By Staff
On Monday, the racing world lost a champion and the country mourned.
Barbaro was euthanized.
The decision couldn't have been easy for Barbaro's owners, Roy and Gretchen Jackson, or the doctors who had worked to save the horse many thought would be the next Triple Crown winner, a long awaited feat.
Though disappointed at the loss, we applaud that their decision was based on what was best for the patient.
"It was the right decision. It was the right thing to do," said Roy. The owners didn't want him to continue to experience pain.
After winning his first four races, Barbaro took the finish at the Kentucky Derby, May 6, 2006, by six and a half lengths. Things looked good for the Kentucky-bred colt.
But a few weeks later, on May 20, Barbaro broke down on the first furlong of the Preakness. Three bones shattered in his right hind leg.
At the New Bolton Center at the University of Pennsylvania, Barbaro went through five hours of surgery with Dr. Dean Richardson.
Many casts and changes of screws later, Richardson announced in July Barbaro had developed laminitis in the other leg, the one taking on most of his weight.
Eighty percent of his left hind foot was removed and his chances on survival also were lowered. Still Barbaro remained the fighter and champion, recovering and appearing stronger, allowing the possibility of eventually becoming a breeding stallion.
In the fall, though, Richardson cautioned there is still much healing to take place and regrowth of the hoof with laminitis.
Throughout the months of recovery, people of all ages from throughout the country sent money, get well cards, baskets of carrots and apples to the courageous equine.
Signs that not all was well came about Jan. 10, when damaged tissue needed to be removed from the left hind hoof. This was followed two weeks later by an abscess on the right leg.
The Ryan Veterinary Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania has been one of the first to recognize how deeply we are affected by the loss of our pets. In the hospital setting, a program was created by the social work department to help owners deal with this loss.
Brian Williams on the NBC Nightly News apologized to those who might think they were foolish to waste a time segment to Barbaro on Monday night. He needn't have.