Barbaro ~ America's Horse

[showmom07]

[QUOTE=vineyridge;1940227]
With all the women who love horses, it’s a shame that racing’s image and audience is horseplayers, all male and slightly disreputable. If racing targeted females and made them feel welcome in the stands, even if they didn’t bet, I would sincerely believe that the actual bottoms in the seats might increase surprisingly.[/QUOTE]

I think there is a different audience for horse racing at different tracks. Our local track is pretty much a family affair. Lots of people there with their little kids. They have picnic tables where whole extended famililies camp out with grandma, grandpa, aunts, uncles, and lots of strollers. Lots of single dads have their kids in tow, as well. I always dressed mine in real bright colors when they were little so they could run up and down near the fence and I could easily keep track of them.

The really hard-core betters seem to stay pretty glued to the indoor tables near all the various monitors showing racing all across the country and near the betting windows.

[VirginiaBred]

Friday Morning~
From Alex:

Update 867: This morning’s Barbaro update may well be delayed to mid morning. Its raining pretty hard which will impact training. I’ll likely stop by Michael Matz’s barn after training.

[msj]

Rain here Friday morning in western NY as well. :sigh:

We’re a bit low on candles so if everyone checking Bobby’s status could just light a few, we’d be back above 1000 easily. Thanks.

I’ll check back in after I clean stalls. Right now I’m waiting for the dog to eat her breakfast. I need the cat to come in, then the dog goes after her breakfast really well (as if the cat’s gonna go eat it). :rolleyes:

Hey, could I have an extra jingle for my cat. He used to be a barn cat but I brought him into the house a couple of yrs ago when he and all his stray buddies plus Ricky Raccoon were going thru 6 cups of cat food a day.

I took him to the vet as he suddenly became bloated and wasn’t eating. The vet aspirated 500 ml (2 cups) of amber fluid from his abdomen and put him on steriods. He is 17 so I don’t expect a lot, but I’ll sure miss him curled up next to me in bed at night. When he becomes bloating again, I’ll take him back for more to be aspirated.

[VirginiaBred]

Update 868: Another comfortable night last night for Barbaro (thursday night). I saw Michael Matz as I was driving out of Fair Hill after a pretty unproductive freelance morning (no worries about that though, its nice to have a break). Michael had heard from Dr. Richardson. It looks like the rain is easing off, although the dirt track was closed this morning. With the woodchip track finished, there were no racetracks available to train. Likely a few horses trained outback, but the ground has got to be getting pretty soft. I hope this weather does not seriously impact the Fair Hill three day event, which is just getting underway.
update 8:25 am, friday, october 20

Thanks, Tim/Alex.

[VirginiaBred]

msj, so sorry about your kitty. Will be keeping positive thoughts for you.

[VirginiaBred]

Update 869: I just spoke to Mrs. Jackson. I wanted to see if she would sign some Barbaro prints that would then be auctioned for Freedom Hills. More importantly, she had visited Barbaro this morning and all remains well. She is also very grateful for everyone’s work and commitment for the anti-slaughter legislation. Please keep up the great work.

Excellent! Thanks Alex!

[I_m_EBO]

Does B still have use of his sling?

I was just thinking that it would be neat if there was some sort of sensor with printouts (like a seismograph) that would measure the amount of weight bearing a particular leg was providing.

There could be a mat covering the stall floor that would register pressure (like the special pads they use to gauge saddle pressure points under a rider) that could be connected to a TV monitor to show which leg was where. Then, at the close of some arbitrary period of time, they could interpret the printout to find which leg, if any, was bearing more weight than the other legs.

And if they found that one leg WAS in danger, could they modify the sling, add more external support, put on a boot?

Any engineers here to figure how to do something like this?

In the meantime, I’ll go light some more candles.

Candle update: 1045!!

[msj]

Thanks VB

[Texarkana]

[QUOTE=I’m EBO;1942504]
Does B still have use of his sling?

I was just thinking that it would be neat if there was some sort of sensor with printouts (like a seismograph) that would measure the amount of weight bearing a particular leg was providing.

There could be a mat covering the stall floor that would register pressure (like the special pads they use to gauge saddle pressure points under a rider) that could be connected to a TV monitor to show which leg was where. Then, at the close of some arbitrary period of time, they could interpret the printout to find which leg, if any, was bearing more weight than the other legs.

And if they found that one leg WAS in danger, could they modify the sling, add more external support, put on a boot?

Any engineers here to figure how to do something like this?

In the meantime, I’ll go light some more candles.

Candle update: 1045!![/QUOTE]

To answer your first question-- no. Barbaro hasn’t used the sling in months, except when he had his cast changed he used it to be lowered into the raft for recovery.

I like your idea… that would be a high tech piece of equipment, though!

One of the laminitis experts at work (well, now former work seeing as how today was my last day!) was telling me it’s not always the weight distribution that causes the laminitis. There was a study oversees where they would actually tie a horse’s leg up and somehow “induce” laminitis. Apparently in that study the horses were just as likely to develop laminitis in the tied up leg as they were in the weight bearing leg. I wish I had the references to the actual study and more details… (And I’m not saying weight distribution doesn’t play a part in laminitis, I’m just throwing that out there as food for thought! I’m not a doctor nor have I spent a lifetime studying laminitis!)

[VirginiaBred]

Update 872: Another comfortable day for Barbaro. I just spoke to Peter, who had heard from Michael, who had visited.

Update 871: Rachel, from Kennett Florist left this comment about their visit to New Bolton today (timestamp: 8:36 pm):

What a day we’ve had here. The wind and rain have been crazy here… thankfully we still have power, not so much down the road.
But even with the horrible weather, in came Martita… our lovely little dancer from NY. She had quite a trip but I will let her post about that later. She had us bring apple cider donuts and hot apple cider for all the folks up at NBC. She even did a bit of dancing for Dr Sweeney, Dr Richardson and some of the staff as they snacked. What a lovely treat for us all. What a doll Martita is and I’m sure that she brought everyone at NBC a bit of joy to their day.
And of course, Big Boss Horse couldn’t be excluded, we brought him a couple of baskets of his favorites so that he could enjoy… he didn’t get to see the dancing, but I think maybe he and Dr Dean do a little two stepping when no one’s looking! Have a great weekend!!

WE BELIEVE!!
Rachel at Kennett Florist

[hoofcare]

Pressure Mats and Tied-up Leg Study

The dream mat you describe already exists, and is in use for equine research at Dr. Hilary Clayton’s McPhail Center for Equine Performance at Michigan State vet school and also at the Hoof Project in College Station, Texas (where Dr. David Hood does his research). It is available for patients at Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington, Kentucky, and has been featured in our magazine, Hoofcare & Lameness, several times.

Here’s a link directly to it:

http://www.tekscan.com/medical/specs_hoof.html
and
http://www.tekscan.com/medical/system_hoof.html

Actually, they can now go one better than the mats. They have film sensors that can fit right inside a boot. I’ve seen them used with Old Macs boots.

The study with the tied-up legs was performed by Dr Verschooten at the vet school in Belgium (either Ghent or Liege, I can’t remember which). He presented the research at the Bluegrass Laminitis Symposium about 10 years ago. His goal was to measure the difference in hoof growth between weightbearing and nonweightbearing hooves. As I recall, none of the horses developed laminitis.

I dug the paper out this summer after Barbaro’s episode because Dr. Don Walsh of the Animal Health Foundation (which funds a great deal of the laminitis research, including a lot of Pollitt’s work and Katy Watts’ grass research) was trying to remember the results. When he spoke at our “Hoofcare@ Saratoga” seminar in August he went over Verschooten again in relation to support limb laminitis. Maybe someone else was there and remembers what he said?

It is a pretty obscure bit of research, but no one who heard Verschooten present it ever forgot it.

Fran

[I_m_EBO]

Thank you, hoofcare, for that very informative reply.

I’m surprised that New Bolton doesn’t have the system (and I’m assuming they know about it); in fact, I’m surprised that so few vet hospitals do. Is its worth debatable? Is it prohibitive in cost?

Texarkana, is anyone is taking any wild guesses about the reason for the tied up foot sometimes developing laminitis? Was there something going on with diet or circulation (or lack thereof)?

[VirginiaBred]

Saturday Morning~

Update 873: Another comfortable night last night for Barbaro (friday night). I saw Michael as I was walking to the track for my third set. He had heard from Dr. Richardson. Michael also noted that when he visited yesterday he took Barbaro out to graze, within five minutes had to bring him back in. I guess the wind was getting him a little excited (Barbaro, not Michael).
It is looking like a beautiful day at Fair Hill. First set was a little lighter than yesterday morning given the clear sky, but only a little lighter! For the first set I opened galloped a 2yo, in company, for three eighths of a mile. His first open gallop at Fair Hill. They went well together, and picked it up nicely down the lane. No one clocked us, and even if someone wanted to, they would not really have seen the work. The second set was a quarter mile breeze, Rocky (Holy Bull 2yo) with Grandma (one of Tim’s 2yos). They went a very nice 26 and change together. Rocky has not yet learned how to carry me through the breeze. I need to hussle him a little to get him to cruise, but then when I just sit on him, he eases himself back. He’s just learning. He does share some of the same characteristics as Giacomo, who is also by Holy Bull. I was talking to Steve Willard (Giacomo’s exercise rider) to get a report the other day and he noted that unless you really get hold of him to gallop, he tends to hop up and down a little galloping. Well, that’s Rocky too! Would be nice if he shared more characteristics with him down the road!

Thanks Alex

[Spoilsport]

Michael also noted that when he visited yesterday he took Barbaro out to graze, within five minutes had to bring him back in. I guess the wind was getting him a little excited (Barbaro, not Michael).

VB - Huge thanks, as always, for the reports.

[msj]

@VirginiaBred;1944036

Saturday Morning~

Michael also noted that when he visited yesterday he took Barbaro out to graze, within five minutes had to bring him back in. I guess the wind was getting him a little excited (Barbaro, not Michael).

:lol: :lol: :lol:

At least you’re getting wind to dry the ground from the rain!

Good update! Glad the big guy’s feeling good!

[VirginiaBred]

Update 875: A quick reminder, there is a 7 pm vigil tonight for Barbaro. Wherever you are, whatever you are doing, spare some time for Barbaro.

Another good day for Barbaro this Saturday.

[VirginiaBred]

Update 876: Another comfortable day for Barbaro. I just spoke to Peter (6:00 pm) who had spoken to Michael, who had visited.

[VirginiaBred]

Thanks, Alex.
Update 877: Today’s update will be delayed. Michael is on his way to Keeneland (Round Pond is there preparing for the Breeders’ Cup). I will call Peter later today to get an update. Its likely coming up to the Breeders’ Cup updates will be later in the day.

While we are waiting I thought you might enjoy this quick conversation Michelle Matz had with Eduardo Hernandez, Barbaro’s groom. I had asked Michelle if she could ask Eduardo a few questions for us as Michelle speaks great spanish.
Here is the brief conversation:

Michelle: When did you start taking care of Barbaro, and what were your initial impressions?
Eduardo: I started taking care of him last year in December. He was a very happy horse.
Michelle: When did you realize Barbaro was “special” ?
Eduardo: I realized he was a great horse after he won the Tropical Park Derby at Calder.
Michelle: What were your thoughts when you won the Kentucky Derby?
Eduardo: I was very happy, and I wanted to keep on winning.
Michelle: What are your thoughts now as Barbaro continues his recovery?
Eduardo: I am very happy he is recovering well. I really just want him to keep getting better.

[VirginiaBred]

5 Months and Counting

Today marks the five month period since Barbaro’s tragedy at the Peakness.

It’s hard to believe it’s been five months.

Five months of worry and fear; five months of small miracles as he inches toward his new finish line.

Five months of prayers and jingles; five months we’ve come together as Team Barbaro.

Barbaro, bring on the next five months!

WE BELIEVE!!!

[Bugs-n-Frodo]

GO BOBBY GO!!!