Barbaro Suffers a Setback

[erpowers]

Barbaro is still having some troubles in his recovery. He seems to have a condition called Laminitis, which may have caused part of his hoof to be removed. Recently, he had to have about 80 percent of his left hoof removed due to discomfort. Apparently, doctors removed tissue from Barbaro's left hoof.

I am wondering if the owners should just put him out of his misery and put him down. I do not hate animals; I just do not believe the horse should be kept alive to stud and make money if he will not live a very happy life. I do not know if his owners are doing what they are doing just for the money. It is very possible that they do not want to put him down in that they really care about him and just do not want to lose him. However, if things like this continue I contend they should just put him down. The full article about Barbaro is below.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070110/ap_on_sp_ot/rac_barbaro_setback_2

[LisaM]

1. But he looks so chipper

The really strange thing is that just yesterday I was reading about how well he was doing. This morning, I heard on the radio that he had a setback.

I don't think they should put him down. I think animals have a right to a long life.

[Jack from Charlotte]

2. Glue Futures Plunge (nfm)

*

[TZ]

3. Trying to help

Believe it or not, the owners are NOT doing this for money. The severity of the break makes it almost impossible for Barbaro to ever be a stud. And since artificial insemination is not allowed in thoroughbred racing, they will never make any money off him. He might as well be a gelding. They really care about the horse. If they thought he was suffering and had no chance to ever feel well again (although like I said he will never lead a normal life) they would put him down. In fact they are quite admirable in that they have spent quite a lot of money trying to save him when most owners knowing they will never make a penny off him and that survival was no guarantee anyway would have euthanized him immediately.

[erpowers]

4. Not Trying to be Contradictory

I am not trying to be contradictory, but I heard on a new report that the owners were still going to stud Barbaro out. I would not be sad if the owners were keeping him alive just because they cared about him. I just do not want them to keep him alive and in misery just for the money.

[TZ]

5. not a true report

This is absolutely not true. They know they can't stud him. The vets told them that a long time ago.
He actually is not in too much pain and treated VERY well.

[Justpat]

7. Your report is false.

His owners have no intention of standing him at stud.
It is unlikely he would ever be able to stand on his
hind legs to breed. They know this. They have been in
the business a long time and love their horses. They have
gone to great lengths to save other horses who were
geldings.

Not every owner in horse racing is a money grubbing sob.

[aaronbees]

9. Money has not, nor ever will be, a motivator for the Jacksons

when it comes to Barbaro. I swear, if I see that insinuated one more time on DU I am going to freaking explode. They are no doubt spending gobs of money on his recovery with an unlikely return on that in terms of his "value." Barbaro is a homebred and very special to them. Him breeding at stud is a long shot at best (particularly given this latest setback), and if he were able to do so that would be great. But believe me, the Jacksons are not motivated by any desire to tap into his stud value. They care about his welfare, pure and simple. Even a cursory reading of their story and his will tell ya that. They have afforded him great care, the kind of care every horse actually deserves. What they've done is to be lauded. Oh, and he is not in misery. Occasional discomfort is not misery; he's been by all accounts a happy horse for much of this ordeal and has shown us a thing or two about resiliency and courage.

[Justpat]

11. His recovery will cost them several hundreds of thousands of dollars

And they know he has no chance of being a stallion.

I'm feel the same about the claims that they are only keeping
him alive in the hopes of making tons of money at stud.
These people have been in the business for a couple of decades
and raise their horses on their own farm in PA. They are
horsemen. They are the kind of owners who deserve any success
that comes their way. There are some owners who are unable
or unwilling to do the right thing in these circumstances
but these people are not one of them.

God forbid you try to dislodge someone's ignorant perceptions
of our business.

[IronScorpio5]

6. Sad.....its a great horse

hope he gets thru this.

[two gun sid]

8. Bad news for the Jacksons and Barbaro...

I'd like to see him make it if he's not in great pain and can live a good life.

His recovery had been one of the few good things to come out of the 2006 racing season.

I think we can take some comfort in the fact that the Jacksons are good horse people and are financially well off so that they will do what is best for the horse.

[Justpat]

10. Barbaro is back in a sling

It is taking the pressure off his left hind foot.

I wish I could feel more encouraged about all this.

The leg he broke seems to be doing OK, but the founder
in the opposite foot is worse.