Heaps of cake, a Christmas tree bedecked with hand-painted ornaments, online messages and $1 million - these are just some of the gifts that continue to pour in for Kentucky Derby-winner Barbaro, who suffered a significant setback on his road to recovery on Tuesday night.
Barbaro broke his right hind leg in the Preakness on May 20. The colt now suffers from laminitis, a disease caused by uneven weight distribution in the limbs that set in a few months into Barbaro's recovery.
Doctors discovered on Tuesday that the horse had a bad reaction to a cast put on his left hind foot on Jan. 3rd, according to a press release from the Penn School of Veterinary Medicine.
On Tuesday night, Dean Richardson - the chief of surgery at Penn Vet, who has been treating Barbaro since his accident on May 20 - removed the cast as well as inflamed tissue discovered inside of his hoof.
As of now, Barbaro will be "treated much more aggressively," according to another press release.
Richardson was unavailable for comment due to the intensive care that he is currently giving Barbaro.
The public response to Barbaro remains strong and is expected to continue that way, said Jennifer Rench, a spokeswoman for the New Bolton Center, where Barbaro is being treated.
"During his whole hospitalization at the New Bolton Center, we've been receiving cards and letters from all over the world," she said. "People have been sending gift baskets for Barbaro: apples, pears . peppermints and horse treats."
One Barbaro fan even threw a birthday party for Richardson, supplying cake and pizza as well as making a large donation to the Barbaro Fund, which was established anonymously soon after his accident. The fund currently boasts $1.2 million.
Barbaro's owners, Roy and Gretchen Jackson, are always present at the New Bolton Center.
"Mrs. Jackson comes twice a day and brings him fresh grass from their farm," Rench said.
Those who don't want to write letters or send gifts can post messages for Barbaro on an online message board established by the New Bolton Center.
"Beautiful Barbaro----thinking about you and praying for you and your caregivers. xxoxoxox," read one message posted yesterday from "Marty, 65."
Another one, also posted yesterday, from Jean Fluck, 36: "Please, please, please Barbaro! Please be well~I was so upset to read this update! You have always fought hard; continue to do what you do best! WE LOVE YOU~WE PRAY FOR YOU~TAKE CARE!"
And while these passionate responses bear the same enthusiasm and devotion typically reserved for people, veterinary experts say that Barbaro is a special case, and that, therefore, this feedback is not unusual.
"He's just such a magnificent animal," Rench said. "He won the Kentucky Derby by a margin that hadn't been achieved in 60 years."
She added that "Americans and people just want to support a good cause, and he's really touched a lot of lives."
Rench was unable to comment further on Barbaro's condition or expected recovery.
