Photos from the visit: (there are more)
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Edgar Prado and Barbaro
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Edgar Prado gives Barbaro a kiss
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Posted on 05/29/2006 4:17:11 AM PDT by beyond the sea
< g > . . . the "farrier to the stars" was the local guy for all the high priced show horses and hunt horses. We have three local fox hunts - one is particularly a "social" hunt, where probably 2/3 of the members are rich folks who never ride to hounds and only show up at the hunt balls . . . this guy used to shoe all the rich people's horses, and he charged them big money.
In his defense, he was the best farrier here locally. When I had an elderly mare with a navicular problem, I cheerfully coughed up the $65!
Well, it was a lot then :~D
Mine charges about $80 (plus or minus $10) for Bay when he gets new shoes and pads, but he drops it to the regular price when he's just resetting. He only gets replacements every-other time.
http://www.thoroughbredtimes.com/todaysnews/newsview.asp?recno=64185&subsec=1
Posted: 6/2/2006 4:17:54 PM
Barbaro recovering well, eating like a king at New Bolton
Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Barbaro continued to please equine surgeon Dean Richardson with his progress on Friday as he recuperates from surgery to repair multiple fractures to his right hind leg and a dislocated fetlock at the University of Pennsylvania's New Bolton Center in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania.
....
"I'm very pleased with the progress Barbaro is making," said Richardson, chief surgeon at Penn's veterinary school. "Everything is fine."
One of the most common questions officials at the New Bolton Center have been asked in the last two weeks is: What is Barbaro being fed in addition to hay?
Barbaro is given the same sweet feed he was fed while racing, three times a day. Corn oil is added to his grain to help assist in maintaining his weight. Barbaro also is fed alfalfa for calcium and fresh hand-picked grass delivered directly to his stall.
Intensive Care Unit nurses also give Barbaro plenty of attention to alleviate boredom, grooming him "from head to tail at least once a day, not to mention all the 'scratching' sessions he gets," according to a press release.
Although Richardson has been hesitant to look too far into the future, another common question raised has been whether Barbaro would need additional support for his right hind leg should he eventually recover well enough to be let out in a paddock. Hospital officials said in the release that Barbaro would, ideally, need little additional support once his leg is fully healed. His foot should touch the ground as normal, although the angle of the fetlock may be different.
Photos from the visit: (there are more)
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Edgar Prado and Barbaro
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Edgar Prado gives Barbaro a kiss
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(Don't stop praying though! Circulation needs to continue good and the bone fragments need to knit.)
I was interested at the pedigree - Dynaformer is Hail to Reason, Nashua and Bull Lea, with a double up to the British Hyperion on his dam's side (plus some Italian horses I don't know anything about at all.) Barbaro's dam is by Carson City, who is by Mr. Prospector, a Native Dancer/American Flag (Man O' War son) stallion with Nashua on the dam's side.
Well goodness sakes!
Heh... I guess I'm a little surprised at this, and they'd only be able to leave green grass with him IF he ate it right away. I've always been well-warned about feeding grass clippings (or allowing them to eat green grass clippings) after mowing, because cut green grass sours badly if it's not mature, it doesn't dry like mature hay when it's cut.
another common question raised has been whether Barbaro would need additional support for his right hind leg should he eventually recover well enough to be let out in a paddock. Hospital officials said in the release that Barbaro would, ideally, need little additional support once his leg is fully healed. His foot should touch the ground as normal, although the angle of the fetlock may be different.
I'm curious about the last sentence I underlined and why they phrased it that way. If the ankle is fused, surely it won't flex the way it would to move normally, and he'd have a rather hitchy gait, but I'd think the angle they fused it at would be his normal standing angle.
Do you suppose that's what they mean, that his fused ankle will make him step wonky on that side but that they think it should be strong?
Chill out.
I'm sorry, that wasn't meant for you.
Agreed. The first time they turn him out will be a heart-in-the-throat moment for everyone. He will want to go, after being cooped up so long. And everyone will be praying to see if it holds. They may want to hold off on giving him big spaces to move in, but eventually they're gonna have to risk it, he can't grow old in that stall, he's still gonna be a young horse.
Thanks for the update, I'm so happy to see he's doing well and getting such fine care by the nurses. lol
Thank you again.
I do beg to differ ... and if you were to ask my 2 horses which lifestyle they prefer, they would categorically tell you that they would just as soon keep the one they have now.
You should be proud of yourself then ........ and congrats on your horses linguistic skills.
;-)
I AM proud of how I maintain my horses. And, they told me to tell you that they would answer you personally but no one has yet devised a keyboard that they can type on without smashing it to bits with their hooves. Alas, they must depend on me to relay their opinions for them. I am quite fluent in "horse" however, and have no problem understanding what they wish to say.
They'll likely do what they can to ease him into moving on it... lots of hand walking and they may even resort to some of the mild herbal sedatives to keep him from exploding when they unhook the lead line the first time.
I'm surprised too, that they describe him as still getting a rather high power diet including three rations of grain and alfalfa. I'd think they'd be keeping his energy food down while he doesn't need it. I'd think some good bland grass hay and minimal grain. I'm sure they've reduced the amount of grain, if not the frequency, from what he would have gotten when he was running.
About the grass ... I think last week they said people on the staff were doing the hand-picking. Wouldn't they maybe have some special grass patches or a grass farm in concert with the ag school? Or *is* there an ag school at Penn?
I was picturing something like wheatgrass that they put in health food smoothees (yecch) or oatgrass - some tallgrass of some kind. Or, whatever raw stuff they make hay out of, I guess, except for alfalfa, because they name that separately.
Anyway, by hand-picked, I assumed it was pulled up by the roots, thus eliminating any worry about the "cut" conditions or drying out.
Hah - what do I know?
Well the horse wouldn't like it with the root on it.
They probably just give them enough that they eat it right away.
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