Barbaro suffers setback......

[a kennedy]

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.

[a kennedy]

1. Doctors upbeat despite setback for Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro

Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro is in stable condition and recovering from a major setback this week involving the severe laminitis in his left hind hoof. According to his co-owner Wednesday, doctors are "pulling out all the stops" to aid the colt's recovery.

The setback came after a cast applied to Barbaro's left hind foot a week ago to realign the coffin bone began to cause him acute discomfort. The cast was removed Tuesday night and new separation of the medial portion of his hoof was found, requiring damaged tissue to be removed. Barbaro was being treated for his pain at the University of Pennsylvania's New Bolton Center, where he has been since shattering his right hind leg in the Preakness on May 20, 2006.

"They're taking extreme measures," said Gretchen Jackson, who, with husband Roy Jackson, owns Barbaro. "They're really pulling out all the stops to help him."

Michael Matz, Barbaro's trainer, sounded more upbeat late Wednesday afternoon.

"The cast was getting irritating for him," Matz told USA TODAY. "What Dean (Richardson, the chief equine surgeon) explained to me (Wednesday) morning is when they put the foot cast on, it rubbed against the hoof wall and made it like an ingrown toenail.

"Roy called me this afternoon and said (Barbaro) was doing a lot better."

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/horses/2007-01-10-barbaro-setback_x.htm

[bklyncowgirl]

2. Laminitis is a bitch to deal with. The actual break is pretty much healed.

This is sad. I've been following his story on Tim Wooley's website--one his excercise riders is friends with Barbaro's trainer and has become a sort of unofficial news bureau for Barbaros connections. They were almost ready to release him from the hospital and get him to a warmer climate where he could walk every day and build up strength in the broken leg.

Hopefully he'll pull through.

[xchrom]

3. i believe in him -- he'll be fine.

i love that horse -- he is a great animal with a huge Heart.

[lonestarnot]

4. They are still torturing this poor high spirited animal I see.

Disgusting.

[Waya]

5. Well, while I think that Horse......

....is a great fighter - maybe it is time to end his suffering? I hate to see a great animal put to death - but I also hate to see an animal suffer. There comes a time, you know............