Our little horse with the huge heart continues to improve. I saw him on GMA this morning out of the hospital, and actually being walked around. His hind foot is obviously still very impaired, but he seems to be in great spirits and looks great! :app: :app: :app:

Barbaro today

That is so wonderful!!!

Thanks for posting this happy news, Sheri. :app:

Thanks so much Sheri! I will never forget watching the Preakness live in a SF bar with Suzanne, we were both in tears! He is such a magnicent horse who is loved by all!

Sheri wasn't that heart-warming today on GMA!!! I was so happy to see him walking and pray he continues to heal! :)

I've become involved in this story too because of a related story I'm doing on artificial surfaces for horse race tracks that might have prevented an injury like Barbaro's. Here's the information I got today from his doctor:

Hi Tom,

Dr. Richardson has responded to your questions as follows:

How many surgeries?

He had three "major" surgical procedures.

He was anesthetized nine times. The other six were for cast changes and some minor procedures.

Current state?

The original injury has healed. The fractures have healed and the joint fusions are solid. The healing is complete enough that he is wearing no additional support other than a corrective shoe. The shoe on his right hind foot is special because his leg is not completely straight.

So....the original injuries have healed.

The left hind foot (the one that had the hoof wall removed due to laminitis) has NOT completely healed. It is gradually healing but it is slow and there is no way to be certain that it will ever adequately heal. There is a long way to go for this foot.

I feel very sad for what he is going through. I hope all of this will eventually heal him completely. Animals suffer just as we do.
Lynn

We, also, continue to follow Barbaro's recovery. He is an amazing athlete!

How sad, I just heard that Barbaro was euthanized this morning.

Having moved back to Houston after 13 years of living in Louisvile, I am also very sad over this news. The Derby is such an outstanding event and the citizens of Louisville and much of Kentucky pour so much of themselves into this each year. It is indeed a somber day and will be a hugh loss for this city, the staff at Churchill, the owners/trainers/vets and to all of us who love horses, and especially this horse.

Oh my this is so sad, yet I hated to think of him being in pain.

Rest in Peace Barbaro! :mecry: :mecry:

So very sad. He came so far...

May he rest in peace.

Ohhhhh, I am SO sad about this!! :mecry:

I am very sad about this also, but I am also mad.
the poor guy went through 8 months of pain and suffering, for what? To possibly be a sperm bank?
If it had been any other horse, he would have put down much earlier.
I am an animal lover, but I cannot believe they put him through all this for nothing.
I only hope that the vets learned something that might help others in the future. That would be the only good way for anything to come of his poor ordeal.
Lynn

I had just heard this before I signed on here, and I choked up. I am so sorry that he had to endure so much. I too, am a little angry that they put him through everything and also hope they at least learned something. I am thankful that his pain is over though.

He certainly fought a very noble fight. Terribly sad news.