Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

I decided to breed my mare before I really started her career just so 
she would have had one when I wanted to breed her later on. The 
offspring was going to be my next endurance horse.

Well Rocket was an absolute magnificent colt. He hit the ground at a 
dead gallop. But as fate would have it a freak accident as he was 
frolicking in a thunder storm slipped, fell an broke his right hind 
cannon bone. The vet said I think we can put him back together. Will he 
be in pain the rest of his life, the vet didn't think so. So first a 
cast - that didn't work. Next two pins drilled into the leg with a bar 
on the outside to hold it while he healed. Weekly X-rays and changing of 
dressing and tons of antibotics.

Many people though I should have shot him on the spot. Many others 
thought I should have had the vet put him down. He was my horse and my 
decision and a difficult one to make.

Roll forward. Rocket is not an endurance horse. But Rocket is a trail 
horse. In fact Rocket is a blast to ride and Rocket has a ball doing 
what he can do. Rocket often shows glimpses of what he could have been. 
Rocket is the guy we use to put people who have never rode a horse on. 
Rocket is the horse that trains out young horses. Rocket is "the man."

Do I think Rocket should have been put down - obviously not. Do I think 
it was anyone else's business about Rocket's fate - you be the judge.

While Rocket didn't have as serious injury as Barbaro - Rocket did this 
15 years ago and the technology has come a long way. I respect the 
decision made by the owners of Barbaro and know that when you breed your 
baby you want to do everything in your power to save him. It was touch 
and go a few times - but the old boy made it.

While it was not know if Rocket would ever carry a ride - he is and a 
heavyweight at that. If Barbaro makes it - no one knows if he will or 
will not have the strength and stability or even the desire to breed. 
But time is a wonderful drug - the best known. If he makes it - don't 
count him out.

I for one am pulling for Barbaro to recover and have a pain free life 
doing what he feels comfortable doing.

Truman

Suzanne Boyd wrote:
> I do agree, these people clearly show compassion and the "right 
> attitude". But dollars always come into play somewhere. If he can 
> manage to produce one small foal crop, he would earn more than he has 
> in his racing career.
>
> Yes, if Barbaro produces one small foal crop, he will rake in more 
> than in his racing career. Barbaro earned $2,302,200 racing. If his 
> stud fee(supposing he could ever be a stud) is set at $100,000(which 
> is the absolute *most* it could be, given the market) and he could 
> cover 25 mares, which is a small amount of mares, then he would make 
> 2.5 million. Not much more than he earned racing, and half as much as 
> he could have been sold for before the Derby. Yes, with thoroughbreds, 
> the money is in the breeding, not the racing. But I still contend the 
> Jackson's are sticking with Bobby out of love and commitment to their 
> horses, just like many of us.
>
> Suzanne(I lied, I had to post again)


--

“With or without religion, you would have good people doing good things 
and evil people doing evil things. But for good people to do evil 
things, that takes religion.” Steven Weinberg – Nobel Laureate, Physics


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