Wednesday, January 31, 2007

Barbaro's Rainbow Residency at RainbowsBridge.com


We thank the folks at the Rainbows Bridge.com for this beautiful tribute to Barbaro. On this web page there are links where you can sign their guestbook, send condolences cards to the Jacksons and the people who have taken such good care of Barbaro. There are also links that have resources to help the grieving process that we all are experiencing at this time. Please do take the time to visit this website and spend some time in silent prayer, appreciating this great champion.

Thank you!
Jo Singer

BARBARO's Rainbow Residency at RainbowsBridge.com

Tuesday, January 30, 2007

Sleep Sweet -Sweet One!


What can I write that has not been written so eloquently already? I have no words that can be added to the many articles which speak to the devastating loss of the magnificent horse Barbaro. He became a horse that became a part of our daily lives.. a horse that has become so dear to so many, and who brought so many people together.

How is it possible to love an animal so much that we have not physically touched or with whom we have had no contact? That is an amazing phenomenon that I think about often, particularly in the past two days.. yet he became the "people's horse" and belonged to us.

And what I come up with is that we have touched him. Through our prayers and our friendships that we built. We have touched his owners and his caretakers in a way that they did feel our love and support. And Barbaro has touched us deeply...

But most importantly we touched Barbaro through our love, our prayers and our connections. We have touched each other and have made dear friends with folks that we also may never meet or physically touch, but no matter.. our friendships are real and close and unconditional.

It has been an honor for me to have spent the past eight months in relationship to a champion. It has been a joy for me to have made wonderful friends, to have participated nightly in the Barbaro Love Vigil, to have shared the deep love for, the awe we felt for him and most of all, the deep inspiration that he initiated in all of us.

Barbaro will live eternally in our hearts.  He will live in the legacy that he leaves in helping horses in the future who will benefit by the knowledge that has been gained through his care, the anti-slaughter legislation that will be passed, and the importance of protecting all horses throughout the world.

Sleep sweet ...sweet one!

Jo

Monday, January 29, 2007

Remembering Barbaro- "Bloodhorse.com 1/29/07

by Steve Haskin
Date Posted: January 29, 2007
Last Updated: January 29, 2007





On the morning of Jan. 29, Dr. Dean W. Richardson, head of surgery at New Bolton Medical Center, made the somber announcement most everyone had been prepared to hear more than eight months earlier. Barbaro had been euthanized. The wave of grief that was anticipated back then now came swiftly and unexpectedly.

After so many months of hope and high expectations, Barbaro’s fight for life and the miracle story he had written were over. There would be no happy ending to this fairy tale. One did not have to hear Richardson’s words to know they were as heavy as the millions of hearts around the world that had embraced Barbaro and his struggle to survive against all odds.

What made the news of Barbaro’s death even harder to accept was that only a month earlier, talk had begun about the colt’s possible release from New Bolton. When Richardson, although still guarded, said that Barbaro’s release could come in the “not so distant future,” it brought a wave of elation and optimism. The horse was happy, eating, and enjoying his daily walks and grazing sessions. Christmas brought a deluge of cards and gifts to New Bolton, and spirits were high.

Then, virtually overnight, the colt suffered a “significant setback” when some new separation of the hoof was found requiring additional removal of tissue, and a pall once again hung over the Kennett Square clinic, as it did back in May and again in July when Barbaro developed a severe case of laminitis that would ultimately lead to his death.

Following surgery to remove more of the left hind hoof, Barbaro “improved significantly” and the crisis appeared to have been averted. But it was soon followed by another when a “deep subsolar abscess” developed on the colt’s right hind foot, which necessitated yet another surgical procedure on Jan. 27, in which two steel pins were placed through the cannon bone to support an external skeletal fixation, which would eliminate all weight bearing on the foot and give it a chance to heal. Barbaro, despite being placed under anesthesia well over a dozen times since his arrival at New Bolton, remarkably came out of this latest complex and risky procedure eating and in good spirits.

But this time Barbaro was beyond all hope, and Dr. Richardson and owners Roy and Gretchen Jackson were forced to come to the realization that they had run out of miracles.

Having witnessed live the shocking breakdown of Ruffian and the horrific spills of Go For Wand and Pine Island, it is difficult to come to terms with the question: which is worse, watching the quick, relatively painless deaths of those magnificent fillies or riding the roller coaster of emotions that  continued for more than eight months with Barbaro, ultimately leading to the same fate?

The answer, at least in Barbaro’s case, is the latter. The colt proved that greatness does not have to be achieved only on the racetrack. His incredible will and indefatigable spirit kept him alive long enough to show the world just how much emotion is capable of pouring out of one’s heart for a Thoroughbred racehorse, and how far the field of veterinary medicine has come. He made a hero out of an unknown veterinarian, whose dedication, wit, and wisdom turned him into a James Herriot-like figure to millions of people.

Rather than dwell on the outcome, it is best to concentrate on the heroic efforts that were made to save a horse that lived eight months longer than he should have. It was not disease or injury that ended Barbaro’s life, it was recovery. If there is a flaw in nature’s power of healing, it is that it cannot be applied to the Thoroughbred, to whom the words stationary and prone do not co-exist. Infused with the fiery blood of its ancestors, the Thoroughbred’s impetuous nature sadly is in constant conflict with its fragile legs, and it is that nature that often leads to its demise.

Although Barbaro had to endure a great deal of physical and mental anguish, he also experienced the ultimate in human kindness and compassion, while being pampered like the noblest of kings. And he leaves behind a legacy that far transcends his stunning victory in the Kentucky Derby.

Like everyone else, I was prepared to bid a tearful goodbye to Barbaro immediately following the Preakness, and then again in July when laminitis appeared. I was prepared yet again in early and then late January. I no longer have to prepare for the worst. After eight months, during which time the horse’s struggle made national headlines around the world, Barbaro’s ordeal finally is over.

Cervantes said, “The guts carry the feet, not the feet the guts.” Barbaro’s guts carried his feet to victory after victory. But it carried his heart a lot farther.


Copyright © 2007 The Blood-Horse, Inc. All Rights Reserved

Prayer To ST. FRANCIS FOR OUR Sick and Injured Animals

Good St. Francis, you loved all of God's creatures.
To you they were your brothers and sisters.
Help us to follow your example
of treating every living thing with kindness.
St. Francis, Patron Saint of animals, watch over my pet
and keep my companion safe and healthy.
Amen.

St. Francis of Assisi Lover of all Creation
Prayer for Sick Animals:
Heavenly Father,
You created all things for your glory
and made us stewards of this creature
If it is your will, restore it to health andstrength.
Blessed are you, Lord God,
and holy is your name for ever and ever.
Amen

Prayers For Prancer- A Beautiful dog- for renopetpro


renopetpro writes:

"I am writing this to ask for prayers.   Prancer has a tumor on his liver that needs to be removed.   We don't know if it is benign or malignant, but even a benign tumor poses a threat because it can rupture and he can bleed to death in a matter of minutes.   He had the surgery scheduled for December 28th, but then on December 26th, he had a stroke.   He was unable to walk normally for two days.   He also had a severe head tilt to the right and was very dizzy and disoriented for several days.   He is almost back to normal now, but still has a head tilt to the right and is still somewhat unsteady on his feet.  The arthritis in his spine and elbows doesn't help that any either. We saw a neurologist on January 25th and she said there is still some residual vestibular disease.    He becomes dizzy and has a nystagmus (rapid circular eye movement) when put on his back.   He is therefore unfit for surgery at this time.   He has now developed an abscess in a toe on his left rear paw.   We are treating him for this

We return to the neurologist on February 8th to further evaluate his condition.   He is taking glucosamine/chondroitin/MSM for his arthritis/joint support, bee pollen and yucca to boost his immune system, milk thistle and SAM-e to protect his liver, and now an antibiotic for the infection in his toe.   He's getting a lot of cheese and peanut butter which he loves.

His attitude is wonderful. He is quite active considering his medical condition. He is playing with toys and has a very positive outlook. This is helping him immeasurably. 

Thank you for your thoughts and prayers. I will keep you all posted.

Blessings to all!"

reno

Light a Candle For Barbaro- Let's Blaze The Way:)


Group *barba* Candles - Light A Candle

Tim Woolley Update 189 1/29-Barbaro Recovering From Surgery-Condition Serious

Barbaro Updates: 189

Update 1398: Additional media coverage from saturday's surgery.

NPR's "All Things Considered": Derby Winner Barbaro Still at Risk from Injuries. Allison Keyes interviewed Dr. Richardson (not live), and reported from the interview that Barbaro was bright-eyed, eating carrots out of people's hands yesterday (sunday). She also noted the new brace is likely to be needed for approximately 6 weeks.

CBS News interviewed their vet / reporter Dr. Debbye Turner: Setback in Barbaro's recovery. Interesting but no new information, she does discuss his fighting spirit.

Sandra McKee of The Baltimore Sun: Barbaro receives new foot brace after 'significant setback'. Sandra spoke with Mrs. Jackson for this story on sunday:

"You wish it wasn't happening," Gretchen Jackson said. "But it is."

Jackson said Barbaro's initial injury has resulted in changes in his right leg and in the way he walks on it.

"I guess it has to be an issue," she said. "He has to learn to live with his new leg, and they're trying to help him live with it. But it has created problems. Horses are horses and things happen."

Jackson again said the most important thing is for Barbaro to be pain-free.

"As long as that is the case, we'll go forward," she said. "I visited him twice [yesterday] with a friend, and his eyes were bright and he is still trying to bite you. He's still interested in life.

"They're taking good care of him, and we are staying positive. That's really all you can do."

Richardson said Barbaro "remarkably" continues to have an "excellent attitude and appetite."

Mike Jensen, Philadelphia Inquirer updated his story: Surgery leaves Barbaro at risk after talking to Mr. Jackson on sunday:

After visiting Barbaro yesterday, Roy Jackson said last night: "He appears to be fairly comfortable. He had his three buckets of grass, and is doing as well as could be expected under the circumstances."

At this point, everybody involved is just taking things "day-to-day, hour-to-hour," Jackson said. One positive that he could find about the latest surgery: "If this had happened two months after the [Preakness], the fractures would not have healed enough to do something like that. Thank goodness there's a chance."

And of course this latest setback is news around the world.

Sunday, January 28, 2007

Tim Woolley Update 188 1/28/07- Afternoon Update- Please continue prayers and light a candle!

Barbaro Updates: 188

Update 1396: A quick summary of Jeannine's interview on ESPN News. She explained the current situation as per the press release from New Bolton. She noted that a vet acqaintance confirmed the procedure to add the "stabalizer" is not unusual / not unheard of. It is a last resort attempt to stabalize the situation and keep him comfortable. She stated the current prognosis is not good, very very serious. She had just got off the phone with Michael Matz. Michael was very down and very subdued. Michael's comment (paraphrased): "How many times can a boxer take a punch and get back up". She was unable to contact the Jackson's, and presumed they are devastasted.

Jeannine did mention this site and the support you as "an amazing group of people" are providing.

I will not be posting an update for a few hours (traveling) unless something serious occurs.

To light a candle for Barbaro- please go to his candle group site. Let's get those candles glowing brightly.

Group *barba* Candles - Light A Candle

Update from Dr. Dean W. Richardson on Barbaro’s condition - 1/28

News Releases

January 28, 2007


KENNETT SQUARE, PA — On Saturday, January 27, Barbaro was taken back to surgery because we could not keep him comfortable on his right hind foot. That foot developed a deep subsolar abscess secondary to bruising when he went through a period of discomfort on the left hind foot. It is not laminitis but the undermining of the sole and part of the lateral heel region are potentially just as serious. We attempted to manage the right hind foot in a cast and then in a custom fabricated brace but it was impossible to have access to the foot for treatment as well as acceptable stability and comfort. We elected to place his right hind in an external skeletal fixation device in order to provide the foot a chance to heal. This means that two steel pins have been placed transversely through his right hind cannon bone. These pins are connected to external sidebars that in turn are connected to a lightweight alloy foot plate. This results in the horse eliminating all weight bearing from the foot; the horse's weight is borne through the pins across his cannon bone. There is significant risk in this approach but we believed it was our only option given the worsening of the right hind foot problem. The major risk of the external skeletal fixation device is that the bone bearing the weight can fracture. Unfortunately, we felt we needed to take this risk because this approach offered our only hope of keeping Barbaro acceptably comfortable.

He had a perfect recovery from anesthesia and has been in and out of the sling since then. His left hind foot appears to be stable at this time. We remain concerned about both front feet. Remarkably, his attitude and appetite were excellent overnight.

We will continue to treat Barbaro aggressively as long as he remains bright, alert and eating. This is another significant setback that exemplifies how complex his medical situation remains because both hind limbs have major problems. Barbaro remains in the Intensive Care Unit of Penn’s George D. Widener Hospital at New Bolton Center. Updates will be provided when new information is available. 




Jennifer Rench  
(610) 925-6182
jrench@vet.upenn.edu

Gail Luciani
(215) 898-1475
luciani@vet.upenn.edu For more information on Barbaro, please see www.vet.upenn.edu

Tim Woolley Update 188 1/28- Concerning Events- Need Prayers, Please!

We have begun our days over the past months with updates that generally are "Another comfortable night". In the past few days, the wording about Barbaro's progress has been guarded. Right now, Barbaro needs us to be vigilant in our prayers and in our love and support for him and for his owners, the Jacksons, and the medical people who untirelessly are working to solve this recent issue. One piece of positive news is that there is no evidence of any new Laminitis on any of his feet!

Here is the most recent update from Tim Woolley Racing:

Update 1391: Two articles today concerning today's events, both include quotes from the Jackson's:

Barbaro's comfort concerns doctors

Barbaro has procedure on right hind leg

Update 1390: Today (saturday) was another tough day for Barbaro. He did undergo a procedure, the nature of which I am not aware. I did speak to Peter Brette later this afternoon and know that after the procedure Barbaro was comfortable and standing and I think they were pretty comfortable with what had occured. Keep your thoughts positive for Barbaro.


Barbaro Has Procedure on Right Hind Leg The Dispatch Online 1/27

January 27. 2007 9:18PM  
 

By DAN GELSTON
AP Sports Writer
 
 
Barbaro had a custom-made cast removed and underwent a procedure on his right hind leg Saturday, the same leg the Kentucky Derby winner shattered eight months ago in the Preakness.

It is the first time in weeks the right hind leg has been the focus of concern. For months, it was the laminitis-stricken left hind leg that put Barbaro's recovery in serious jeopardy as he fights for survival.

"They did some procedures on the one he originally injured," co-owner Roy Jackson told The Associated Press on Saturday night. "He had a little bit of a bruise, an abscess. I should let New Bolton fill you in on the procedure."

Gail Luciani, a spokeswoman for the University of Pennsylvania's veterinary school, would not confirm if a procedure was performed on Barbaro by chief surgeon Dean Richardson and had no additional comment.

Jackson's wife and co-owner, Gretchen, told The Philadelphia Inquirer that Barbaro was again facing tough odds.

"He's got a lot of issues, and not any of them is bad enough to say goodbye. But put together it's not a good day for Barbaro," Jackson said in a story posted on the paper's Web site.

Roy Jackson said he visited Barbaro after the procedure and the colt was alert and ate his grass. Jackson also said there were no additional problems with the left hind and that it was "doing pretty well."

The procedure comes three days after Barbaro had two new casts applied to his hind legs. He received a custom-made plastic and steel brace on his right hind leg. He also got a special orthotic brace on the right foot that will give him additional support and give doctors easier access to an abscess that was drained.

Gretchen Jackson told the Inquirer the brace was removed.

"We seem to be going through a period where things are coming up," Roy Jackson said. "It hasn't been all smooth the last three or four weeks."

In July, Barbaro developed laminitis in his left hoof due to uneven weight distribution in the limbs, 80 percent of that hoof was removed.

"It's nothing that we haven't been through," Roy Jackson said. "Dr. Richardson has said there would be problems along the road."

Friday, January 26, 2007

News Releases,NBC- 1/25/07 Barbaro doing well after planned procedure

January 25, 2007

KENNETT SQUARE, PA — Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro is doing well after a planned procedure yesterday. “Barbaro was placed under anesthesia yesterday to have his left hind foot cast replaced,” said Dr. Dean W. Richardson, Chief of Surgery. “We also removed the cast on his right hind leg and replaced it with a custom-fabricated plastic and steel orthotic brace to give his foot additional support.” An abscess near the lateral heel of his right hind foot was drained, and the brace that was applied will allow more regular treatment of that foot.

“Barbaro had another smooth pool-recovery and has been comfortable with an excellent attitude and appetite since then,” said Dr. Richardson. “We will probably replace his left hind foot cast under anesthesia again at least two or three times at roughly two-week intervals if his comfort is maintained. We were very pleased with the progress of his left hind foot since the last cast was applied.” In addition, new shoes were placed on both front feet for additional support.

Barbaro remains in the Intensive Care Unit of Penn’s George D. Widener Hospital at New Bolton Center.

The next update will be posted on Wednesday, January 31, unless there is a significant change in Barbaro’s condition.  


For more information on Barbaro, please see www.vet.upenn.edu


Jennifer Rench  
(610) 925-6182
jrench@vet.upenn.edu

Gail Luciani
(215) 898-1475
luciani@vet.upenn.edu

Tuesday, January 23, 2007

Roy and Gretchen Jackson Receive A Special Elipse Award

I have been updating "Our Beloved Angels" journal regarding Barbaro's progress in his recovery since his horrific accident at the Preakness, on May 20th.

We all have experienced the roller coaster ride of ups and downs, sadness and joy, during Barbaro's brave and heroic treatment have prayed, lit candles, laughed, cried and have become a family of people all over the world who continue to support this incredible miracle horse over the past eight months. We are known as the Fans of Barbaro. We wear that title with pride and honor!

Whether we are "horse" people or not, it makes no difference. Barbaro has become an ambassador of hope and faith and he has introduced many of us to issues surrounding the plight of horses who are in need of rescue, the horrors of slaughter houses, and most of all, have ignited a flame in our hearts in which we may find ways in which we can join together to be able to reach out to these horses and be instrumental in providing them with the help they so desperately need.

So the article below which talks about the bestowing of a special Eclipse Award to Mr. and Mrs. Jackson, for their heroic and compassionate treatment of Barbaro, and contributions made to the sport of horse racing, really says it all.  Their courage, their love and dedication for this horse has affected not only this horse, but to the vast number of people in the world who's lives have been touched by this magnificent horse.

Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Barbaro on your award. Bless you and bless Barbaro and all the people who have contributed to this magnificent horse's recovery.

Special Eclipse Award to Jacksons/New Bolton-Bloodhorse.Com 
Date Posted: January 22, 2007
Last Updated: January 23, 2007

Barbaro's owners Roy and Gretchen Jackson (pictured) and New Bolton Center honored with special award.
Photo: Jeffrey Snyder



The Special Eclipse Award, which honors outstanding individual achievements or contributions to Thoroughbred racing, isn’t given out every year. Not surprisingly, the award for 2006 has been bestowed upon Roy and Gretchen Jackson and the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine’s George D. Widener Hospital for Large Animals at New Bolton Center.

The Jacksons, owners of Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) winner Barbaro, and the representatives from the University of Pennsylvania’s New Bolton Center, who were responsible for the horse’s emergency surgery and continued recovery, were presented with the award for their outstanding efforts in saving the colt.

In the hours that followed the near fatal injury to Barbaro in the 2006 Preakness Stakes (gr. I), the nation’s attention was focused on the Jacksons—who campaigned Barbaro with trainer Michael Matz and jockey Edgar Prado—and the veterinary staff at the New Bolton Center, led by chief of surgery Dr. Dean Richardson.

On May 21, 2006, Richardson led the New Bolton medical team into a nine-hour operation on multiple fractures to Barbaro’s right hind leg, as well as a dislocated fetlock. The surgery required a metal rod and 23 screws to help stabilize a long pastern bone that had shattered into more than 20 pieces. In the weeks following his recovery, Barbaro was struck with laminitis in his opposite hind foot, requiring the doctors at New Bolton to place Barbaro in a sling for nearly 12 hours at a time. Barbaro pulled through the crisis, but remains in the intensive care unit at the New Bolton Center.

(Article appears in the January 27, 2007 issue of The Blood-Horse)

Copyright © 2007 The Blood-Horse, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

 

Friday, January 19, 2007

Farewell To Harper- A Most Beloved Dog- For Lindaggeorge

It is with sadness that I post this request for prayers for Harper, who made his journey to the Rainbow Bridge two weeks ago. His "mom" wrote about his passage on her journal. Goodbye To You My Trusted Friend.

Harper was a rescue dog who was seriously injured when he was adopted. But with their loving care, he recovered and joined their family, adding  so much joy and love to their lives with his very strong personality. He was about 15 years old when he went to the Bridge. He was with his family for about 14 years of his lifetime.


Harper is no longer suffering and is happy and healthy again, waiting for his people to join him when their time comes. His loss is felt deeply. Even their cat, Merlin, still looks for him.

Please think of them and send them healing prayers, for Harper's doggy soul, and for their hearts to heal.


We send lots of glow to you Lindaggeorge, and your family.

Thursday, January 18, 2007

News Release From New Bolton Center, 1/18/07- Barbaro continues to gradually improve

January 18, 2007

KENNETT SQUARE, PA —

Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro continues to gradually improve. “Barbaro’s comfort level is improving steadily, and we are gradually tapering off his pain medication,” said Dr. Dean W. Richardson, Chief of Surgery. “His vital signs are stable, and his appetite is good.”

Barbaro remains in the Intensive Care Unit of Penn’s George D. Widener Hospital at New Bolton Center.

The next update will be posted on Wednesday, January 24, unless there is a significant change in Barbaro’s condition.  


For more information on Barbaro, please see www.vet.upenn.edu.


Jennifer Rench  
(610) 925-6182
jrench@vet.upenn.edu

Gail Luciani
(215) 898-1475
luciani@vet.upenn.edu

Goodbye Shanna- You will be missed dearly!

GOODBYE SHANNA .. This is the link to Rachel's journal in which she talks about the loss of her beautiful horse.

Shanna, aged 28, who shared her life with her human partner, Rachel for 26 of her years, has gone to the Rainbow Bridge. We send our prayers to Rachel for her heart to heal  and to know that Shanna is happy and healthy again, romping at the Bridge, and who is waiting to someday be reunited with Rachel.

We send our condolences to you, Rachel.  We know how painful it is to lose a beloved companion animal. They live, however, eternally in our hearts.

Wednesday, January 17, 2007

News Releases From New Bolton Center Barbaro stable and comfortable following surgery- 1/16

January 16, 2007

KENNETT SQUARE, PA — Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro is stable and comfortable following the latest setback. “Barbaro’s comfort improved considerably following the procedure on Saturday morning,” said Dr. Dean W. Richardson, Chief of Surgery. “He has been standing and moving around his stall well enough that sling support has not been added since. His appetite has improved and his vital signs are stable. Overall, we are pleased with his progress following the setback to his left hind foot.”

Barbaro remains in the Intensive Care Unit of Penn’s George D. Widener Hospital at New Bolton Center.

The next update will be posted on Thursday, January 18, unless there is a significant change in Barbaro’s condition.  


For more information on Barbaro, please see www.vet.upenn.edu.


Jennifer Rench  
(610) 925-6182
jrench@vet.upenn.edu

Gail Luciani
(215) 898-1475
luciani@vet.upenn.edu

Tuesday, January 16, 2007

Barbaro Has 'Improved Significantly' After Latest Surgery- 1/15/07

From: "The Bloodhorse"
by Ron Mitchell
Date Posted: January 15, 2007
Last Updated: January 15, 2007



Dr. Dean Richardson, reported improvement in Barbaro's condition.
Photo: Associated Press



The chief of surgery at University of Pennsylvania’s New Bolton Center said Jan. 15 that Barbaro had “improved significantly” after undergoing surgery two days earlier to remove more of the left rear hoof that has been impacted by a bout of laminitis.

“He is doing much better, but he has a long way to go,” Dr. Dean Richardson said of the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) winner who had been dealt a serious setback in his effort to recover from a broken right rear leg and the laminitis. “He is eating well and we have not had him in his sling for the last 24 hours.”

Richardson said the Dynaformer colt, who has been at New Bolton since sustaining his broken leg in the May 20 Preakness Stakes, has a good appetite and his vital signs are normal. He is, however, confined to his stall in the intensive care unit at New Bolton. If necessary to make him more comfortable, the colt will be placed in the protective sling at some point during the day.

That is a radical departure from the scene two weeks ago, when Barbaro had made such dramatic improvement from his injuries that he was allowed outside to exercise and had the casts removed from both his right rear leg and his left rear hoof. Plans were being made to possible relocate the colt to a horse farm where he could continue his recovery.

In what was termed a "significant setback," Richardson removed damaged tissue from Barbaro's left hind hoof Jan. 9 after the colt became noticeably uncomfortable.

Four days later, Barbaro underwent surgery again, with another section of the hoof removed. "The left hind deep digital flexor tendon was cut to help decrease the pull on the coffin bone by that tendon," Richardson said in a prepared statement. "This was previously done in July, but the tendon had healed and was pulling on the coffin bone, contributing to the malalignment of the coffin bone.

While the recent developments represent a setback for Barbaro, co-owner Roy Jackson said he his wife Gretchen are hopeful of a positive outcome.

“I don’t think anybody knows” what the future holds for Barbaro, Roy Jackson said Jan. 15. “He is comfortable and his temperature and heart rate are normal. It is a real lesson in taking things one day at a time. Moving him has been put on hold for awhile, but hopefully one day he will be able to move on to somewhere else.”

On a more positive note, Richardson reported Jan. 12 that there was no infection in either of the colt’s rear limbs.


Copyright © 2007 The Blood-Horse, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
And a Video That Is a Must See!
Barbaro: I Believe  By Mjr60  January 13th

Sunday, January 14, 2007

Barbaro has more surgery on his left hind hoof, leg -1/14- Barbaro is Comfortable now.

Posted on Sun, Jan. 14, 2007
phillynews.com
By Mike Jensen
Inquirer Staff Writer


Barbaro underwent another surgical procedure yesterday at the University of Pennsylvania's New Bolton Center, this time a "previously planned" one under general anesthesia that included removing more of his left hind hoof wall and cutting a tendon in that left hind leg.

All of this was a result of the laminitis that beset Barbaro's left hind hoof in July, causing surgeon Dean Richardson to remove 80 percent of the hoof. Since then, it has been growing back unevenly.

Yesterday's procedure at the Kennett Square facility was not necessarily another setback, but another response to the "significant setback" the Kentucky Derby winner suffered last week when damaged tissue in his left hind hoof was removed.

"While his condition was unchanged over the last two days, we were unable to fully assess his left hind foot with him in his stall," Richardson said. "In today's procedure, another area of undermined hoof wall was removed. The left hind deep digital flexor tendon was cut to help decrease the pull on the coffin bone by that tendon. This was previously done in July, but the tendon had healed and was pulling on the coffin bone, contributing to the malalignment of the coffin bone.

"Because he has been more uncomfortable on his left hind, we put a cast back on the right hind lower limb for additional support."

Barbaro was woken up from anesthesia in New Bolton's recovery pool and "had an uneventful recovery," Richardson reported, adding: "He continues to receive intensive management for his discomfort on the left hind foot."

Co-owner Gretchen Jackson said yesterday afternoon that Richardson had just called her and told her that everything had gone well.

"I didn't know what to expect, so I can't say that I was surprised or let down," Jackson said. "I think they were going to clean up things and put on a cast, and that was it."

Richardson said last week that a cast put on the previous week did not cause the problem in his left hind hoof, that the middle of the hoof was a problem that was eventually going to have to be dealt with, even if the horse had been shipped to a horse farm in Kentucky. Right now, that move has been put on hold.

"It's an ongoing situation, but we're certainly a step better than in July," Jackson said.

Contact staff writer Mike Jensen at 215-854-4489 or mjensen@phillynews.com.

Friday, January 12, 2007

WHEW! BARBARO PULLS OFF RALLY 1/12- NY Post Online Edition

By ED FOUNTAINE


January 12, 2007 -- KENNETT SQUARE, Pa. - The sense of doom that hung in the air Wednesday at the New Bolton Center after Barbaro suffered a "significant setback" in his recovery from the dreaded foot disease laminitis dissipated yesterday with the welcome news that the Derby champ was "stable and acceptably comfortable" after a good night's rest.

"He is getting up and down on his own and continues to eat and have stable vital signs," said Dr. Dean Richardson, New Bolton's chief of surgery. "Radiographs taken yesterday revealed no additional complications in either hind leg. We are considering several additional therapeutic options at this time."

Barbaro continues to be medicated, as has been the case since he fractured his right hind leg in the Preakness. He also is spending some time in a sling to help support his weight. The sling was first used last July when Barbaro developed laminitis - a painful, often fatal inflammation of the foot - in his left hind hoof. Richardson had to cut away 80 percent of the hoof, saying, "The only way you can cure it is many, many months of growing a new hoof wall."

Since then, the right hind leg has mended, but the left foot has remained a problem. The outside of the hoof was growing well, but the inside was not.

"There's some parts of his healing that are good; there are some parts that are disappointing," Richardson said. "That takes months before you know that is happening. If I knew it was just a matter of chopping his hoof wall off and letting it regrow - it's not like a plant. I'd love for him to be better than he is, but he's not. He still has farther to go before he is acceptable."

Plans were being made to transfer Barbaro from the New Bolton Center to a farm in Kentucky, where he would continue his recovery under the care of Dr. Scott Morrison, a foot specialist at the Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington. Last week, looking to stabilize the coffin (foot) bone, which showed signs of deterioration and was hitting the ground at a toe-down angle, Morrison came to New Bolton and fitted Barbaro's foot with a cast and bar shoe.

Unfortunately, several days later, Barbaro was in obvious discomfort, not putting weight on the foot. The cast was removed and part of the hoof wall was cut away again.

"The hoof cast tore the laminae [the sensitive tissue that binds the hoof to the foot]," Barbaro's trainer, Michael Matz, said yesterday from his winter base in Florida. "He was sore and uncomfortable, and when they took [the partially grown hoof wall] off, that relieved the pressure. It was going to have to be removed anyway because it wasn't growing back strong enough."

Meanwhile, the public's affection for Barbaro is strong as ever. Dozens of hand-lettered signs - "We Love You Barbaro," "Grow Hoof Grow" - hang from the fence at the entrance to New Bolton, and each day the local florist delivers huge gift baskets containing fruit, carrots and snacks for the hospital staff from fans across America.

ed.fountaine@nypost.com


poster designed by BostonNickyJane

Thursday, January 11, 2007

Tim Woolley Update 175- 1/11/07 -Encouraging News!

Update 1310: Mrs. Jackson just called (5:45 pm). She visited Barbaro at lunch time and he was "gobbling" down the grass she brought for him while she was visiting. His temperature remains normal and he is bearing weight on his left hind leg (note: he is mostly in the sling or lying down as far as I understand). Today was a better day than yesterday.

Update 1309: I just spoke to Peter Brette (thursday afternoon) and he relayed that Dr. Richardson was happier with Barbaro this morning, this seems consistent with the APs quotes from Mrs. Jackson and the New Bolton release. Barbaro was laying down this morning and appeared more comfortable. I spoke to Dr. Kathy Anderson who visited Barbaro yesterday evening. Kathy noted that while Barbaro was not looking as sharp as he was a couple of weeks ago (we know that) he was looking quite comfortable. He was again laying down in his stall when she visited him last night. These were two more positive conversations as we try to move forward from yesterday morning.

Barbaro is stable and acceptably comfortable-News Release From U Penn- New Bolton Center 1/11/07 

News Releases




January 11, 2007

KENNETT SQUARE, PA —Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro’s management has been changed to include sling support for several hours during the day, according to Dr. Dean W. Richardson, Chief of Surgery.  “He is getting up and down on his own and continues to eat and have stable vital signs.  Radiographs (X-rays) taken yesterday revealed no additional complications in either hind leg.  We are considering several additional therapeutic options at this time.  He is stable and acceptably comfortable.”

Barbaro remains in the Intensive Care Unit at Penn’s George D. Widener Hospital for Large Animals.


 
Updates will be provided when new information is available.
 
For more information on Barbaro, please see www.vet.upenn.edu



Jennifer Rench  
(610) 925-6182
jrench@vet.upenn.edu

Gail Luciani
(215) 898-1475
luciani@vet.upenn.edu

Wednesday, January 10, 2007

Barbaro Suffers Setback -Prayers needed! Think POSITIVE THOUGHTS, PLEASE!



January 10, 2007

KENNETT SQUARE, PA — 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.

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.
 
For more information on Barbaro, please see www.vet.upenn.edu

Jennifer Rench  
(610) 925-6182
jrench@vet.upenn.edu

Gail Luciani
(215) 898-1475
luciani@vet.upenn.edu

News Release From New Bolton Center Regarding Barbaro's New Cast

News Releases

January 9, 2007


KENNETT SQUARE, PA-- 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.

Jennifer Rench  
(610) 925-6182
jrench@vet.upenn.edu

Gail Luciani
(215) 898-1475
luciani@vet.upenn.edu



For more information on Barbaro, please see www.vet.upenn.edu.

Tuesday, January 9, 2007

Barbaro will linger for a while in Kennett-By Mike Jensen- Staff Writer

Posted on Tue, Jan. 09, 2007


From the Philadelphia Inquirer-01/09/2007
Although he's on "low-level medical care," the horse is not yet ready to be sent to Kentucky, his surgeon says.

By Mike Jensen, Inquirer Staff Writer

When the day comes that Barbaro leaves the University of Pennsylvania's New Bolton Center - however soon that day may be - it will be with the blessing of the surgeon who treated him.

"I wouldn't send him unless I thought it was safe to send him," Dean Richardson said yesterday at the Kennett Square facility. "The thing for people to keep in mind: At some point, the management we've done with him is something that can readily be done in a more normal environment for a horse. The intensive-care unit at New Bolton Center is not a completely normal environment for a horse."

The ability to give the Kentucky Derby winner intensive medical care at New Bolton is obvious.

"But," Richardson said, "if he's to the point where he's on fairly low-level medical care - which he already is, really - and that the major issues are going to relate to his left hind foot, and those are going to be extremely chronic and capable of being dealt with by veterinarians in Kentucky, then I would feel that at the point, if everyone's in agreement, we'll probably move the horse."

Richardson also made it clear that no celebrations should be held the day Barbaro leaves Chester County, that it isn't necessarily an indication of a change in his overall prognosis. After 71/2 months caring for the horse, the surgeon still uses the same phrase in every conversation: "Not out of the woods yet." He elaborated on that yesterday, making it clear that the laminitis that cropped up in Barbaro's left rear hoof last July, causing Richardson to surgically remove 80 percent of the hoof, still could be Barbaro's downfall.

"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."

Can the inside grow all the way back?

"It is definitely possible," Richardson said. "It is [also] possible that we will never get his foot all the way correct."

Can the horse live without its being perfectly correct?

"Yeah, but it's also possible that it could be a limiting factor and end up in his demise," Richardson said. "It's possible. He is not out of the woods yet. He is not. He is not good enough yet."

Scott Morrison, an equine podiatry specialist at Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington, Ky., made his second visit to see Barbaro at New Bolton on Wednesday and applied a cast to the left hoof.

"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."

Richardson wouldn't be surprised if a left hind cast, changed regularly, were part of Barbaro's care for the next year, because of the slow growth in the one portion of the hoof.

Morrison also was brought in "because, when the horse moves, and obviously he's likely to move to Lexington, Ky.," Richardson said, "we need to have made a smooth transition to someone who is going to handle that left hind foot."

As for Barbaro's right hind leg, which suffered the catastrophic fractures in the May 20 Preakness Stakes, Richardson said of the hitch in his gait, which surprised some non-medical outsiders who saw it on videotape, "I'd like him to be moving better, but people have to understand it's still early, he still has a lot more that he can improve on that leg. The way he's moving right now, it doesn't mean that's the way he'll move the rest of his life.

"He's got a little bit of a hypermetric [exaggerated] gait. That's probably associated with some of the feedback loops between the leg and the spinal cord. We think that's what's going on. You see that with horses that have injuries in their lower leg that heal perfectly, then they'll start snatching their leg up like that without really acting like it's hurting. Horses that are painful, really painful, tend to move in a very different fashion... . Plus, he was in a cast for like five months. There's lots of reasons for him to have an abnormal motion to his gait. I think that will improve over time, but again, I don't know that for sure."

Without being asked, Richardson brought up another reason besides comfort for Barbaro to be in the heart of Kentucky's horse country.

"He's not comfortable enough right now certainly to breed a mare," Richardson said. "But the idea is, hopefully, he will continue to get more comfortable and eventually be able to breed a mare."

Contact staff writer Mike Jensen at 215-854-4489 or mjensen@phillynews.com

Friday, January 5, 2007

"Going The Distance" By Karen Gardner

REPORTER'S NOTEBOOKS: KAREN GARDNER


Going the Distance — Barbaro’s story was one of the years best
Published on December 31, 2006

THIS WEEK’S COLUMN will digress from the usual spotlight on local athletes to focus on the athlete I think deserves notice at the end of this remarkable year. We saw some great stories in 2006. But the moment that struck me the most was when Barbaro held up his right hind leg just a few yards into the Preakness on May 20 and looked for all the world like a star horse who suddenly realized he needed a lot of help to survive.

Barbaro won the Kentucky Derby by 6 3/4 lengths, the largest margin in 60 years. He won the race so easily, jockey Edgar Prado never even sounded the whip. Racehorses are usually not whipped; it's the sound that gets them going, and the direction of the sound indicates which way they should go.

Barbaro’s owner, Gretchen Jackson, said she realized when she stroked him after the race he wasn't even wet. Prado said the horse had gears the world hadn't seen yet, and this was after he defeated 19 other horses in the Derby.

Barbaro was undefeated in six races after the Derby. He won easily on turf, on dirt, in the slop. He had a stride that stretched to 25 feet, and that might not have been his fullest potential.

He seemed to take whatever came his way, and still come out on top. Yet in the Preakness what came his way was a shattered right hind leg that in seconds ended his racing career and nearly his life. Prado heard the horse's leg pop mid-stride, and immediately pulled him up. He jumped off and held himself against the much larger horse, preventing Barbaro from falling and probably saving his life. Prado definitely deserves kudos, as much for his concern about the horses he rides as for his remarkable skills as a jockey.

Barbaro stood on the track until veterinarians reached him; he was then helped off the track and behind a curtain so he couldn't see the race that was still taking place. His leg was splinted and an equine ambulance was prepared to take him to the New Bolton Veterinary Center in Kennett Square, Pa., 90 minutes away.

The side walls of the specially prepared van were inflated to hold Barbaro, his groom Eduardo and a veterinarian steady. Barbaro received a police escort to the New Bolton Center in Kennett Square, where he was prepared for surgery the next day.

Waiting until the horse calms was a lesson learned after the horrifying death of Ruffian, perhaps the greatest racing filly of all time, and one of the greatest racehorses of all time. I still recall watching the race on that summer afternoon in 1975. I was stunned to watch the great filly nearly fall against her rival, Foolish Pleasure. The fracture was repaired in surgery after the race, but she thrashed about upon awakening from anesthesia and re-broke her leg. She was immediately euthanized.

Since then, I've had a lovehate relationship with horse racing. I love the thoroughbreds. They are beautiful creatures, energetic, often playful, always ready to run. I hate the breakdowns, the brief racing careers of the horses, the reported overuse of drugs by a few nefarious trainers and the fates of many horses that don't make it on the track.

Barbaro's recovery this summer and fall has been long. There was one awful week in July where it seemed Barbaro wouldn't make it. His right hind leg, which needed 27 screws to fuse his bones, became infected, and Barbaro bore too much weight on his left hind. The left leg developed an abscess, which quickly became Laminitis. Laminitis, known more commonly as foundering, is a deadly disease in which the hoof separates from the bone. Secretariat died of Laminitis.

Barbaro's veterinarian, Dr. Dean Richardson, said Barbaro’s Laminitis was one of the worst he’d seen. But Barbaro pulled out of the infection, and as Richardson, the horse’s his owners and trainer Michael Matz debated what to do, Barbaro had a look in his eyes that told his people he was ready to do what was necessary to survive.

Barbaro has reportedly been a model patient, adapting from galloping around the pastures of his home at Fair Hill Training Center in the northeastern corner of Maryland, to living in his stall at the intensive care unit of the New Bolton Center. Barbaro walks outside, weather permitting, for about 45 minutes each day.

His recovery has taken more than seven months, and it isn’t over. His right leg has healed, allowing him to walk with a limp. His left hoof is encased in a boot that allows him to bear full weight. The hoof is growing back, although slowly and unevenly. It will probably need to be watched for the rest of his life. He may soon be headed for a farm where his legs can be monitored, and where he may someday be able to stand at stud.

Barbaro’s owners Gretchen and Roy Jackson visit daily. So did Matz, until he left in December for his winter training grounds in Florida.

Matz won a silver medal in Olympic equestrian competition before transferring his considerable horsemanship skills to racehorses. He saved three children from a burning plane after a plane crash in 1989. And he trained a horse named Barbaro who probably could have won the Triple Crown save for an unfortunate step in the Preakness Stakes.

Matz was reduced to tears later in talking about his horse, and when it looked as though Barbaro would be euthanized when Laminitis hit in July.

The Jacksons have since turned their Barbaro spotlight into a campaign to raise donations and awareness for retired thoroughbreds. They have focused their energies on track safety and on benefits for racetrack workers, who often live on little pay. They have brought attention to the plight of exercise riders, who risk their lives while riding these horses.

Many tracks are installing synthetic surfaces, which may be safer, citing the “Barbaro effect.” They have brought attention to the issue of horse slaughter, the fate of many failed racehorses and even some successful ones.

Barbaro has definitely gone the distance in 2006. He started out by winning every race he was asked to run. And when the race turned into one for his life, he responded again, by cooperating with those around him, by withstanding pain, by doing what he needs to do to heal his legs.

He may or may not ever be able to stand at stud. His owners maintain that doesn't matter. His trainer, who will never again train Barbaro for another race, monitors his progress. His fans check on Barbaro daily through a little-known Web site, www.timwoolleyracing.com. Alex Brown, a Web site designer and teacher at the University of Delaware, exercises horses for trainer Tim Woolley, who is stabled near Matz at Fair Hill.

When Barbaro won the Derby, Brown began issuing reports on Barbaro. These continued after his Preakness injury. Several times a day Brown reports updates on Barbaro’s progress and other issues in horse racing and race safety.

To me, 2006 will always be the Year of Barbaro. Barbaro is an athlete in every sense of the word, giving his all wherever needed. He never asked for money, never sought performance enhancing drugs, never turned down an autograph.

All he asked for were caring humans and lots of baby carrots. Heres hoping heel have many more years to live and green pastures in which to roam.

“Reprinted with permission of The Frederick News-Post and  Randall Family, LLC as published on Dec. 31, 2006"

Wednesday, January 3, 2007

Update On Barbaro From New Bolton Center- "Barbaro’s status remains unchanged"

January 2, 2007


KENNETT SQUARE, PA-- Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro’s status is essentially the same. “The shoe on his right hind foot was further modified as his strength improved,” said Dr. Dean W. Richardson, Chief of Surgery. “We are aware that there is some public concern about his abnormal motion on the right hind limb, however, this is not unexpected. His gait may be abnormal as he learns to adapt to having fusions of two major joints in his lower limb and to the special shoe. In addition, the fracture had some collapse on the medial (inside) part of the pastern region after he developed laminitis on the left hind foot. Although this is visually unattractive, the mechanics of the lower leg are not seriously affected because the pastern and fetlock joints are fused.”

Our goal was to give him a leg that would be functional and comfortable enough to live happily. “The right hind has healed well enough that we are optimistic about that possibility,” said Dr. Richardson. “However, Barbaro’s left hind foot, which had laminitis, remains a more formidable long-term challenge. The foot must grow much more for him to have a truly successful outcome.”

Barbaro, who has been in the Intensive Care Unit of the George D. Widener Hospital for Large Animals since his injuries at the Preakness on May 20, is eating well and has a bright eye and happy demeanor, according to his medical team.

The next update will be posted on Tuesday, January 16, unless there is a significant change in Barbaro’s condition.


For more information on Barbaro, please see www.vet.upenn.edu.

Jennifer Rench  
(610) 925-6182
jrench@vet.upenn.edu

Gail Luciani
(215) 898-1475
luciani@vet.upenn.edu