Farewell to Barbaro...

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On January 29th, the horse industry lost one of its gallant heroes.  Kentucky Derby Champion Barbaro was euthanized due to complications following his injury sustained during the Preakness Stakes.  This brilliant colt captured America's heart as he galloped into the history books in early 2006.  His career cut short by a severe fracture in the second leg of the Triple Crown, we watched anxiously as the magnificent team of New Bolton Medical Center fought to save the colt for over 8 months. We are lucky to be involved in such a wonderful sport of owning horses, in whatever areas we love and are passionate about: trail riding, competitive showing, rodeo, horse racing, or simply loving them as pasture pets.  Experiencing these once-in-a-lifetime companions gives us a unique perspective on how precious our lives are and how lucky we are to have horses be a part of them. Spend a moment with your horse today... in honor of Barbaro and all of the great horses that are a part of who we are.

From Jane Schwartz: "In victory and defeat, and every day in between, horses remain wordless creatures. To those in the sport who spend their days caring for them, these thousand-pound thoroughbreds are like children - not in any sentimental sense, but in the sense that they cannot take care of themselves. They need people to provide them with water, food, shelter, exercise. The good ones are treated the way every child should be treated - with the mixture of care and discipline best suited for that particular individual. When we care about someone, or some animal, our first instinct is to reject the idea of death. Most people want to leave open at least a small window of opportunity for hope. At the medical center where Barbaro was being treated, people left signs for the colt, expressing their love for him. Perhaps the real miracle - the one that matters to all of us, whether we know it or not - is that so many of us are still capable of caring so much." --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- --Jane Schwartz is the author of "Ruffian: Burning From The Start"