Can I start a Barbaro flame war?

I mean, next week they are planning to re-name him Elmer... :P

why the hate?

i'm sure i have a barbaro war scar on me some where....

your horsin' around!

it's just one letter switch.

:D

Thanks, BW. If I can leaf through thousands of "Kitty" posts around here, with nary a peep, then I'll gladly step -out for this horse. A Great horse. A Brave horse.

I guess you've never ridden. Obviously...you've never attended a triple crown event.

I have been a horse racing fan (and horse crazy) since before I can remember. Something about Barbaro's story genuinely touched people. Even if you don't understand it, you should be able to respect it enough to not belittle it. If someone is truely not interested in this topic, or thinks it is ridiculous, then don't waste your time and ours by posting to the threads or creating new ones about the topic designed only to mock people. As I said, I have been watching this sport for almost 30 years, and Barbaro was special. He had incredible potential and brains. He was the kind of horse that makes history and changes the breed for the better. And fans have a right to mourn that.

When I see threads that look silly or pertain to things I'm not interested in, I ignore them. Period.

And while you're at it, if you are going to post messages about the evils of horse racing, please take 5 minutes to brush up on basic horse physiology, reproduction and the rules of the sport. Yesterday I had to wade through a lot of messages from well-meaning people claiming that Barbaro's owners only kept him alive to profit from harvesting his sperm or to send him to stud. Such accusations border on the libelous. First, The Jockey Club, the governing body of the sport, does not allow any horses conceived by artificial means or their offspring to compete, thus rendering Barbaro's sperm worthless. Second, in order to breed, a stallion must be able to balance the majority of his weight on his back legs. The injuries with both of Barbaro's back legs meant that his legs probably would not be able to take the stress, and breeding would have meant his death. So no breeding shed for him. If he had survived, it would have been likely he would have been gelded. I am sick of the demeaning statements I have heard and read about his owners. Barbaro was a homebred, they had owned him since he was born, and there was no financial benefit left for them in keep him alive. They just wanted him to live. Are people on DU so cynical that we cannot believe that?

Sorry for the bile, but I needed to rant at little.

"I can't describe the awesome whirlwind of emotions I've felt over the last eight months--you've given all of us so much strength. I plan to name my first child Barbaro, in hopes that he has half the heart that you did. --Michael Sambuceti, 24; New York, NY, USA posted on 2007-01-29 14:25:18 "

Oh, and if they did not plan to breed him, why did they wait to geld him? The Jockey Club calls it "natural cover" but there is nothing natural about it. He would have been given a harness or some such thing.

lost a nickel on a horse race. My horses ran for the sheer love of running and for me.

One of the greatest that has ever run. I have ridden his kin, and I have honored them, too, as they have honored me.

the hue and cry over this is just downright amusing if ya asks me.

I was hoping with the rest of the people here that the horse would make it.
Sad that he didn't.

I'm just trying to be a little silly about this.
Some of you take me just a BIT too seriously! :-)

:D

;-)

:shrug:

How are your kitties?

got any recent pics?

Had to use camera's batteries to run my remote.

Did you get it straight from the horse's mouth or are you just horsing around? If true, it is surely a horse of another color.

We all can be real horse's asses at times... ;-)

:evilgrin:

I'd shout you down, but my voice is a little horse.

Anyway, I've been trying to rein in my Barbaro comments since yesterday, but now I see that it behooves me to say "neigh," and get back into it.

My mudder would be so proud.

Guess that will teach me not to take the bit in my teeth.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to sign off. My wife's friend lives in Mane, and her Bridle Shower is this afternoon.

:shrug:

here...let me light your fire

and a whole team Sunday evening.

some poor kid is gonna end up saddled *snicker* with the name BARBARO???