Oklahoma Horsemen React To Barbaro's Death

Monday, January 29th 2007, 9:14 pm

By: News On 6

Barbaroâ€™s performance on the track thrilled horseracing fans the world over, but the battle against his terrible injury is what really touched their hearts. The Kentucky Derby-winner was euthanized Monday after an eight month struggle to recover from his shattered leg. News on 6 reporter Steve Berg spoke with a local horseman about the death of Barbaro.

Sam Hester knows why so many people feel so bad about Barbaro's story. He says when you spend as much time and effort with a horse, you form a bond with it.

"Bring that baby back and nurse him all through his life and baby him, and then maybe watch him develop into a nice horse,â€ said horseman Sam Hester. â€œIt gives you a good feeling, kind of like watching your children grow up."

But people outside the world of horseracing might not understand why a broken leg is so often fatal to horses. There are many factors, the lower bones in a horse's leg do not have a good blood supply for healing and infections are common from the dirt on race tracks. One big problem, horses can't lie down for long period to heal, and so it's hard to control them during the healing process.

"Usually when he starts coming out from under the anesthetic, he panics, and that's when he starts floundering and throwing himself around and does more damage," Hester said.

Really, Hester says, it's a testament to how far veterinary medicine has come that Barbaro survived as long as he did. There are many successes that weren't possible even 15 years ago; surgeries that work just like those on superstar human athletes.

"Well anymore, they do the same kind of arthroscopic surgery on horse's knees and ankles that have a little chip in them and this helps extend their life and productivity, a lot longer that it used to,â€ he said. â€œUsed to, they were just through."

Of course, Hester also says Barbaro's long fight was not just a result of medicine, but of a strong will.

"That breaks my heart, because he had such a big heart to go as far as he did," said Hester. "We've been through some things similar to that with horses over the years. And so, my feelings are there for them, and it hurts."

Hester is very hopeful that with advancements in treating injured someday horses hurt like Barbaro will survive.