" I am not a big fan of horse racing for a variety of reasons but one of them is how some owners treat losing horses.
I have a lot of respect for this colts owners. The medical bills for him may amount to the budget for a small country. They would have been justified putting him down awhile ago but they are not giving up.
I remain optimistic because he is quite the fighter and I think he has won the hearts of many beyond the doors of the barn he lives in. "
Don't give these owners too much respect. If this was a loser horse he would've been put down on the 1st day. Medical bills probably paid by insurance? and if not, it doesn't even matter because this is a STUD horse
I've heard people saying Barbaro can net the owners Like $50 to $100 Million when he retires to be a STUD horse.
Please see post #21.
I would be suprised if he could ever be a stud other than in his own mind....giggle
Now, the Jacksons are faced with the decision that torments all animal owners: if and when to euthanize. It is an emotionally taxing decision.
Putting aside cynicism for the moment, this is not about keeping the horse alive to make money. If Barbaro survives, it is not guaranteed he will have enough strength in his hind legs to stud. Furthermore, the Jacksons probably will collect insurance money if Barbaro is euthanized.
The Jacksons have maintained from the start that this is about giving Barbaro a decent quality of life if possible. There is little reason to doubt them. It's unlikely they would prolong his life for selfish reasons. They have grown to love and care for this horse. Most likely, so have the doctors treating and monitoring Barbaro.
It is possible he'll never be able to stud..... There is always the possibility that they really have his 'quality of life' issue top and formost. .....anyway I'd like to think so.. just hope he makes it
It is unlikely that Barbaro will ever be a stud horse. The governing association requires the stud to "cover" during fertilization. The doctors believe that his leg will never have the integrity to support the weight. This additional setback doesn't help.