--Barbaro's owners have finally done the right thing and put him out of his suffering. If they had any compassion they'd have done it for him 8 months ago. Rest in peace, brave horse.
--Proof that hell can get cold: Rage Against the Machine, REUNION GIG!
--Any Neil Gaiman fans? Tell me what you think!
Now go read about my first memory...
20 comments:
I thought about you yesterday when I heard the news.
You know how crazy Bug is about horses, right? She was pretty upset when Carl told her they had to put Barbaro down. Know what she said?
"It's OK though, mommy. He is in heaven right now racing Seabiscuit."
Isn't that just the sweetest thing?
She's so thoughtful!
my mom called me to tell me because I don't watch TV during the day.
Last night I turned it on to catch this story and I wept. The vet was choking back tears during the press conference and I had to think about my vets when we had to put my horse down last summer. They are vets because they love animals and want to help them.
I'm just relieved that poor Barbaro doesn't have to suffer anymore.
read about Barbaro on Jays blog, foundit very upsetting dont go there honest, great post on earliest memories
I'm in Budapest right now and last night at dinner Barbaro came up in conversation with my fellow crewmembers. I said it was terrible how they were keeping him alive just for stud and that the pictures I had seen of him were so sad. I was happy to hear this afternoon that he is no longer suffering.
I cant wait to see RAGE!!!!
Hi Yankee- I read in the paper that his owners didn't care about keeping him for stud and would have been happy for him to be a pasture horse but I highly highly doubt it.
Timmy...are you telling me that you're GOING?????
JJ I don't think I'd give my left arm but damn. If I had the money and a few more favours for babysitting...
And I agree with you JJ. No horses and dogs in heaven= I ain't goin.
I have to disagree with you about Barbaro. I know the hospital he was at. Lived not far from it for a time and have a great deal of faith in the vets there.
That vet surgeon was in love with that horse and it would be very difficult to believe someone like that would make Barbaro suffer unduly.
Barbaro was an exceptional horse in the peak of condition. Probably because of that, his body was capable of more than the average horse. When I read he danced back into his stall after his initial surgery, I knew he wasn't a regular horse.
No horse that's feeling poorly cleans his feed bucket and flirts with mares.
What we learned from Barbaro has forever changed what is possible for future horses in terms of leg injury. People are very quick to put horses down with leg breaks b/c we didn't know what was possible and/or b/c of financial reasons. I say that if someone has the financial resources and the horse is reasonably comfortable, let the horse tell you what he wants.
More often than not, an animal makes it clear as to whether or not they want to push on. I like they gave him a chance. It was clear he wasn't ready to go.
Barbaro's owners are longtime horse people. The chances that Barbaro would be able to cover a mare were probably zero. They knew that. I knew that. I think most horse people knew that. Given that fact, it would seem clear he would live out his life in a pasture if he survived his injuries and that was truly fine with his owners.
Just my two cents.
Hi Hick chic! I like your website from Texas. I felt bad about Barbaro, too, but don't know that much about horses. I live in Suburban Hell, but trying to escape...
When I was little, I said I wanted to be a veterinarian because I loved animals. However, as I got a little older and realized that not all animals make it, or that some animals have to be put down, I knew I couldn't do it. I still love animals - usually better than people. I just wish we could commuunicate enough with them to really know how they felt.
Fortunately I have not been in a situation where I have had to make a decision on a family member (pet), however, my mut is about 13 and she ain't getting any younger. I will do what's right for her because I love her but if it doesn't happen naturally it will be the most difficult decision to make.
I was very sad and definitely had tears in my eyes watching Barbaro's vet talk about him.
What a fine horse. It is so tragic. He was so majestic - even to the end.
Smartypants, I'm really glad that you added your two cents worth.
I can tell how much that horse meant to that vet.
I could tell how much that horse fought to stay alive.
I will have to blog about our little mare. I don't know if I ever told everybody this, but she had a broken leg when she was a yearling. She limped around and never looked upset. So I do know that a broken leg does not have to mean death.
Maybe I'm jealous because the race horse owners had the funds to pay for his treatments and I didn't when my horse colicked. But the end result is that my horse is dead and so is theirs.
I do agree that Barbaro was exceptional. Very strong and vigorous. I also agree that he could handle more than the average horse. But, God, laminitis? Removing most of his hoof? I still say they did the right thing. It hurts bad. I wanted him to recover. I wanted him to prove me and all other pessimists wrong.
Thank you for your opinion, because I know how much you love animals!
Have you seen Mirrormask? It's a movie by Neil Gaiman. It's incredible. A large part of it is his artwork rendered in 3-D. Wild and wonderful.
Puddle bought my daughter 'Wolves in the Walls' by Neil, and she takes it with her in the car. She loves to read it.
As for me, my favorite Gaiman book is a collaboration with my absolute favoritest author ever, Terry Pratchett, called "Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch." you could do worse than to read this book. It will make you want to trade your Mac in for a bag of beans, then it will make you want to sit at your Mac for the next forty years trying to come up with something even remotely as clever.
yeharr
he's running now
His dam is carring his full brother. I'm curious to see what he will be like.
Also curious if they took semen from him anyway. Ya couldn't register the foals with the Jockey Club, but not everybody cares about that.
I didn't know that there's a full brother on the way. that's good to know.
I'm well aware that the Jockey club doesn't allow artificial insemination. From what I've gathered, the sport horse community doens't even really care about breed registration. (Is that correct? Any horse with registered parents can be a Sport Horse???)
Regardless. He's gone. It's just all sad.
Many Warmblood breed associations simply hold keurings, which is simply an inspection to see if the horse in question meets the conformationl requirements of their breed. Some are for studbook and some are only for registry purposes.
I have to constantly remind myself that in this industry, horses are livestock. Not pets.
I believe it's wrong to pressure 2-3 yr old horses into the physical stress that racing requires, but their owners want something back for their investment. Racing is always a gamble of one sort or another.
but a gamble for who? surely the horses would know their own limits(obviously to whatever extent nature allows)... it's the people that fuck it all all up... and should be liable and held accountable...honestly we know they are too young to be racing...and I don't believe racing is humane in any species....running, yes, but racing no. then again, my opinions are rarely recognized or popular.
I do think horses are started too young, and not just in the racing industry. I have a lot of respect for the way dressage horses are brought along slowly. They compete well into their teens and often their 20s.
And yeah, horses aren't pets. My farrier calls them pets and I agree with her in every other way (she doesn't show, only trim) but I can't call my horses pets. They don't live in my house with me and sleep on my couch.
Having said that I want livestock treated with respect. Even an animal that is intended for food I want treated with respect!
I do think that racehorses want to race. They love to run. the problem is that they can't tell their humans in a language easily understood that they're being pushed too hard physically.
My opinions are not popular either. I've gotten in a lot of deep shit with my peers for criticizing the way the horse show system works- and I only showed saddle club level.
About my farrier, what I meant to say was, she doesn't
SHOE, only trims. She is a big believer in barefoot horses. The hoof can stay free of snow and packed mud better when it's unshod. Also nailing a shoe onto the hoof can compromise the hoof wall.
Well it's fine for us because we're not in heavy competition with our horses, and because they're on grass and dirt, and occasionally on gravel. To shoe them would be a waste of time, money, and physical energy!
Also, this has been a really good discussion. I appreciate everybody who weighed in with an opinion.
We need to hear different viewpoints. Especially, I think, when it comes to our animals.
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