Thanks VB…I’ve got a dumb question though…when Bobby sits in his sling, does he take great weight off his front feet? I’m still worrying about the dreaded L hitting the front and wondered if he’s smart enough to help those tootsies out of potential danger by hanging almost totally.
Have a great day everyone…let’s be kind to one another here and elsewhere.
I think so–here’s a quote from VB’s post #1212:
“He has learned how to adapt his posture to the sling so he can benefit from the most comfort,” said Dr. Kathleen Anderson, Barbaro’s attending vet when the horse was racing and stabled in trainer Michael Matz’s barn at the Fair Hill Training Center in Elkton, Md.
“He’s learning how to almost dog sit, which is good because it takes the weight off the front legs, which is, of course, our next great concern,” she told The Associated Press.
That sounds very good to me! 
What a cool horse!
Awesome! Thanks for the reminder Fancy! I have considered re-reading this thread from the first post…perhaps that would be a good idea!:yes:
In reference to the above post (I haven’t figured out how to do quotes), not only is Barbaro a smart horse, I love the fact that he’s figured out how to boink around his stall in the sling! 
Go big guy!
I’m off to light a few more candles for him! 
I know - when I first read that, I couldn’t help but rememeber my younger sister in her Johnny Jump Up … Boing, Boing, BOING! :lol:
(talk about reaching back a few decades for a memory!)
I just scheduled a minor knee chip removal with Dr Richardson for Tuesday. I hope to get a peek at the resident equine celebrity while I am there!
Is there a photo someplace of B using his sling? I’m having trouble visualising how much of his hindquarters are encased in the webbing (I assume it’s a webbed sort of device); how he gets onto all four from his “sitting” position; what’s involved in the boinging, etc. Inquiring minds, y’know.
Thanks for pictures and/or explanations.
There’s an excellent one on the NBC website. It’s quite a deal, actually.
Thanks, VB for the updates again.
Laurier, good luck w/your horse’s surgery and if you do get a glimpse, we expect the FULL SCOOP!!!
Go Bobby!
NBC update… sounds GREAT!!!
July 26, 2006
KENNETT SQUARE, PA — According to Chief of Surgery Dean Richardson, Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro slept well after his left hind foot bandage was changed yesterday. “I’m happy with the appearance of this foot, which is doing as well as can be expected,” said Dr. Richardson. “Over the last several days, his temperature has been normal and his blood work has significantly improved suggesting that the infection in his right hind is under control.” His heart rate is also consistently normal now, a good indication that he is stable and comfortable.
Sounds like Bobby is doing well.
Does anyone have any info on the joint fusion? They had not said much about it except no change, if I remember right… I am so glad he is doing well I hope he pulls through… We are pulling for you Bobby!!! You may not be remembered as the horse who finally won the triple crown but you have shown you have the heart of a champion and have caputured everyone’s heart!!!
[B]In from Alex:
[/B]Update 317: New Bolton’s press release confirms Barbaro’s comfort etc: Barbaro remains stable and comfortable:
According to Chief of Surgery Dean Richardson, Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro slept well after his left hind foot bandage was changed yesterday. “I’m happy with the appearance of this foot, which is doing as well as can be expected,” said Dr. Richardson. “Over the last several days, his temperature has been normal and his blood work has significantly improved suggesting that the infection in his right hind is under control.” His heart rate is also consistently normal now, a good indication that he is stable and comfortable.
Barbaro remains in the Intensive Care Unit of Penn’s George D. Widener Hospital.
The next update will be posted on Friday, July 28 unless there is a significant change in Barbaro’s condition.
Its nice to see continuing Bobby coverage in New Zealand!
For the presentation I gave yesterday, at the beginning, I asked the audience how many people follow horse racing. I think three hands went up (the audience was about 60 people, who work in MBA administration). I then asked how many people were familiar with Barbaro, about 3/4s of the audience raised their hand. I then showed the audience this site!
Tape recorder, camera, etc.
More prayers and jingles for Barbaro. This is the first site I check each day.
A friend sent this to me today…it seem appropriate for Team Barbaro as well:
[B]God gives us horses and compels some of us to love them. Yet why does the horse, an animal with such a big heart, live such a short life?
Perhaps it’s because if our horses lived any longer, we wouldn’t be able to bear losing them. Or, perhaps it’s because God wants to jump.
Perhaps God looks down on the fine horses we raise and decides when it’s His turn to ride. He gives us a few good years to care for and learn from them, but when the time is right, it’s up to us to see them off gracefully.
OK, perhaps not gracefully. Blowing into a Kleenex is rarely graceful. But we can be grateful.
To have a horse in your life is a gift. In the matter of a few short years, a horse can teach a girl courage, if she chooses to grab mane and hang on for dear life. Even the smallest of ponies is mightier than the tallest of girls. To conquer the fear of falling off, having one’s toes crushed, or being publicly humiliated at a horse show is an admirable feat for any child. For that, we can be grateful.
Horses teach us responsibility. Unlike a bicycle - or a computer - a horse needs regular care and most of it requires that you get dirty and smelly and up off the couch. Choosing to leave your cozy kitchen to break the crust of ice off the water buckets is to choose responsibility. When our horses dip their noses and drink heartily, we know we’ve made the right choice.
Learning to care for a horse is both an art and a science. Some are easy keepers, requiring little more than regular turn-out, a flake of hay, and a trough of clean water. Others will test you - you’ll struggle to keep them from being too fat or too thin. You’ll have their feet shod regularly only to find shoes gone missing. Some are so accident-prone you’ll swear they’re intentionally finding new ways to injure themselves.
If you weren’t raised with horses, you can’t know that they have unique personalities. You’d expect this from dogs, but horses? Indeed, there are clever horses, grumpy horses, and even horses with a sense of humor. Those prone to humor will test you by finding new ways to escape from the barn when you least expect it. I found one of ours on the front porch one morning, eating the cornstalks I’d carefully arranged as Halloween decorations.
Horses can be timid or brave, lazy or athletic, obstinate or willing. You will hit it off with some horses and others will elude you altogether. There are as many “types” of horses as there are people - which makes the whole partnership thing all the more interesting.
If you’ve never ridden a horse, you probably assume it’s a simple thing you can learn in a weekend. You can, in fact, learn the basics on a Sunday - but to truly ride well takes a lifetime. Working with a living being is far more complex than turning a key in the ignition and putting the car in “drive.”
In addition to listening to your instructor, your horse will have a few things to say to you as well. On a good day, he’ll be happy to go along with the program and tolerate your mistakes; on a bad day, you’ll swear he’s trying to kill you. Perhaps he’s naughty or perhaps he’s fed up with how slowly you’re learning his language. Regardless, the horse will have an opinion. He may choose to challenge you (which can ultimately make you a better rider) or he may carefully carry you over fences…if it suits him. It all depends on the partnership - and partnership is what it’s all about.
If you face your fears, swallow your pride, and are willing to work at it, you’ll learn lessons in courage, commitment, and compassion, in addition to basic survival skills. You’ll discover just how hard you’re willing to work toward a goal, how little you know, and how much you have to learn. And, while some people think the horse “does all the work”, you’ll be challenged physically as well as mentally. Your horse may humble you completely. Or, you may find that sitting on his back is the closest you’ll get to heaven.
You can choose to intimidate your horse, but do you really want to? The results may come more quickly, but will your work ever be as graceful as that gained through trust? The best partners choose to listen, as well as to tell. When it works, we experience a sweet sense of accomplishment brought about by smarts, hard work, and mutual understanding between horse and rider. These are the days when you know with absolute certainty that your horse is enjoying his work.
If we make it to adulthood with horses still in our lives, most of us have to squeeze riding into our over saturated schedules; balancing our need for things equine with those of our households and employers. There is never enough time to ride, or to ride as well as we’d like. Hours in the barn are stolen pleasures.
If it is in your blood to love horses, you share your life with them. Our horses know our secrets; we braid our tears into their manes and whisper our hopes into their ears. A barn is a sanctuary in an unsettled world, a sheltered place where life’s true priorities are clear: a warm place to sleep, someone who loves us, and the luxury of regular meals…Some of us need these reminders.
When you step back, it’s not just about horses - its about love, life, and learning. On any given day, a friend is celebrating the birth of a foal, a blue ribbon, or recovery from an illness. That same day, there is also loss: a broken limb, a case of colic, or a decision to sustain a life or end it gently. As horse people, we share the accelerated life cycle of horses: the hurried rush of life, love, loss, and death that caring for these animals brings us. When our partners pass, it is more than a moment of sorrow.
We mark our loss with words of gratitude for the ways our lives have been blessed. Our memories are of joy, awe, and wonder. Absolute union. We honor our horses for their brave hearts, courage, and willingness to give.
To those outside our circle, it must seem strange. To see us in our muddy boots, who would guess such poetry lives in our hearts? We celebrate our companions with praise worthy of heroes. Indeed, horses have the hearts of warriors and often carry us into and out of fields of battle.
Listen to stories of that once-in-a-lifetime horse; of journeys made and challenges met. The best of horses rise to the challenges we set before them, asking little in return.
Those who know them understand how fully a horse can hold a human heart. Together, we share the pain of sudden loss and the lingering taste of long-term illness. We shoulder the burden of deciding when or whether to end the life of a true companion.
In the end, we’re not certain if God entrusts us to our horses or our horses to us. Does it matter? We’re grateful God loaned us the horse in the first place. And so we pray:
''Dear God,
After You’ve enjoyed a bit of jumping, please give our fine horses the best of care. And, if it’s not too much, might we have at least one more good gallop when we meet again?" [/B]
A friend sent this to me today. It seems appropriate for Team Barbaro!!!:
GOD JUMPS
God gives us horses and compels some of us to love them. Yet why does the horse, an animal with such a big heart, live such a short life?
Perhaps it’s because if our horses lived any longer, we wouldn’t be able to bear losing them. Or, perhaps it’s because God wants to jump.
Perhaps God looks down on the fine horses we raise and decides when it’s His turn to ride. He gives us a few good years to care for and learn from them, but when the time is right, it’s up to us to see them off gracefully.
OK, perhaps not gracefully. Blowing into a Kleenex is rarely graceful. But we can be grateful.
To have a horse in your life is a gift. In the matter of a few short years, a horse can teach a girl courage, if she chooses to grab mane and hang on for dear life. Even the smallest of ponies is mightier than the tallest of girls. To conquer the fear of falling off, having one’s toes crushed, or being publicly humiliated at a horse show is an admirable feat for any child. For that, we can be grateful.
Horses teach us responsibility. Unlike a bicycle - or a computer - a horse needs regular care and most of it requires that you get dirty and smelly and up off the couch. Choosing to leave your cozy kitchen to break the crust of ice off the water buckets is to choose responsibility. When our horses dip their noses and drink heartily, we know we’ve made the right choice.
Learning to care for a horse is both an art and a science. Some are easy keepers, requiring little more than regular turn-out, a flake of hay, and a trough of clean water. Others will test you - you’ll struggle to keep them from being too fat or too thin. You’ll have their feet shod regularly only to find shoes gone missing. Some are so accident-prone you’ll swear they’re intentionally finding new ways to injure themselves.
If you weren’t raised with horses, you can’t know that they have unique personalities. You’d expect this from dogs, but horses? Indeed, there are clever horses, grumpy horses, and even horses with a sense of humor. Those prone to humor will test you by finding new ways to escape from the barn when you least expect it. I found one of ours on the front porch one morning, eating the cornstalks I’d carefully arranged as Halloween decorations.
Horses can be timid or brave, lazy or athletic, obstinate or willing. You will hit it off with some horses and others will elude you altogether. There are as many “types” of horses as there are people - which makes the whole partnership thing all the more interesting.
If you’ve never ridden a horse, you probably assume it’s a simple thing you can learn in a weekend. You can, in fact, learn the basics on a Sunday - but to truly ride well takes a lifetime. Working with a living being is far more complex than turning a key in the ignition and putting the car in “drive.”
In addition to listening to your instructor, your horse will have a few things to say to you as well. On a good day, he’ll be happy to go along with the program and tolerate your mistakes; on a bad day, you’ll swear he’s trying to kill you. Perhaps he’s naughty or perhaps he’s fed up with how slowly you’re learning his language. Regardless, the horse will have an opinion. He may choose to challenge you (which can ultimately make you a better rider) or he may carefully carry you over fences…if it suits him. It all depends on the partnership - and partnership is what it’s all about.
If you face your fears, swallow your pride, and are willing to work at it, you’ll learn lessons in courage, commitment, and compassion, in addition to basic survival skills. You’ll discover just how hard you’re willing to work toward a goal, how little you know, and how much you have to learn. And, while some people think the horse “does all the work”, you’ll be challenged physically as well as mentally. Your horse may humble you completely. Or, you may find that sitting on his back is the closest you’ll get to heaven.
You can choose to intimidate your horse, but do you really want to? The results may come more quickly, but will your work ever be as graceful as that gained through trust? The best partners choose to listen, as well as to tell. When it works, we experience a sweet sense of accomplishment brought about by smarts, hard work, and mutual understanding between horse and rider. These are the days when you know with absolute certainty that your horse is enjoying his work.
If we make it to adulthood with horses still in our lives, most of us have to squeeze riding into our over saturated schedules; balancing our need for things equine with those of our households and employers. There is never enough time to ride, or to ride as well as we’d like. Hours in the barn are stolen pleasures.
If it is in your blood to love horses, you share your life with them. Our horses know our secrets; we braid our tears into their manes and whisper our hopes into their ears. A barn is a sanctuary in an unsettled world, a sheltered place where life’s true priorities are clear: a warm place to sleep, someone who loves us, and the luxury of regular meals…Some of us need these reminders.
When you step back, it’s not just about horses - its about love, life, and learning. On any given day, a friend is celebrating the birth of a foal, a blue ribbon, or recovery from an illness. That same day, there is also loss: a broken limb, a case of colic, or a decision to sustain a life or end it gently. As horse people, we share the accelerated life cycle of horses: the hurried rush of life, love, loss, and death that caring for these animals brings us. When our partners pass, it is more than a moment of sorrow.
We mark our loss with words of gratitude for the ways our lives have been blessed. Our memories are of joy, awe, and wonder. Absolute union. We honor our horses for their brave hearts, courage, and willingness to give.
To those outside our circle, it must seem strange. To see us in our muddy boots, who would guess such poetry lives in our hearts? We celebrate our companions with praise worthy of heroes. Indeed, horses have the hearts of warriors and often carry us into and out of fields of battle.
Listen to stories of that once-in-a-lifetime horse; of journeys made and challenges met. The best of horses rise to the challenges we set before them, asking little in return.
Those who know them understand how fully a horse can hold a human heart. Together, we share the pain of sudden loss and the lingering taste of long-term illness. We shoulder the burden of deciding when or whether to end the life of a true companion.
In the end, we’re not certain if God entrusts us to our horses or our horses to us. Does it matter? We’re grateful God loaned us the horse in the first place. And so we pray:
''Dear God,
After You’ve enjoyed a bit of jumping, please give our fine horses the best of care. And, if it’s not too much, might we have at least one more good gallop when we meet again?"
Written by Lauren Davis Baker
Really nice, eggbutt! Lovely piece written by Lauren Davis Baker, entitled God Jumps.
This site has shown me that most of us just love our horses. It does not matter what they did before but they are there for us in our time of need…so we are there for them, they are a part of us and there is no denying the pain someone feels when something goes terribly wrong. I was told over a year a go to put my horse down that he would never be sound enough to ride but we kept on moving forward and he was much improved over this past year hoping next year he will be 100%. GO BARBARO!!! I believe in miracles. every day when I look at my horse I know they are possible!!!
Have to go light another candle…
Thanks VB for the encouraging updates…I always check this site first in the am and last in the pm…
that was an excellent read, Eggbutt, thank you so much for sharing what many of us have always known but maybe not been able to articulate. goes right to the heart.
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