Why are the vets still so guarded about Barbaros prognosis?
Horses are prey animals that basically need to move around in order to survive, and Barbaro is currently confined to a stall where he is likely to have to stay for weeks, if not months. Beyond the always-present possibility of infection in a wound so large, the biggest concern is laminitis, a painful and sometimes fatal condition that can develop when a horse stands unevenly because it is favoring one leg. In an attempt to prevent laminitis, Barbaro’s good hind leg has been fitted with a specially padded, glue-on shoe, to allow him to stand evenly with the bad leg, which has a cast on it. Another major concern is colic, also a potentially fatal condition that develops when the horse’s intestinal system slows or becomes blocked. The need for the horse to keep weight on its feet and the potential for colic is a major reason a horse with a broken leg can’t simply be suspended from a sling while the injury heals, says vet school dean Hendricks. “You can’t take the weight off their feet and
