Barbaro What’s the Message?

Barbaro What’s the Message?

Do you know that when I asked quite a few of my horse friends what they thought of the Barbaro story that aired on TV many said they couldn’t watch it because it was too sad. And yes I agreed with them that it was sad and that I was emotional at the end of watching it, but what about the higher message? What about it touched my heart as truth? I had to think about this for a few minutes and I thought what is it about the special ones? There is a quality that you can feel from them and see in their eye. What some would call a presence. People loved Barbaro for what he inspired in them. His spirit was so happy to be here and doing the job of racing. Everyone loved him because he embodied qualities that we all strive for determination, enthusiasm, drive, joy and love, not only for racing but for living. It just felt good to be around him.

Just as Christopher Reeves was a true example of a superman for humanity, Barbaro represents a super horse for the horses, proving that horses are also more than a physical body. They are sentient beings with huge spirits that need to be treated with respect. There are always going to be the critics that didn’t agree with the decision to try to save Barbaro. But to me it was so comforting to see Barbaro’s owners Gretchen and Roy Jackson and this trainer Michael Matts make all their decisions from their heart. This included not only his battle with his injury and then decision to let him go, but his training and performance decisions.

Being in the show horse business myself, I have seen and been told by a few other trainers, that if you want a pet go get a dog. This mentality makes for a very stressed animal. How would you like to be in a relationship with someone who is emotionally shut down? There are a lot of unhappy marriages out there that have those dynamics. It doesn’t work there why would it work in a horse human relationship.

I am thankful to Barboro and his owners , trainer and handlers in helping to embody a paradigm that includes the performance animal being treated with love, respect and integrity , and allowing both the owner and horse to fulfill their purpose together.

Nancy Proulx
nproulx@adelphia.net
NancyProulx.com