2008 Woodie Awards
The death of a horse legend: Barbaro 2003-2007
How his death affected us and should animal owners euthanize their pets if they are crippled?
Burgos, Paul
Issue date: 2/8/07 Section: Points Of View
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On Jan. 28, horse racing legend Barbaro was euthanized in Kentucky. The horse had been suffering from his leg injuries after a misstep in the first 200 yards of the Preakness on May 20, 2006. The horse's owners, Roy & Gretchen Jackson, were present beside Barbaro when chief medical surgeon Dr. Dean Richardson performed the euthanization.
Barbaro the horse was born on April 29, 2003 in Delaware and was trained at Fair Hill, Md. He competed in and won his first race on Oct. 4, 2005 at Delaware Park. On May 6, 2006, the horse became eligible for the Triple Crown after he won the 2006 Kentucky Derby.
However, since the Preakness was in the same month, Barbaro did not get a lot of rest in preparation for that race. Barbaro also had previous injuries from his first year at Delaware Park where he broke his shinbone.
Due to his previous injuries and lack of rest, Barbaro was not the heavily favored horse to win the Preakness with 6-1 odds against him. However, many people wanted to bet in his favor anyway due to his past victories at the Kentucky Derby and Delaware Park.
But in the first 200 or so yards of the Preakness, Barbaro suffered the near-fatal injury that ended his presence in horse racing competitions. On July 8, 2006, Dr. Richardson would put a metal plate with 27 screws in his leg. Four days later, Barbaro developed laminitis.
Laminitis is a painful disease that can become fatal. The disease is caused by uneven weight distribution in the legs, which makes a horse lose his ability to perform at peak levels. Barbaro would be in this condition for six months before his owners and doctors had to make a tough decision.
With no more races for the horse to run, the Jacksons decided that Barbaro should be "living a life free of pain and suffering." Dr. Richardson performed the procedure that would end Barbaro's life. "Even though it was a tough decision to make, it was the right thing to do," the Jacksons said.
Euthanasia is common for domestic animals in the U.S. The American Humane Society's Web site, http://www.americanhumane.org, lists a 1997 survey that found that roughly 64% of the animals in an animal shelter were euthanized. Approximately 2.7 million animals may have been put down due to overcrowding but the animals may have also been sick, injured, suffering a strange disease, or aggressive.
Barbaro the horse was born on April 29, 2003 in Delaware and was trained at Fair Hill, Md. He competed in and won his first race on Oct. 4, 2005 at Delaware Park. On May 6, 2006, the horse became eligible for the Triple Crown after he won the 2006 Kentucky Derby.
However, since the Preakness was in the same month, Barbaro did not get a lot of rest in preparation for that race. Barbaro also had previous injuries from his first year at Delaware Park where he broke his shinbone.
Due to his previous injuries and lack of rest, Barbaro was not the heavily favored horse to win the Preakness with 6-1 odds against him. However, many people wanted to bet in his favor anyway due to his past victories at the Kentucky Derby and Delaware Park.
But in the first 200 or so yards of the Preakness, Barbaro suffered the near-fatal injury that ended his presence in horse racing competitions. On July 8, 2006, Dr. Richardson would put a metal plate with 27 screws in his leg. Four days later, Barbaro developed laminitis.
Laminitis is a painful disease that can become fatal. The disease is caused by uneven weight distribution in the legs, which makes a horse lose his ability to perform at peak levels. Barbaro would be in this condition for six months before his owners and doctors had to make a tough decision.
With no more races for the horse to run, the Jacksons decided that Barbaro should be "living a life free of pain and suffering." Dr. Richardson performed the procedure that would end Barbaro's life. "Even though it was a tough decision to make, it was the right thing to do," the Jacksons said.
Euthanasia is common for domestic animals in the U.S. The American Humane Society's Web site, http://www.americanhumane.org, lists a 1997 survey that found that roughly 64% of the animals in an animal shelter were euthanized. Approximately 2.7 million animals may have been put down due to overcrowding but the animals may have also been sick, injured, suffering a strange disease, or aggressive.
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