Barbaro

[GAJen]

is gone to heaven now. I know many of us followed his condition here and prayed for him. My heart is broke and I think the owners should have allowed more time. JMO

[Ky Kim]

Very sad.  :'( At least he isn't suffering any more.  Churchhill Downs here where I live, has set up where you can bring cards and such there and they will send them on to the families of him.

Kim

[Cindi]

I heard this morning that he had taken a turn for the worse and that they may have to put him down.  It just saddens me that they did have to put him down.  He gave one heck of a fight though. 

[GAJen]

It upset me so bad because we use to raise horses when I was young and if you all remember my poodle Fifi she fell sick on the same day Barbaro was injured. She made it until July 10th and l leaned on Barbaro to pull through for some comfort and for himself. He was such a tough horse and fought so hard. It actually looked like he was going home at one point. Where's LeeAnne? She knows all about this stuff.

[Esther]

I know I'm not supposed to consider anything but the horse but I can't help but wonder how much money it took to keep him going all this time.

[tammie]

I have a feeling that the 2 new screws that were just put in his previously broken leg shaddered the bone... That's really the only reason I can think of that would cause them to decide now to put him down.  It sounds like Barbaro was in sever pain this morning...  after all these months of him fighting thru all of the troubles... just sounds like the horse "said" enough. 
I have no idea what kind of insurance would have been taken on Barbaro.  I do know that I have major medical and mortality on my daughters horse.  When something catastophic happens I'm allowed to call the vet, then the insurance comp.  After the vet talks to the insurance company if the insurance company recommends that the horse be put to sleep, I have a decision to make.  If I decide to go ahead and do surgery, or whatever, I'm financially on my own - the insurance will not cover the surgery, or his death, if God forbid that happens.  My daughters horse - weirdly named Bardo- has had 3 major surgeries, none covered by his insurance, but that's another story...
Esther, I know there were hundreds of thousands of dollars donated to the medical center where Barbaro was.  The sling you've seen him in, when he was coming out of the pool, and the surgical table used, were purchased with those donations.
Rest in peace, Barbaro.  You sure were a fighter!
Tammie

[GAJen]

Tammie that does make good sense that the screws shattered the bone. I know the Jackson's had said that they would do all they could to keep him alive it wasn't a money issue it was whether he was in pain. Over 1.2 million was given to the Barbaro foundation which went to the hospital. With laminitis setting in the front feet there was no way he could have walked that I can see. God blessed us with him for a reason. Why he took him 8 months later I don't get but he had his reasons.

[Daisy]

It is very sad   I felt so bad for him.

[barb]

That is so so sad, I just read about it and came here because I knew the story was being followed here.   :'(

[LeeAnne151]

I was out of town on business and could not logon to the forum, "it" and I had a disagreement on what my password was.

Basically, what happened was that complications arose that made it impossible for him to recover and live without pain.


The battle for Barbaro's life ended peacefully, according to Dr. Dean Richardson, who spoke during a press conference at the University of Pennsylvania's New Bolton Center Monday afternoon, just hours after Roy and Gretchen Jackson's colt had been euthanized.

"We were all there," said Richardson of Barbaro's final moments. "He was in a sling, and he was comfortable in the sense he was on a lot of (pain) medication. But he was alert, aware, and he knew the Jacksons. Basically, what happened, he was given a very heavy dose of tranquilizer first (intravenously), and then he was given an overdose of an anesthetic. It could not have been any more peaceful."

Barbaro, the 2006 Kentucky Derby Presented By Yum! Brands (gr. I) winner, also ate some grass the morning he died.

The decision to euthanize the colt, who shattered his right hind leg in last year's Preakness Stakes (gr. I) and later developed laminitis in his left hind foot, was made following what Richardson described as a "difficult night."

The main problem was that Barbaro "did not lie down," Richardson said. "He's a horse that, for months, has been an exceptionally quiet, calm, and relaxed horse. He would sleep. We could go in there (his stall) and work on him. He would lie down and get up. Last night was the first night ever that he was clearly distressed by his condition. We intensified all his pain medications pretty dramatically last night, trying to get him to go down, and he did not . We put him in another sling. Again, I want to emphasize that we stated and we meant what we said, if we couldn't control his discomfort, we wouldn't go on, and that was why the decision (to euthanize him) was made."

Barbaro's latest problems were not caused directly by the fractures he suffered in his right hind leg. They had completely healed, according to Richardson.

The discomfort from the laminitis in Barbaro's left hind foot caused him to become "very lame," Richardson said. As a result, the surgeon explained, Barbaro's right hind leg was forced to bear a "tremendous amount" of weight.

"He developed a pretty severe bruise on the outside heel of his right hind foot," Richardson said. "He was bearing so much weight on that leg because he was getting off in his left hind. The consequence of that deep bruise on the outside of his right hind foot is that he ended up with an abscess under the sole in the heel region of his foot. The foot is not the location where he had his fractures. His fractures were in his pastern and fetlock region, which are above that.

"It was this right hind foot that started the (latest) problem. He developed laminitis in both front feet, the reason being he had no hind feet (to support him). He was uncomfortable behind, and then he started overloading his front feet."

An external fixation device was placed in his right hind leg, but  it all got to be too much.

"This type of situation is like a deck of cards," Richardson said. "Sometimes, when things are that tenuous, if one thing starts to go, you've got other parts that go as well. That's essentially what happened."

Richardson added that he was "as comfortable as I'm likely to get" about the decision to euthanize Barbaro. "I feel it was the right thing to do now," the surgeon said. "I can assure you in many cases I have personally had in the past, I know I waited too long. I don't think that's the case here."

According to Richardson, Barbaro provided a learning experience that could help to save other horses with similar injuries.

"It's going to be mostly specific details about surgical and medical care, which I don't think are going to be all that pertinent to the world at large," Richardson said. "A lot of times there are just very gradual accumulations of information and expertise. If I had a horse with the same fracture come in tomorrow, I honestly believe I would have a better chance of saving his life because I would think I would probably not make the same mistakes. I'm sure I made mistakes."

On a more positive note, "Barbaro had eight or nine months (following his injury), the vast majority of which he he was a happy horse," Richardson said.

Said Roy Jackson: "There is absolutely nothing we would have done differently, including the decision that was made today."


He was insured for millions of dollars. The insurance was most likely a higher dollar amount than he may have been syndicated for as a stallion, therefore, he was worth more dead than alive.

The Jacksons love their horses, they are rich, they could afford to treat him and because the skin was not broken during the initial injury there was a much reduced risk of infection so they went ahead with it. It isn't the broken bones that kills horses, it is often infection and the recovery trying to keep weight off the broken leg and avoiding laminitis.

Unfortunately, horses can't lie down to heal broken bones. They can't get along without a leg like a dog or cat or person can. They have to distribute their weight evenly or they get laminitis which is a very painful inflamation deep in their hooves.


Loads of Barbaro info here:
http://news.bloodhorse.com/BarbaroNewswatch.asp

http://www.vet.upenn.edu/newsandevents/news/Barbaro.htm

[GAJen]

Thanks LeeAnne. I've really been struggling with this but after reading the article some things have become clear.

[LeeAnne151]

I've been bawling like a baby for days, I found out at work at the Seattle Gift Show and had to sit in the john for half an hour to stop crying. I cried for hours last night when I got home because I could finally spend as much time online as I wanted without crying in a hotel lobby on a public computer.

I feel the Jackson's and Dr. Richardson did everything possible and that with laminitis setting in, in front, there was no hope.

Secretariat was euthanized because of laminitis. It is a horrible condition.

There is a laminitis fund at New Bolton and people are donating money in Barbaro's name and this will help all horses. As will The Barbaro Fund which was started by an anonymous $1 million dollar donation. This fund wasn't for Barbaro's care but is for research and care of other horses, for equipment and training of vet students.

Gulfstream Park in Florida has announced a $20,000 scholarship in Barbaro's name for a student annually for the vet school there. Barbaro won the Florida Derby.

Many race tracks are switching to artificial surfaces which are better on horses legs in the wake of this tragedy.

Barbaro did not die in vain, he had many good days and was a happy horse for most of his recovery and many more good things are happening for racing and for horses in general because of the attention to him by the regular media and by the love of people around the world.

[GAJen]

I saw the Jackson's and Dr. Richardson on Larry King Tuesday night I thought he would have already have been buried but was not the Jackson's were taking some time to choose just the right location. It is absolutely amazing how many people's lives were touched by that horse. The Jackson's said Barbaro's brother was due in the spring. I feel your pain and appreciate all the updates you gave us on him.

[Esther]

I never thought about insurance. I've never had a horse. On the farm, they never spent money on anything frivolous. If it didn't earn it's keep then we didn't keep it. Of course I always wished I could have a horse.

The comments about the strain put on the other limbs made sense too. Once we had a poodle who had to have knee surgery. Sure enough, it wasn't long and the other knee gave out and had to have surgery too.

[LeeAnne151]

Barbaro was cremated. The Jackson's plan to bury the ashes somewhere the public can visit and not at their farm. They wanted to take their time deciding so that is why he was cremated. I'm hoping for the infield at Churchill Downs, the other Derby winners buried there are in an awkward spot. The Kentucky Derby Museum is on the grounds and they are by the sidewalk there. Not very dignified.

Ruffian is buried by the finish line at Belmont Park. Secretariat is in the cemetary at Claiborne Farm where he stood at stud and Man O'War and War Admiral are at the Kentucky Horse Park. Seabiscuit was buried by his owner on the Howard Ranch and the exact location was never disclosed. There is a life sized statue at Santa Anita racetrack in his honor.

More good for horses and horse racing in Barbaro's honor:

The National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) announced Feb. 1 that it will lead a national fundraising program, the NTRA Charities – Barbaro Memorial Fund, to raise awareness and money for equine health and safety research in the name of 2006 Kentucky Derby presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) winner Barbaro, whose gallant struggle to overcome a catastrophic injury captivated horse enthusiasts around the world.

One specific target for the direction of monies raised by the Barbaro Memorial Fund will be research projects that focus on laminitis, the painful and often fatal hoof disease that plagued Barbaro for so much of his recuperative period following his injury in the 2006 Preakness Stakes (gr. I).
 
The NTRA will organize fundraising initiatives at major racing events and venues in the spring and summer, including the lead-up to the Triple Crown series, the Triple Crown events and other major races during the summer. The NTRA will use merchandise sales, television time, its Internet site and other communications in support of the effort, including producing Public Service Announcements to support the program.
 
“The outpouring of emotion and support from racing fans has been so amazing that we wanted to find a fitting way for those fans and our industry to honor Barbaro,” said Alex Waldrop, CEO of the NTRA. “We consulted with the Jacksons and other industry organizations to see how we could bring our combined resources to bear in this endeavor. We anticipate a busy few months as we work together to assist projects that can have a great impact on the health and safety of Thoroughbreds and, through our focus on laminitis, horses of other breeds as well."
 
“Gretchen and I hope Barbaro’s memory can be carried on through advances in medical research, including a cure for laminitis,” said Roy Jackson, co-owner of Barbaro with his wife, Gretchen.

[Desertponder]

I was very hurt when I heard he had put down but I was not surprised. A couple of days before I had heard on the news that he wasn't doing wel and the vet was quoted that "he had a hard time sleeping last night over his condition." I knew if that was the case he was struggling with the decision to put him down.
The odds were so unlikely that the horse would ever have come out of this due to the extent of the injury.
The Appaloosa gelding that my husband had went through very much the same type of problems. We struggled with the horse for years but my husband refused to put him down. The financial cost of the care would have been impossible but the vet did it for next to nothing since he basically used the horse as a learning tool. He used a slide presentation on our horse for teaching purposes at Colorado State University.
There is not doubt that the horse had periods of extreme pain and then we would get the problem cleared and he would be good for quite some time and then it would flare up again. He finally died at the age of 20 because of the infections he would get. I would never, never, never put a horse through that kind of situation again, ever!

[GAJen]

A trailer came through town today nice you could tell the owners were loaded....anyway looking out the window was a Barbaro look a like. Made me want another horse.

[LeeAnne151]

I've been waiting 40 years for a horse of my own.....

Great article on Barbaro's legacy here:
http://news.bloodhorse.com/viewstory.asp?id=37404

[GAJen]

I stopped riding at 15 or 16 but Dad kept the horses and kept going with them and his new wife until my mid 20's. I'll check out that link. Hope you are feeling better.....I'm starting to accept things.

[LeeAnne151]

After following the story daily on multiple websites and having read quotes from and seen video footage of the owners and Dr. Richardson dozens of times, I am confident that they tried all possible and that Barbaro was not suffering during the recovery and when further complications happened and he did suffer they would euthanize him. That is what happened and while I am devastated, I know that he had the best care possible. I am somewhat lost without those daily updates. I would check on Barbaro before doing anything else online most days.

Now I'm just waiting for the Jacksons to figure out where his remains will be interred for public visitation. They are talking about a museum for Pennsylvania bred racing stars, to draw attention to Pennsylvania in the Thoroughbred racing industry. I was hoping for either Churchill Downs or the Kentucky Horse Park myself as I'm certain I will travel there someday soon.

I had opportunity to ride Thoroughbred race horses when I was a teenager, was even offered a job exercising at the racetrack. I'm still mad at my grandmother for saying no. (My mother was incapicitated by illness when I was 13) My life would have turned out much differently I think if I would have been able to follow that dream. I think sex, drugs and rock n'roll would have had much less allure.....

I took lessons to learn to ride huntseat and to jump in my mid twenties and early thirties but I haven't been on a horse in years. My last florist job just took too much time, I had to quit riding. Now, I can't afford it. I'd really like to take lessons for reining or cutting or maybe learn to drive a horse in harness.

[Ky Kim]

Well,  LeeAnne if you ever do make it to Churchill Downs let me know, its only about 15 to 20 minutes away from me.  Would love to meet you.

Kim

[LeeAnne151]

I will. I always try to meet pond forum members when I travel. It is so much fun.

[GAJen]

I read over the weekend about the Museum thoughts. Like you its hard.......I miss signing his message board miss it all. This is stupid but I'm done watching horse racing.....can't handle it.