My old Hanoverian broodmare had broken her leg as a very young mare, and the joint was fused. She lived until 24, and had many babies. She walked about 95% sound, definitely off at trot and canter, but it didn’t slow her down at all. Occasionally when cantering, she would just pick it up and run on 3 legs, but she was pretty comfortable using it most of the time. I do believe she could have performed to breed had she been a stallion. The big worry was always that her good leg would stay sound, and it never had a problem. Hope they have as much success with this surgery.
Posting here as well:
I haven’t been able to go through posts so apologies if repeating things…
we were in & just outside of his stall after he was unloaded from ambo. Also watched as his digitals came up. P1 was in a lot of pieces but what a super wonderful patient & trying his best to accomodate all handling him as well as being so veryvery good while having robert jones put on (exceptional job on a most difficult bandage, btw). Most horses, especially after being pulled up so short & pumped would be a mess & hind leg injuries usually come w/ a good deal of kicking. This horse made you want to melt because of his keen attention to those nearest & desire to do what was right.
A big problem/concern with his type of injuries has to do w/ vascular flow…only two relatively small veins feed the entire hoof so any compromise to those and the foot gets lost w/ infection starting there (moving up leg as well) being factor.
I’m guessing they would hope for some external fixation & fusion of that area without any vascular damage.
It’s unfortunately not a good prognosis but having such a terrific patient is a very needed part of any recovery.
BTW: His owners expressed over & over that HIS comfort & life quality was their main concern. Very nice people.
Being that we’re hitting that 2 hour mark… it’s definitely better news. Keeping fingers crossed & jingling like mad that we hit a safe recovery stage. Thanks so much for the “inside” scoop!
Thank you, sweet Xctrygirl.
Thanks for the updates! Jingling for the brave guy!
Jingling like mad from Mt Hood!
I should have said in above post that this was not at hospital but at his stall at Pimlico just after breaking down.
We perched on ambo drivers stand (wich turns into a mixed media loft on big days)… It is up high & just behind starting gate. He jogged back & reloaded, by all appearances, fine. If Edgar felt anything he certainly didn’t give it credit & nothing was visable to the docs watching at ground level. I would imagine Edgar didn’t sleep last night going over things repeatedly. You don’t see a lot of hind leg injuries on dirt, & they most always happen from a mis-step (obviously disregarding contact w/ another horse & the like).
Big jingles to Barbaro and his team. I’m just beside myself over this whole thing. I go into tears with every replay that I catch on TV (and the replays just don’t stop!). I keep looking at my watch and wondering how the surgery is going…he’s just down the road from me at NB.
Thanks for all of the updates. There are a lot of people praying for him.
Jingling madly and weeping…
at the wonder of that animal, that he was soooo good for everything. over 2 hours now,I have been in OR with 6 hour Ortho cases, But I know horses cannot be down that long, Go Barbaro… I think I need a new curbchain! :sadsmile:
Is anyone able to watch the video on the nbc10.com website ? It does nothing for me no matter what browser I am using.
As a side thought…did Barbaro suffer any contusions or otherwise from breaking through the start gate? My heart feels all of the circumstances are related on some level, but is there any news on his front-end?
I had to wait for a minute or two for it to load.
Any updates??
It’s been just about two hours now…any news from TVG?
msrobin, I can’t get the NBC 10 video to work either. I’m on pins and needles waiting to hear that the surgery worked! (jingle, jingle, jingle)
Thanks to everyone here who is posting updates… I can’t get any news on my TV, don’t have TVG or Direct or anything. Still jingling and praying like crazy!! Trying to think positive thoughts of seeing him someday soon standing in a paddock full of green grass…:sadsmile:
Yes, I agree the waiting is killing me too. Darn video !!!
They just said on TVG that there will be a news conference later in the show (show ends at 5pm, but I’m sure they will break to the story as soon as there is news).
The Associated Press Updated: 3:07 p.m. ET May 21, 2006
Derby winner Barbaro undergoing surgery
Operation to determine extent of injuries could take several hours
The Associated Press
Updated: 3:07 p.m. ET May 21, 2006
KENNETT SQUARE, Pa. - Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro was in surgery Sunday fighting for his life a day after breaking his ankle at the Preakness, and the colt’s surgeon said he’s never worked on so many catastrophic injuries to one horse.
Dr. Dean Richardson was operating at the University of Pennsylvania’s New Bolton Center for Large Animals and said the procedure could take several hours.
At the front gate, well-wishers already had tacked up signs: “Thank you, Barbaro,” “Believe in Barbaro” and “We Love you Barbaro.”
Barbaro sustained “life-threatening injuries” after breaking three bones above and below his right rear ankle at the start of the Preakness Stakes.
“You do not see this severe injury frequently because the fact is most horses that suffer this typically are put down on the race track,” said Richardson, the chief of surgery for the center. “This is rare.”
“It’s about as bad as it could be,” he added. “The main thing going for the horse is a report that his skin was not broken at the time of injury. It’s a testament to the care given to the team of doctors on the track and (jockey) Mr. Prado on the racetrack.”
Richardson said 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.
“The aspects of the surgery will be dictated slightly by what we find,” Richardson said. “But the bottom line is we will attempt to perform a fusion of that joint and to stabilize it and make it comfortable enough for him to walk on.”
Unbeaten and a serious contender for the Triple Crown, Barbaro broke down only a few hundred yards into the 1 3-16-mile Preakness. With his right leg flaring out grotesquely, the record crowd of 118,402 watched in shock as Barbaro veered sideways. Jockey Edgar Prado pulled the powerful colt to a halt, jumped off and awaited medical assistance.
Barbaro was fitted for an inflatable cast by the attending veterinarian, Dr. Nicholas Meittinis, and the colt trained so expertly by Michael Matz was taken to the center, known as the University of Pennsylvania’s George D. Widener Hospital New Bolton Center.
Barbara Dallap, a clinician at the center, was present when Barbaro arrived Saturday night.
“When we unloaded him, he was placed in intensive care and we stabilized him overnight,” Dallap said. “He was very brave and well behaved under the situation and was comfortable overnight.”
Matz, too, was at the center Saturday night.
“Two weeks ago we were on such a high and this is our worst nightmare,” he said. “Hopefully, everything will go well with the operation and we’ll be able to save him.”
© 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
© 2006 MSNBC.com
Those who can’t watch the NBC 10 video, try upgrading your Windows Media Player. Also as mentioned previously, it doesn’t work in Firefox.
Avery and I are jingling madly in Georgia. Go Barbaro!!
Yup…
They are just showing races right now… I will keep checking back!
Jingle jingle jingle jingle
I upgraded but it still didnt work. I am still trying other things though.
Thanks for the update.
