Barbaro's Long Struggle Ends

Kentucky Derby Winner Euthanized After Months Of Painful Leg Injuries

(CBS/AP)  Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro was euthanized Monday after complications from his gruesome breakdown at last year's Preakness, ending an eight-month ordeal that prompted an outpouring of support across the country.

"We just reached a point where it was going to be difficult for him to go on without pain," co-owner Roy Jackson said. "It was the right decision. It was the right thing to do. We said all along if there was a situation where it would become more difficult for him then it would be time."

A series of ailments, including laminitis in the left rear hoof and a recent abscess in the right rear hoof, proved too much for the gallant colt.

Barbaro battled in his ICU stall for eight months. The 4-year-old colt underwent several procedures and was fitted with fiberglass casts. He spent time in a sling to ease pressure on his legs, had pins inserted and was fitted at the end with an external brace. These were all extraordinary measures for a horse with such injuries.

Roy and Gretchen Jackson were with Barbaro on Monday morning, with the owners making the decision in consultation with chief surgeon Dr. Dean Richardson.

"I would say thank you for everything, and all your thoughts and prayers over the last eight months or so," Jackson said to Barbaro's fans.

On May 20, Barbaro was rushed to the New Bolton Center, about 30 miles from Philadelphia in Kennett Square, hours after shattering his right hind leg just a few strides into the Preakness Stakes. The bay colt underwent a five-hour operation that fused two joints, recovering from an injury most horses never survive. But Barbaro never regained his natural gait.

January had been a tough month for Barbaro, reports The Early Show's veterinary correspondent Dr. Debbye Turner.

He suffered a significant setback over the weekend, and surgery was required to insert two steel pins in a bone — one of three shattered in the Preakness but now healthy — to eliminate all weight bearing on the ailing right rear foot.

Most horses in Barbaro's condition would have been euthanized, reports Turner.

The procedure Saturday was a risky one, because it transferred more weight to the leg while the foot rests on the ground bearing no weight.

The leg was on the mend until the abscess began causing discomfort last week. Until then, the major concern was Barbaro's left rear leg, which developed laminitis in July, and 80 percent of the hoof was removed.

Richardson said Monday morning that Barbaro did not have a good night.

Brilliant on the race track, Barbaro always will be remembered for his brave fight for survival.

The story of the beloved bay colt's fight for life captured the fancy of millions.

When Barbaro broke down, his right hind leg flared out awkwardly as jockey Edgar Prado jumped off and tried to steady the ailing horse. Race fans at Pimlico wept. Within 24 hours, the entire nation seemed to be caught up in a "Barbaro watch," waiting for any news.

Well-wishers young and old showed up at the New Bolton Center with cards, flowers, gifts, goodies and even religious medals for the horse, and thousands of e-mails poured into the hospital's Web site just for him.

"I just can't explain why everyone is so caught up in this horse," Roy Jackson has said time and again. "Everything is so negative now in the world, people love animals and I think they just happen to latch onto him."

Devoted fans even wrote Christmas carols for him, sent a wreath made of baby organic carrots and gave him a Christmas stocking.

The biggest gift has been the $1.2 million raised since early June for the Barbaro Fund. The money is put toward needed equipment such as an operating room table, and a raft and sling for the same pool recovery Barbaro used after his surgeries.

The Jacksons spent tens of thousands of dollars hoping the best horse they ever owned would recover and be able to live a comfortable life on the farm — whether he was able to breed or not.

The couple, who own about 70 racehorses, broodmares and yearlings, and operate the 190-acre Lael Farm, have been in the horse business for 30 years and never had a horse like Barbaro.

As the days passed, it seemed Barbaro would get his happy ending. As late as December, with the broken bones in his right hind leg nearly healed and his laminitis under control, Barbaro was looking good and relishing daily walks outside his intensive care unit.

[fatherteresa]

Barbaro was victimized. When he was running, he was zapped. It was done so he would not win. When he finally started to recover, it was in the news, so the criminals finished him off. You will notice when ice skaters are competing, they will suddenly fall. Slow-motion replays prove that they should not have fallen. "Something" was done, which I call "zapping" for lack of a better word. We have our own terrorists. FatherTeresa

[buttergun]

The outpouring of people that were caught up in this his struggle is a good sign that we haven't all turned to stone. It gives me hope that there are folks out there that still have hearts. Even though
this had a sad ending, I think this country and the world needed something meaningful to focus on besides war. Rest in peace Barbero, and long live your younger brother The Wind Keeper.

[buttergun]

The outpouring of people that were caught up in this his struggle is a good sign that we haven't all turned to stone. Somehow it gives me hope that there are folks out there that still have hearts. Even though this had a sad ending, I think this country and the world needed something meaningful to focus on besides war. Rest in peace Barbero and long live your beatiful brother The Wind Keeper.

[auntco]

I certainly hope the death of Barbaro was able to touch hearts like it touched mine. So often animals are thought of a just animals. This is not true. Just like the world saw Barbaro as something unique, all the animals of the world are just a unique.

May this sad, sad experience bring a joyful ending for, not just other horses, but the rest of the animal kingdom.

Barbaro, your legacy and legend will live on to help your fellow creatures, big and small.

[jn122736]

Quote from Wikipedia;
%u201CModern thoroughbreds are bred for extreme speed, and a primary goal of this breeding has been to DECREASE BONE MASS while RAISING MUSCLE MASS,
As a result, modern thoroughbreds are muscularly powerful but osteologically delicate creatures. Three out of every 2000 races result in a career-ending injury to one or more racers, typically due to broken leg bones; a ratio far in excess of almost all other human and animal sports.
A horse's weight must be distributed evenly on all four legs to prevent circulatory problems, laminitis and other infections. If a horse loses the use of one leg, it cannot function; its other legs will quickly break down as well, leading to a slow death. _____________

Did Barbaro%u2019s owners efforts to save him stem from human kindness or the desire to reap the dividends from future breeding service? I could be either or both.

If only the former, then why expose such a delicate horse to the known hazards of racing in the first place?
Logically speaking, it most likely was for future breeding. Barbaro%u2019s definitely was a faster and lighter horse, the very essence of the term, thoroughbred. He was internationally known, both from winning races and from national publicity surrounding his accident. The demand for his sperm would have been exceptionally high.

As for %u201Cvaliantly fighting for his life%u201D Barbaros did no more than any other horse would have done under the same circumstances.

[carlylaine]

Horses (animals) do not engage in wars except that a HUMAN drags the critter into it, ie horses, camels, elephants.

Barbaro was a special horse and he suffered a great deal. To those who are animal lovers NOT OF THE FREAKISH 'DON'T-EAT-EGGS' group, but who care for animals and saw his STAR rise and fall so suddenly this is a horrible loss to us. It is an even greater loss to Roy and Gretchen Jackson.

ROY & GRETCHEN: My heart goes out to you. What a wonderful horse BARBARO was. What a joy it must've been to have him and known him. He holds a special place in racing and in many hearts.

[butterfly277]

I think that alot of the viewers are rude and inconsiderate. They don't even think about Barbaro's owners who raised this horse and trained him. They were very attached to him My mom was very upset to hear of him being put down she used to watch the derby all the time.

For some of the viewers. GROWUP yes we do have troops over seas and yes every day they die. we all mourn them. we read about it in the news everyday.But Barbaro was history in the making he won a derby by over 6 furlong. He did deserve the front page for amerca to say goodbye. Nohe wasn't human. but be considerate to the people that love animals. and don't be rude in your comments.

I SUPPORT OUR TROOPS

[sistermegan]

fleshmonger6 wrote:
"All this interest in the death of a horse while at the same time, human beings are dying with little notice to none, and no apparent concern from a lot of the same people so upset about this animal"

and newster 1 responded:
"I think a significiant portion are not worth they clothing they have on their backs, people lie, cheat, steal, con, play mind games, hurt other people for profit or kicks, they are subversive, polluted, petty, selfish money grubbing **** who will stab friends and family in the back..."

Well, why don't we just agree that ALL life is precious, then we can mourn the passing of all creatures - human or animal - without judging them?

[lindu813]

fleshmonger6 at 12:27 AM : Jan 30, 2007 wrote:
All this interest in the death of a horse while at the same time, human beings are dying with little notice to none, and no apparent concern from a lot of the same people so upset about this animal... What does that say about human beings???

fleshmonger6: Do the words "All God's Children" mean nothing to you. I know I'm gonna take some heat so bring it on (LOL)for bringing religion into this. But do you really believe that The Higher Power we often refer to as God loves this animal any more or less than he loves you. God forgive your insensitivity to another living being that shared this world with you, that did what he was put here to do, that suffered and now has found rest. My thoughts are with the people that have lost this horse. They went the distance and when the tough decision had to be made they made it.

[graham1953-2009]

I was really sad to read that Barbaro had to be euthanized. He was such a beautiful horse and he had very caring & loving owners. Anyone who has or does own a pet know how easy it is to become attached to them. We had to euthanize our Weimaraner 4 years ago and it was one of the hardest decisions we had to make. I had the vet. call me when he was ready to euthanize her so I could go and be with her as he gave her the shot. I held her head in my lap with her favorite "blankie" and watched and cried as she took her last breath. I lost my 14 month old granddaughter just 4 months prior to this and so I told "Dusty" that she was going to Heaven to be with Kaeli. Does that make me insane? I don't think so I think it means that a person has a very big heart and cares about others whether it be a human or an animal. I know a lot of animals who think that they are human and I know some humans who act like WILD ANIMALS! My sympathy goes out to the owners of Barbaro and all the people who supported their decisions. I also want to give my sympathy to all the unsympathetic people that have posted on the comments. May God be with you and hopefully you will never own a pet!!! As for people not having insurance there is all kinds of insurance out there you just have to get it. Of course, that means you have to work like other working people to pay for it. Sorry but these insensitive comments from insensitive people just was more than I could take and I wanted to put my 2 cents in.

[emtak1]

Gods Speed Great Horse

[fleshmonger6]

All this interest in the death of a horse while at the same time, human beings are dying with little notice to none, and no apparent concern from a lot of the same people so upset about this animal... What does that say about human beings???

[nothappyatall]

"newster1 - Loved your typo about medical breakthroughs "inhuman" hospitals. Freudian or some such slip? Hah!
Posted by rufusmin "

LOL, no, bad keyboard, space bar not working right!
And the thing is brand new too, like wth...

[nothappyatall]

"Humans suck. All the owners were interested in was that the horse could not run anymore.
Posted by elgraz "

Horses are not greyhounds, don't compare horse owners to commercial greyhound tracks!

For one thing, Barbaro's owners were on camera and it was clear they were very attached to Barbaro all along, you think these months of expensive intensive care is cheap?? It was well into 6 figures and they knew from day one he would never race again.
Stud fees? oh come off it, they own 70 horses, they obviously have plenty of money as well as many horses they can get stud fees from, this was not their SOLE horse they needed for their livelyhood, they did not strike me as people who cared that much about MONEY.

They wanted to give him the best chance to live and had the money to accomplish all that medical science could bring, unfortunately it was not enough.

[nothappyatall]

"I had a hard time shelling out $1,000 to repair a ACL tendon on our pet dog. After 2 years though the return on my investment has been realized through her companionship and affection.
Posted by olebd "

Sorry to hear that, been there myself with 2 dogs having bloat/torsion twice in a year and then one died of cancer New Years day after a sudden illness.
The surgery each time was major abdominal, and with gastroplexy this normally costs around $3,000 to $5,000 any where you go. My local country vet only charged general surgery rate- was less than $200 each- the doc is a miracle worker and very much like Dr James Herriot of the book fame- just a sweet old fellow who genuinely LOVES animals, but some eople can't even afford $200 while others don't care- they get another dog free.

[nothappyatall]

SOmeone posted;

"The media should really explain why horses are put down when this kind of thing happens. Their hoofs are extremely fragile once they get out of normal condition. Bear too much weight, hoof basically dies and falls off and the horse goes lame. Too little weight, joint shifts and horse goes lame. Even changes in diet can make a horse lame."

Exactly, their body weight and fact they are on their feet most of their lives makes it very difficult to effect a recovery on a broken limb which unlike a dog- the horse can't just hop around on 3 legs and the weight is murder on any cast or appliance, plus they can spook and suddenly jump, kick or run, and with an injured leg that's the end of it.

[nothappyatall]

rjs1955 spewed:

"hose who pee and moan and tear their clothes about Barbaro are the ones who need to get a life! This horse got more $$ in healthcare than any number of minimum-wage earning people in a year."

SO WHAT? it's their money? is it you are so upset about this because you can't get off your lazy arse and get a JOB, money and health care that compells you to come here and spew your HATE for what other people choose to spend money on??

I tell you bro- honest truth! If you, and I and the horse were on a sinking ship and I was in the only life boat left and had the choice of taking YOU or the horse due to space, guess who will be swimming the dog paddle to dry land IF he can hold up, cluebus: YOU!
I'd leave you behind without a second thought, not a one, the horse would be a FAR better companion on that deserted island and I wouldnt have to listen to your stupidity and hate.

[nothappyatall]

"A horse does not normally have pencil thin legs that are so fragile that an animal can sustain this kind of damage in a strong gallop."

The damage to his leg was from an accidental misstep not the speed, it's like YOU running full speed down the hill and you TRIP because one foot hits the other, it happens, the ground may have had a soft spot or a hard spot that caused the hoof to be planted a little off.

rjs1955 reminds me vividly why ANIMALS are better than people- honest, to the point,no BS, no mind games, they just "are" and their reactions to you are honest. You SIR have about as much "sensitivity" as as a jackarse, go back to your Iraq war thread and get out of here you clueless spineless POC!

[rufusmin]

MizQue (miss cue?) - I think it was God who told Adam and Eve they had dominion over the animals. Of course, that is in a different sense than what Steve Irwin was doing. I think his was more a "domination". Dominion means to have authority over and when you have authority over, you have responsibility for. We have thought processes that we can articulate. Animals can't articulate in the same way we can. So we have a RESPONSIBILITY to them. And that responsibility gives us the dominion. Of course, it's always the ones at the mercy of the rest of us (id. est, the children, the elderly and the animals) who get abused. These are groups that can't articulate clearly because they haven't the physical strength/capability or the mental maturity/capacity to do so. Those of us who are "grown up" (I use that term loosely) and young and healthy and LUCKY, have that responsibility. So let's get on the job.

[MizQue]

Rufusmin, we don't have "dominion over animals"; you could ask Steve Irwin about this if he were still here. I agree with you about horse racing; the big heavy body on those incredibly fragile thin legs. When I can bear to watch I always expect what happened to Barbaro to happen.