Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro euthanized this am

**Hoosier Momma** · 01-29-2007, 03:31 PM

One of the most beautiful horses I have ever seen...he lasted a lot longer than most horses in his situation would have.

His owners sound like very good people, and so do his fans. I know my mom was following this story and she is upset by the news.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,248194,00.html

Not since Seabiscuit has there seemed to have been such an American fascination with a horse.

I grew up with horses the last few years I lived at home, and they are some of God's most beautiful creatures. They have a spirit and a grace like very few other animals.

RIP Barbaro.

**Dixie** · 01-29-2007, 04:56 PM

I was so saddened to read this.

**pinetree** · 01-29-2007, 05:10 PM

That's hard to believe, they just said this morning on the news he was doing fine, what a shock.. very sad.. he was one of a kind.

**Buckeye5** · 01-29-2007, 05:18 PM

I too, have been following this story. I was so...sad to learn about the euthanizing of him. That must have been the hardest thing for the owners and the people who loved that animal to do. I feel so sorry for all of them.

**Cele** · 01-29-2007, 05:50 PM

Too sad.

**tbs727** · 01-29-2007, 07:40 PM

So sad, I felt sick when I read the story this morning. He was such a fighter. At least he won't be in pain anymore.

**Hoosier Momma** · 01-30-2007, 08:30 AM

On another board I frequent, a poster said that Barbaro showed that we humans could learn a thing or two from him; specifically, that even when the chips are stacked against us, it is not necessarily a reason to go down without a fight.

I understand that a lot of money was raised during Barbaro's struggles...something good will come out of it in that other animals will benefit from new understandings and new technology in veterinary medicine.

A lot of people will say 'he was just a horse.' My take is that if you can't feel compassion for an animal, then you are usually less likely to be compassionate towards your fellow human beings.

BTW, if you have never read the book or seen the movie 'Seabiscuit'--it is one of the best stories I have ever read. Even if you are not a horse racing fan, the determination of the people surrounding Seabiscuit and the way that horse energized a nation in the grips of the Great Depression is extremely inspiring.

**YankeeMom** · 01-30-2007, 08:45 AM

I hate horse racing.
Even moreso now

**dmvezina** · 01-30-2007, 08:50 AM

I was so sad to hear this last night. I've followed his "progress" since his injury. I was hoping he would make it.

**kaykwilts** · 01-30-2007, 09:47 AM

Be it a prize winning horse or a mutt of a dog it is hard to euthanize any animal. You get so attached to animal like they were human.

**Hoosier Momma** · 01-30-2007, 10:08 AM

Originally Posted by kaykwilts

Be it a prize winning horse or a mutt of a dog it is hard to euthanize any animal. You get so attached to animal like they were human.

Oh definitely!

My brother had a lovely German Shepherd/collie mix that he had since he was 13. She developed cancer that took her over rapidly, and my brother did everything he could for her, even taking her to Purdue (where he went to school) to be seen at their vet clinic. She was 9 or 10 I believe. He ended up having to have her put to sleep. He was devestated, and so was the rest of the family. He also was pre-veterinary for a while and he worked with a vet near home. He said the hardest part of his job was watching people make that difficult decision.

My mom had to have her last cat put down in September--he was 15 (outdoor kitty). She was upset about it.

We have 2 large dogs (ages 6 and almost 5), and if something happened to one of them, the other would probably die of heartbreak.