Triple Crown hopeful Barbaro loses... Seriously injured during race

http://www.preakness.com/ ^

[HairOfTheDog]

Post Position	Silks	Horse Name	Trainer	Jockey	Morning Line
1	(NA)	LIKE NOW (Picture NA)	Kiaran McLaughlin	Garrett Gomez	19-1
2		PLATINUM COUPLE	Joseph Lostritto	Jose Espinoza	28-1
3		HEMINGWAY'S KEY	Nick Zito	Jeremy Rose	30-1
4		GREELEY'S LEGACY	George Weaver	Richard Migliore	38-1
5		BROTHER DEREK	Dan Hendricks	Alex Solis	7-2
6		BARBARO	Michael Matz	Edgar Prado	1-2
7		SWEETNORTHERNSAINT	Michael Trombetta	Kent Desormeaux	6-1
8		BERNARDINI	Thomas Albertrani	Javier Castellano	17-1
9		DIABOLICAL	Steve Klesaris	Ramon Dominguez	24-1

[Rhiannon]

You seem to be so disenchanted with racing that you were prefer it not to occur. The hard cold fact is that horses are too expensive and since they are not used for transportation, they are a luxury. TB's are bred to race , many people drop tons of money for the speculative chance of a winner.If it was just the money, the payoff is not worth it. But it is the indescribable feeling of seeing your horse win that makes it worthwhile. Training a racehorse cost 2K a month. The commercial aspect is important to create the economic incentive to sustain and breed horses.Without the possibility of making money and fame, more horses would not be bred and there would be less OTTB horses for us to use for pleasure or other sports. There is no shame in that.

Very few people can afford to keep a bunch of horses eating their heads off who are unsound or just aged. I know, I have a older mare that now suffers from arthritis and I cannot use her like I would like.BUt I can't afford another horse board bill, to get another mount. My horse has been great so I will maintain her until she dies naturally.

There are a few organization like CANTER that try to rehab OTTB so they can be placed in new homes. Unfornuately it is not possible for all horses to live out their natural lives on pasture. TB's require grain , older TB's cannot just live on grass since they have a high metabolic rate. It cost a lost to keep pasture land in good grass and without a return it is not worth it. That land could be used for hay, or building houses, such is happening in the east. The economic cost of land is too high to allow non paying horses too live. That is why we pay board.

I love horses but economics come into play om how much I can afford on my hobby. My family needs my income and landowners has the same problems . They can't allow unproductive use of their land or they lose the farm. Remember that they have to pay taxes even if the land is fallow.

Estate taxes also do damage since farms have to be sold for the taxes. Here is the east, land can go for 50 K an acre. Now what does that compare to having a dozen aged TB's grazing and needing hay and grain in winter and not getting any payment.

Plus when I rode my horse when she was younger I rode in mud, trails and hard ground and sometimes we chose to run full out. The uneven ground is much worse that what is on a race track.

It is a tragedy when a horse breaks it leg on the track , but I have seen horses break their legs in a small paddock without anyone one riding them.

Injuries can happen at any time to all atheletes. That is what the mean by the phrase that's horse racing. It means that bad luck and good luck happens on the track and you can never be sure of the outcome of the race.

People before the race were so certain that Barbero would win. I thought that anything could happen and something did. No reason for the horse to take a bad step but he did.The going through the gate did not do any harm.

If you were a track athelete and took a false start would you want to be check over by a doctor before the race could start? Only if you felt or someone saw something was wrong, The jockey and the gate handlers had the closest opportunity to see if the horse was sound. The tape showed the horse appeared sound so your arguement that they should have check before he got in the gate is unneccesary.

Humans takes risks every day in sports and do not want to have the ability to enjoy those risks taken way from people who are risk adverse. There is a point where you can't protect the horse from the sport without eliminating the sport.

Your posts seem to be that to imply that the risks to horses and people are too great to allow racing. I do not feel that is the truth. Just that you are really upset about the horse breaking his leg.

Please don't feel that those of use who have a realistic outlook don't want the best for the magnifcent animals we love. But horses are bred to run and it is wonderful to see when they do that.

[mojo114]

Read that tonight on ESPN news. The difficulty is going to be keeping the colt up and blood flow. A long recovery with lots of problems that could come in to this that we will find out about, however,I feel so strongly that this horse has it to survive. Prayers that Barbaro will live a healthy life.

[Wolfstar]

You seem to be so disenchanted with racing that you were prefer it not to occur.

Get a life. I am sick to death with people who think it is their mission in life to force everyone else to think in lock-step with their points of view.

[Rhiannon]

I have a life ,do you?
I fail to see how my post which was in a reasonable tone should generate this rude response. If I am wrong in getting the impression that you are disenchanted with horse racing , then say so. Do you like horse racing? You seem to have a lot of genuine feeling to ask for more research in safety issues like track surces. I notice that other posters gave more info in new track surfaces.
You wanted more research in horse ailments. Do you contribute for that research?

The industry does contribute and horseman everywhere do contribute. How do you think New Bolton got started? Demand for better treatment and the push for a good research and hospital by horseman is what created this great hospital.
There is a place in Leesburg that does a lot of surgery. I have known quite a few horses that have gone there. That was started with the demand by horseman.

[Rhiannon]

Also I don't expect anyone to be in lock step with me. I post my opinion just like everyone else on this forum

[Wolfstar]

I fail to see how my post which was in a reasonable tone should generate this rude response.

After two days of having people with your point of view try to force it down my throat, I just have had enough. If my response was rude, it was for that reason. I am not interested in having a dialog with you about this subject.

[HairOfTheDog]

Shown is a photo of the X-ray of the injured right rear leg of Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro following surgery at the University of Pennsylvania's New Bolton Center for Large Animals on Sunday, May 21, 2006, in Kennett Square Pa. Barbaro came out five-plus hours of surgery Sunday to repair three broken bones in his right rear leg and 'practically jogged back to the stall'', said Dr. Dean Richardson. (AP Photo/Joseph Kaczmarek)

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Barbaro 'Comfortable' After Day of Surgery ^

In this photo provided by the University of Pennsylvania, veterinary resident Dr. Steven Zedler stands in the stall with Barbaro after the Kentucky Derby winner underwent more than five hours of surgery Sunday, May 21, 2006, to repair three broken bones in his right rear leg at the University of Pennsylvania's New Bolton Center in Kennett Square, Pa.(AP Photo/University of Pennsylvania, Sabina Louise Pierce)

[HairOfTheDog]

Wolfstar, if I can be so bold as to make an assumption about the others you've debated, none of us are sure what you even want.

You criticize the spokesman for being less than articulate "Well, that's horse racing" about what the racing industry is going to DO to prevent this from happening again, when at the time, the horse was barely off the field, the cause and prognosis for him not yet known, let alone 'what should be done'.

You know a lot of spectator trivia about some famous racehorses, but I'm not sure you have any idea what horse husbandry is really about and you don't apparently want to hear from people who do. You just want them to DO MORE, spend more.... Give away grant money to people for studies that study stuff. You have no idea how much science and money and research already goes into these horses. Their whole life is science.. their diet, their exercise routine, the music in their stall at night, the shoes on their feet. All are the best money can buy. And yet animal and man still break down sometimes regardless. We live, learn and try again.


That is the fact of sport, particularly horse sport. Anything that can happen probably will in time. It's not for the faint of heart.

[Wolfstar]

Wolfstar, if I can be so bold as to make an assumption about the others you've debated, none of us are sure what you even want.

I want nothing. Not a damned thing. I'm sorry I ever posted anything on any thread with all you "experts."

I also note you couldn't just post to me. No, you had to ping Rhiannon just to keep your little party going. Nice.

[HairOfTheDog]

I am really sorry for your grief over this incident. But good grief, grow up. I pinged her because this is a public discussion, and I was, even if indirectly, talking about her. That's the polite thing to do.

[RSteyn]

>In this photo provided by the University of Pennsylvania, veterinary resident Dr. Steven Zedler stands in the stall with Barbaro after the Kentucky Derby winner underwent more than five hours of surgery Sunday, May 21, 2006, to repair three broken bones in his right rear leg at the University of Pennsylvania's New Bolton Center in Kennett Square, Pa.(<

This photo is the most hopeful sight of the last two days. A horse that stands and eats is one with a chance.

Brought tears to my eyes.

[RSteyn]

>I want nothing. Not a damned thing. I'm sorry I ever posted anything on any thread with all you "experts." <

One does not learn by running one's mouth. One learns by listening, and discovering what one did not know before.

That said, do you realize that all jockeys are now wearing kevlar and what a literal lifesaver that has proven time and again when riders go down and get stepped on?

Your lament that nothing changes and no one cares, and that racing is indifferent to the safety of horses and riders just isn't so.

[Fawn]

Listen....you entered the thread on your own free will and decided to post something that you knew what insensitive and would tick people off. That says all that can be said about your character....so save your breath (typing).

[Rhiannon]

Wolfstar,
He has the right to direct posts to me.I contributed to this discussion. WE have been reasonable and polite. Regret you are upset about the disagreement.

[Rhiannon]

I agree Rsteyn. You told me a lot a I did not know about new changes in track surfaces. I enjoy a good discussion about horses. Regret that Wolfstar can't aceept a disagreement. The purpose of discussion is to learn and might even correct one's misperceptions.

[AnAmericanMother]

If you are not interested in having a dialogue, why the heck are you here?

You came on this thread with an extreme and provocative premise. People have tried to discuss it reasonably with you, and you have been uniformly rude in your responses to just about everyone.

You don't seem to be interested in hearing from the many folks on this board with real experience in riding and training (although I haven't run across an actual racing trainer here yet, we've got folks from just about every aspect of equine husbandry here, including vets). I've been riding for almost 45 years, but I still learn a lot on these horse threads.

If you just want to make a provocative statement and demand that it not be challenged by anyone, rent a billboard!

[HairOfTheDog]

Can't we all just get along? :~D

[ErnBatavia]

I like coming in the back door of these long threads...they inevitably become pissing matches.

[HairOfTheDog]

Indeed.

[Wolfstar]

Can't we all just get along? :~D

Sure. As long as it's on your terms, apparently.