The heart of a champion

I was cruising around the news sites reading various articles about the recent protest in Washington D.C. and feeling a bit queasy when I heard the news about Barbaro's passing. I was going to blog about the protest, but then I would have to read idiotic comments from pinheads like Sean Penn, Susan Sarandon, Jane Fonda, Maxine Waters, Tim Robbins and the like. I chose the horse. I didn't know Barbaro from a hole in the ground until he injured himself. I guess what effected me the most with this horse was how he seemed to beat the odds even when recovery appeared impossible.

I have mixed feelings about horse racing. It certainly is a beautiful sport but it is particularly dangerous for the horse. They are bred for speed (obviously) and it makes them vulnerable to serious injury. Here are some of the grim statistics: On average, one active racehorse a day is killed in Britain. More than 700 a year are killed in the United States and Canada. I'm not suggesting that the sport be banned but maybe a little more closely regulated. We are responsible for these animals. Breed these horses to be as sturdy as they are fast. It may slow the sport down a bit, but it will also kill fewer animals. I would like that to be Barbaro's legacy, but that's not going to happen.

If they bury Barbaro down at the Kentucky Horse Park I will make a special trip this summer to visit his grave.