Letting go ~ humanity in racing

[Indian Charlie]

Originally Posted by my miss storm cat

There's a question I've wanted to ask here for a long time.

There are a few reasons why I didn't but mostly I didn't want to upset anyone.

For the usual crowd who just don't understand me or the way I think I'm sorry in advance, okay? I'm sure it seems too stupid to you... things like people getting choked up over horses they don't own, etc.

I still close my eyes when the horses approach the part of the track where Hendrix broke down. I think I always will.

We deal with things in different ways and those of us who are more verbal with our grief... it doesn't mean we feel more. We just have a need to express it and get it out whereas you guys are able to stay in control.

I don't believe for a second anyone here is heartless and unmoved by such things.

Okay that said and hopefully that wil avoid a big problem between the types who consider themselves fans first vs those who consider themselves cappers.. I have a question for all of you. All of you.

Barbaro...

Was it right?

Was keeping him alive the humane thing to do?

Would it have been more humane had they not?

I wonder about this now, looking back... I am just so unsure either way and was wondering your thoughts on this.

Mondays are slow... figured I'd finally ask.

Tell me your truth. There is no right answer... I just wonder what you all feel, felt then, if it's changed... I wonder about all of it.

Given the choice, I'm guessing the animal would have chosen to try to stay alive.

[my miss storm cat]

Originally Posted by Indian Charlie

Given the choice, I'm guessing the animal would have chosen to try to stay alive.

... and if you had owned Barbaro and months had gone by...

What then?

Would you have thought maybe he had had enough or kept him alive at any cost (I don't only mean financial here)?

[Indian Charlie]

Originally Posted by my miss storm cat

... and if you had owned Barbaro and months had gone by...

What then?

Would you have thought maybe he had had enough or kept him alive at any cost (I don't only mean financial here)?

You might be asking the wrong person. I thought Barbaro was one of the best two horses of the last ten or so years, so as long as he had a reasonable chance of surviving without that much pain and suffering during the recovery, yeah, I'd give him all the chances he could take.

[my miss storm cat]

Originally Posted by Indian Charlie

without that much pain and suffering during the recovery

I'm not arond horses the way some of you are / have been.

Is this that obvious?

I'm not suggesting it's not... I really want to know.

[jms62]

Originally Posted by my miss storm cat

I'm not arond horses the way some of you are / have been.

Is this that obvious?

I'm not suggesting it's not... I really want to know.

Barbaro wanted to live and fought to the end. He knew when he was ready.

[my miss storm cat]

Originally Posted by jms62

Barbaro wanted to live and fought to the end. He knew when he was ready.

That was lovely.

I don't know what i think... I'm happy to read an opinion such as yours.

Hope you are right.

[OldDog]

I believe it was the right thing to do. Not that I have personal knowledge of his circumstances, but based on the information that was made public it seemed that he did remarkably well with the initial surgery, and even against the setbacks it always seemed that he rebounded well.

No, the one about whom I might ask your question, if I was to ask it, would be the dazzlingly brilliant Ruffian. But even in her case, I understand that they had to try.

I don’t think I could ever tell an owner that they tried too hard.