That band running down through the picture looks like the perforated metal band used for hanging pipes. It even seems to have holes drilled in a regular pattern.
23 screws were used along with the "plate".
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excerpted
from
Barbaro's Survival 50-50 After Surgery
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/rac_barbaro_surgery;_ylt=AvbIZoRclxp7BEdZajArkvhsaMYA;_ylu=X3oDMTA5bGVna3NhBHNlYwNzc3JlbA
Barbaro sustained a broken cannon bone above the ankle, a broken sesamoid bone behind the ankle and a broken long pastern bone below the ankle. The fetlock joint — the ankle — was dislocated.
Richardson said the pastern bone was shattered in "20-plus pieces."
The bones were put in place to fuse the joint by inserting a plate and 23 screws to repair damage so severe that most horses would not be able to survive it.
When he came out of surgery, Barbaro was lifted by sling and placed on a raft in a pool so he could calmly awake from the anesthetic.
Richardson said the horse "practically jogged back to his stall" and was wearing a cast from just below the hock to the hoof.
"He's a real genuine athlete, there's no doubt about it," Richardson said. "Even the way he woke up from anesthesia, he was very much the athlete waking up from general anesthesia."
Richardson again stressed that Barbaro had many hurdles to clear.
"Horses with this type of injury are very, very susceptible to lots of other problems, including infection at the site," he said.