Update 1290: New Bolton has released an update to explain the new foot cast that was applied last wednesday: Barbaro has new cast applied to his left hind foot:
Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro had a foot cast applied to his left hind foot on January 3, 2007 by Dr. Scott Morrison, an equine podiatry expert from Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington, Kentucky. “This cast was applied with the goal of starting to help re-align his coffin bone properly in that foot,” said Dr. Dean W. Richardson, Chief of Surgery. “His comfort on that foot has been good since the procedure.”
According to Dr. Richardson, radiographs taken on January 8, 2007 “show improved alignment of his coffin bone and continued healing of the fractured right hind pastern region.” His condition is stable and a firm decision concerning his discharge from the hospital has not been made."
The next update will be posted on Tuesday, January 16, unless there is a significant change in Barbaro’s condition.
Mike Jensen wrote a great article that further explains Barbaro’s medical condition: Barbaro will linger for a while in Kennett: Although he’s on “low-level medical care,” the horse is not yet ready to be sent to Kentucky, his surgeon says. This includes the following excerpts:
“Part of it has grown almost to the bottom, pretty much,” Richardson said. “The lateral part, the outside part of the hoof wall, is almost all the way to the bottom. But the inside part of the hoof has probably a tenth of that. It’s really slow. It’s very disparate between the different parts of the foot, and that’s going to be a real problem for us.”
and
“There are a lot of subtle things involved in treating this type of laminitis, and one of them is making sure that you have the alignment of the coffin bone correct,” Richardson said. “And it’s almost impossible to do without having something relatively rigid that’s encasing his foot, so when Scott Morrison came up, that’s what he did. It’s basically a cast that holds his foot very firmly, but then on the outside of the cast, there’s an actual horseshoe that is glued onto the cast, but at a certain angle so that we can get him back at the correct angle.”
Thanks, Alex.
Well no recovery is without set backs and hopefully he will be comfortable again soon…
Okay keep jingling!!! Go Bobby GO!
VB please pass on THANKS to Alex and Mrs. Jackson for allowing us into their daily lives with Barbaro, I do not know where I would be without these updates…
Your dedication is appreciated more then you all know…
Thanks so much for the updates as usual, VB.
Lit some candles.
Go, Barbaro!!
Wow, my heart skipped a beat, and not in a good way, when I saw the title. I know bobbles are expected in recoveries, but with horses it always scares me.
Anyway, off to light more candles, give some jingles, and keep praying & believing for the big guy!
P.S. Thanks, again, VB, for all your hard work here. I know you’re not alone, but you are the one putting forth the effort on this board. It’s appreciated probably more than you know!
I’m trying to ignore that Dr.Richardson predicted that the Buckeyes would win!!
Candles lit! VERY VERY thankful for his team and his recovery… I believe that he will heal!
Waiting for tomorrow’s more upbeat post.
Anxious
To me, it isnt supprising that he is a little less comfortable. Remember, he is getting used to the new alignment that was reported in the press release.
I was looking for more information on the EVH-positive horses at the University of Connecticut, and on the same page was an article describing the cast recently put on Barbaro.
http://special.equisearch.com/blog/horsehealth/2007_01_01_archive.html
Update 1291: I spoke to Tom, who visited Barbaro this afternoon. Tom said Barbaro appeared comfortable and was eating. Tom was unable to take Barbaro outside.
Thanks, Alex.
All of us need, more than anything else, to stay the course where Big B is concerned.
Come on Team Barbaro, we have done this before!!! This is just a turn in the road.
I just lit 3 more candles, now totalling 3,127.
Thanks, VB
Candles at 3163!
Love heals all wounds. Grow hoof grow!
Candles lit and chain is jangling. Come on big boy!
VB - I’ve been quiet, but it doesn’t mean I haven’t been following this thread 
Just wanted to let you know that there is at least one lurker (I bet there are many of us) jingling for Barbaro and grateful for your updates and Alex’s.
VB:
I too don’t post often, but I check the thread daily for the latest on Barbaro. Continue to send prayers and jingles for Barbaro. Thank you for your continued support of this thread and keep all of us updated. Many thanks to Alex with his first hand reports.
Updpate 1293: New Bolton Update: Barbaro suffers setback:
Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro has had a significant setback over the last 24 hours. He became acutely more uncomfortable on his left hind foot. The foot cast was removed and some new separation of the medial (inside) portion of his hoof was found. This required some additional debridement (removal of the damaged tissue) last night.
[I]He is being treated much more aggressively at this time for his discomfort. He is continuing to eat well and is otherwise stable.
Updates will be provided when new information is available.
[/I]
Update 1294: This AP story includes quotes from Mrs. Jackson: Barbaro suffers significant setback. The quotes:
“Things were marching along pretty smoothly until this,” Barbaro’s co-owner Gretchen Jackson said. “We’ve been there before with him. He’s a horse that wants to live.”
and
“It’s sad that’s he’s had a setback because he was marching along toward living outside the hospital,” Jackson said. “The only thing we care about is that he’s not in pain.”
and
“I was there yesterday and it was obvious he was not comfortable in that foot,” Jackson said. “The easiest and best way to work on Barbaro is when he’s laying down. They had to wait until he was laying down and when they removed the cast, they discovered some reason for him feeling pain.”
Thanks, alex
Vigil for Barbaro at 12 Noon Today (1/10) and tonight at 7pm.
Please stop and say a prayer, light some candles and have a moment for this fighter. Please.
Praying for you Barbaro.
