animal shrinking dramatically.
3-Barbaro is a homebred. He was not purchased at auction, so he had more than paid back whatever stud fee had been paid, probably early in his 2-y-o season.
4-Racehorses are "investments" only in the dreamiest of minds.
5-Barbaro has full brothers. If money was the only object, the Jacksons would have unloaded them by now. They have not.
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