" . . . oooh, look, girls! Isn't he cute?"
Posted on 05/29/2006 4:17:11 AM PDT by beyond the sea
FINE ........ really ..... you are the GOOD people.
Thanks for the pics.
Thank you for the ping to the sweet horse's progress and your kind and thoughtful words.
Yep ... I like nickering. As in "Hey ladies ... I'll be over for a visit real soon."
:-)
" . . . oooh, look, girls! Isn't he cute?"
I hope circumstances permit it to get to that point!
;-)
Danke
. . . they'd still think Barbaro was cute, I'll bet.
Thanks for the pix and updates. I love the child's drawing at the bottom of the poster, where Barbaro is standing in a field with three red flowers.
Do you think the 8-year-old artist was thinking that if Barbaro has to be "put out to pasture" that he should "stop and smell the roses" while there?
Then I realized Barbaro *has* smelled the roses, as in being the winner of the Run of the Roses. Which led me to thinking of the Dan Fogelberg song - I love it. And I double-checked - Barbaro definitely was born in "western Kentucky" - Nicholasville, to be exact.
RUN FOR THE ROSES
Born in the valley
And raised in the trees
Of Western Kentucky
On wobbly knees
With mama beside you
To help you along
You'll soon be a growing up strong.
All the long, lazy mornings
In pastures of green
The sun on your withers
The wind in your mane
Could never prepare you
For what lies ahead
The run for the roses so red --
And it's run for the roses
As fast as you can
Your fate is delivered
Your moment's at hand
It's the chance of a lifetime
In a lifetime of chance
And it's high time you joined
In the dance
It's high time you joined
In the dance --
From sire to sire
It's born in the blood
The fire of a mare
And the strength of a stud
It's breeding and it's training
And it's something unknown
That drives you and carries
You home.
And it's run for the roses
As fast as you can
Your fate is delivered
Your moment's at hand
It's the chance of a lifetime
In a lifetime of chance
And it's high time you joined
In the dance
It's high time you joined
In the dance --
should read ... "winner of the Run for the Roses" ... I type "of" for "for" all the time ... oh well ... think faster than fingers can type/typo.
Not to change the subject, but you brought up Dan Fogelberg and that great song. He wrote and performed another, "Leader of The Band". Every time I hear this incredibly beautiful song tears come to my eyes.
****
An only child
Alone and wild
A cabinet makers son
His hands were meant
For different work
And his heart was known to none --
He left his home
And went his lone and solitary way
And he gave to me
A gift I know I never can repay
A quiet man of music
Denied a simpler fate
He tried to be a soldier once
But his music wouldn't wait
He earned his love through discipline
A thundering, velvet hand
His gentle means of sculpting souls
Took me years to understand.
The leader of the band is tired
And his eyes are growing old
But his blood runs through my instrument
And his song is in my soul --
My life has been a poor attempt
To imitate the man
I'm just a living legacy
To the leader of the band.
......................
I don't think I said I love you near enough --
****
May I say ........... to you gentle people who love this good horse so much ...... thank you for your good hearts. It means a lot to so many of us to see the goodness in people.
............. I don't think we say we love each other near enough --
When my husband had a biopsy, they were there. When my husband and I were scraping to keep our house and not declare bankruptcy, they were there. These people supported me through the death of my mom, and through the low times I had afterwards. Freepers have encouraged me in my faith, given me perspective on political situations, and stood with me when a lot of people (including relatives) wouldn't.
I love my Freeper friends. I don't say it enough, but I do, and thnks be to God that they are here.
"............. I don't think we say we love each other near enough --"
No...we don't. I've sat here for the last few minutes, thinking about that. That was one of the complaints I had during my childhood. I come from family that just never understood my need to HEAR those words. It's not that I FELT unloved, but it is a comforting thing to have those words wrapped around you....like a hug. It gives you confidence and the FIRM assurance that we can go through this life WITH our family and friends, separate people...but bound together by mutual affection.
Maturity teaches us that we don't have to agree with EVERYTHING our loved family and friends hold as ideas dear to THEM. We just love them anyway, realizing that God made us all differently.
So to my FRee Republic family, even though most of you probably have never heard much from me here...I love you guys....even if I sometimes would like to smack some of you, lol. ;o).
And hang in there Barbaro. Praying for only good things to result from this whole tragedy.
pattyjo
I have also found great support from the intelligence and kindness of many FReepers over time.
I appreciate it more than I say.
I really think it would be good if we told each other how much we appreciate the good folks at this wonderful site.
I also think that it is to be said, "Thank you, Mr. Jim Robinson."
Fine words ............... have a great evening.
****
I love you guys....even if I sometimes would like to smack some of you, lol. ;o)
ROFL
Holy cow - how can I follow after posts such as these? I love you all!
I can certainly relate to Miss Marple's post, especially; but just as much to everyone's sentiments. I can also relate to Barbaro's situation, having just recently been put out to pasture myself against my wishes and now battling against ill health, after a lifetime of winning my races. However, he's *much better off* than I am, lol - except no one will put me down if I get worse.
Some good stories today, but they're AP, so I have to excerpt and link. Tidbits:
.Prado will see Barbaro for the first time tomorrow - that will be an emotional reunion for him.
.This week may bring the first peek inside the cast by Dr. Richardson.
.Barbaro's baby brother (try saying that 3 times!) has moved into his old stall at Fair Hill Training Center.
.Buttercups were his favorite munchie there.
~~~~~
http://msnbc.msn.com/id/13037671/
"... Barbaro's stall filled, but emptiness remains
.....
ELKTON, Md. -- Barbaro's stall has a new occupant -- the half brother of the Kentucky Derby winner, a frisky colt named Man In Havana.
The weekend arrival could not alleviate the emptiness felt by Barbaro's handlers, who have come to realize their injured horse will never again frolic in the plush fields of the Fair Hill Training Center.
Before shattering several bones in his right hind leg in the Preakness on May 20, Barbaro loved munching on buttercups and playing in his paddock at Fair Hill. For exercise, the dark bay colt would run through tree-lined paths under Peter Brette, assistant trainer to Michael Matz.
Now, the only way Brette can see Barbaro is at the University of Pennsylvania's New Bolton Center, where the 3-year-old is recovering from surgery on his broken leg.
....
"I've been in racing for 24 years, and last Sunday morning was probably the first time I didn't want to get out of bed. That sums it up," Brette said Monday, shortly after completing his morning chores at Fair Hill.
Even if Barbaro recovers, his days of bursting into a gallop are over, which means there is no reason for him to return to Fair Hill
"I just hope he survives this ordeal," Matz said. "Hopefully, he'll get to stand as a stallion, and there are some awful nice barns in Kentucky."
....
"The only thing we can look forward to now is he's going to pull through and is going to be fine and have babies," Brette said. "He was very special, and then, he was gone, far too quickly. He was probably the soundest horse in the barn, and for that to happen is nothing short of cruel."
....
For those who knew Barbaro, it's still hard to digest.
The office of Kathleen Anderson, owner of Equine Veterinary Care and Barbaro's chief physician, is on the far side of Matz's barn at Fair Hill. In the waiting room are four sports pages: one from the day after Barbaro ran to a 6 1/2-length victory in the Derby, the other three proclaiming the horse's greatness on the eve of the Preakness.
.....
Barbaro's stall was the first one on the left when Anderson walked from her clinic into the barn. It saddened her to see the empty stall for a week after the Preakness, just as it surprised her to see a new resident Sunday.
"When I first came in, I asked, 'Who is that?' You couldn't put an average horse in there; it had to be someone special," Anderson said. "When I found out it was Barbaro's baby brother, I thought that was fine. Keep it in the family."
But Man In Havana is no Barbaro.
"One of the things that made the saddest, aside from his actual welfare, is that it changed the future of what we had to look forward to this year ... This is very final. He is never coming back," Anderson said. ..."
~~~~~
http://msnbc.msn.com/id/13036999/
" ... “Changing the cast ... is significant because then he’ll be able to take a look at the leg and see how it’s healing,” said Gail Luciani, spokeswoman for the University of Pennsylvania’s veterinary school.
Prado, one of the nation’s leading riders, resumed racing after the Preakness and has posted several wins. He said last week the races help him keep his mind off his anguish over the Preakness injury, which ended Barbaro’s Triple Crown bid and racing career. ..."
ping ........
This is really great news. I just hope Barbaro "senses" that he needs to take it easy and let things heal up. So far, the spirited 3 y/o seems to be doing just that...
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