Rehab

Here's a story for you: In the May 29th 2006 Issue of Sports Illustrated, in the "LeadingOff" section, there's a two page photo of a horse in bandages, being held up in the air over rubber tubing. Countless straps cover the horse and there appears to be a hook hanging in the air keeping the horse suspended:

"Following more than five hours of surgery on Sunday to repair multiple fractures of the right hind leg suffered in the Preakness the day before, Barbaro was placed in a pool so that he wouldn't put pressure on the leg or reinjure himself by thrashing. A metal plate and 23 screws were used to put the shattered bones back together. Surgeons at the University of Pennsylvania's veterinary hospital said that horses so severely injured are usually destroyed."

The absence of the fact made a shotgun blast ring in my ears. I suddenly felt the horse was not being suspended against the force of gravity, but instead held up from fate, put together despite history, and saved from a cruel society.

Barbaro, the horse, is recovering and making good progress today.