'Colt' of personality surrounds star horse

It was mid-summer, the church looked gorgeous, and family and friends dotted the premises. But as Shannon Barbour stood at the altar next to her husband-to-be, she started "zoning out." While the priest spoke, Barbour turned her attention to the pretty murals adorning the church walls.

"They were so beautiful that I just started thinking about Barbaro and wondering what he was doing, how he was, what the updates were I was missing," she said.

Experiencing an emotional high from seeing so many loved ones in attendance, Barbour decided to say a long prayer for the horse that kept racing through her mind. After the wedding festivities had died down, Barbour felt it necessary to cancel her honeymoon.

"I couldn't bear to be anywhere else but near the computer where I could check on" Barbaro, she said. "It sounds crazy, but literally every minute of the day I'm thinking about that horse."

Barbour, who lives in Canada, is a member of an ever-growing group of people hailing from all over the world who have gathered together on horse trainer Tim Woolley's Web site to check daily updates on Barbaro's condition and to chat with each other about Barbaro, horseracing and life.

They have self-anointed themselves the "Barbaro Maniacs" or, more soberly, the "Fans of Barbaro," and though many have never met face-to-face, they have developed a close-knit community stemming from their shared love for the horse they tenderly refer to as "Bobby."

It has been nearly five months since 2006 Kentucky Derby winner and Pennsylvania native Barbaro fractured his right hind leg in three places during the running of the Preakness. Ever since that career-ending injury, Barbaro has been recuperating at the Penn Veterinary School's New Bolton Center - a picturesque animal health-care facility in Kennett Square, Pa., replete with verdant fields and grazing cows.

The thoroughbred racehorse has defied the odds not only in his arduous recovery but in the persistence of his mystique: While common sense would dictate that his story would have faded into oblivion by now, he continues to occupy the front pages of newspapers and the forefront of many people's thoughts.

When Barbaro first arrived at New Bolton - widely considered the world's premier equine care facility - the center had to employ extra operators to handle the massive influx of get-well calls coming in from around the country. E-mails arrived by the thousands, and the office was inundated with three cartons-full of mail and truckloads of flowers each day. In those early days, when Barbaro's survival was a question mark, New Bolton Director Corinne Sweeney said she received particularly touching cards from children who had written to Barbaro as class assignments.

"One young boy wrote, 'Dear Barbaro, I don't even know if you read English,'" Sweeney recalled.

Though the outpouring of support has since decreased in volume, Barbaro still receives countless cards and baskets of apples, carrots, sugar cubes and horse treats each day, while New Bolton's staff is often furnished with bagels, juice, coffee and pizza at the expense of Barbaro's supporters. The center has also received significant monetary donations in Barbaro's honor, and an anonymous donor even launched a Barbaro Fund to improve New Bolton's equipment and services.

None of this money, however, is meant to pay Barbaro's medical bill. In an interview with National Public Radio in May, Penn surgeon Dean Richardson estimated that Barbaro's care would cost tens of thousands of dollars, not necessarily including long-term nursing and rehabilitation costs.

On behalf of the Barbaro Maniacs, local flower shop Kennett Florist and its owner Ali Berstler recently planned a surprise birthday party for Richardson that included a carrot cake from Barbaro and another cake sporting a picture of the doctor's famous patient.

To accompany the more common gifts, Barbaro has received holy water, stuffed animals, photos of people's pets, rosary beads, a wedding invitation, a box of Chinese goodies with his name written in Chinese characters, an elaborately decorated mask, a statue of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals, and even an American flag flown in Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom.

According to Alex Brown, a former admissions director for the Wharton School's MBA program and an exercise rider at the Maryland facility where Barbaro trained, the horse's enduring appeal has a lot to do with his exceptional athleticism - he was undefeated before the Preakness and had won the Derby by the widest margin since 1946 - and with his determination to overcome adversity. But Brown, who is also the creator and manager of the Web site frequented by the Barbaro Maniacs, added that Barbaro's cult of personality is predicated on more than just these factors.

"Here is an athlete who is brilliant at what he did, but he wouldn't hold out for a contract, he wouldn't [expletive] up on drugs," he said. "He's a cool dude and people like that. Everything else in the world sucks, you can't look at the news without being horrified by human behavior, and yet here is a horse that just wants to survive."

Sweeney said that when a group of Barbaro Maniacs traveled to New Bolton in September, one woman approached her afterward and said that the day had been the third happiest of her life, trailing only the day she married her husband and the day she received a heart transplant.

Carole Shaw, a Barbaro Maniac from New Hampshire, said that she was drawn to the horse because its injury parallels one suffered by her mother. A few weeks after Barbaro's injury, Shaw learned that her mother had fallen and shattered her right ankle. Exactly like Barbaro, her mother endured a five-hour surgery, received screws and a titanium plate in her right leg, was fitted with a number of leg casts and underwent a demanding rehabilitation regimen. When Shaw would call the hospital to check on her mother, she couldn't help but ask the nurse: "How's Barbaro's roommate?"

While the Barbaro Maniacs - people of all ages with widely varying levels of experience with horses - initially frequented the Tim Woolley Web site primarily for Barbaro, they have since turned the site into an activist page for horse-related issues. Among their many initiatives: They recently planned and financed a surprise birthday party for a horse trainer named Mike Rea, who incurred severe brain damage in a horse-riding accident, sent gift baskets to a horse - Lost in the Fog - who was battling cancer in California and "adopted" horses that had survived a tragic trailer accident in Missouri and had been bound for a slaughter house.

"I don't know if you've seen a picture of" Barbaro, Barbaro Maniac Carol Nichols, from Pennsylvania, said. "It's almost like he's been here before and knows more than we do when you look into his eyes. . I think he's here for a reason, to bring people together. I think it was God's will to be perfectly honest with you."

Motivated by Barbaro, Barbour has sponsored an injured gelding near her area and gotten a job at a local track helping a trainer. She calls Barbaro's ability to inspire others the "Barbaro Effect."

In August, when Barbaro was allowed to graze outside for the first time since his accident, Barbour was so enthused that she created a video featuring pictures of Barbaro over the span of his recovery with musical accompaniment.

In the last few months, the Barbaro Maniacs have devoted much of their time to promoting legislation that would ban the practice of horse slaughter in the United States for consumption in foreign markets. The bill is currently in committee in the Senate.

Some of the Barbaro Maniacs hold a nightly online vigil for the colt on AOL, while others light virtual candles for him at greatfulness.org, a Web site that allows people to express thankfulness for something, on a regular basis.

The Maniacs have even gotten into the habit of taking a moment to send Barbaro get-well wishes every second Saturday at 7 in the evening.

As for Barbour's husband, it is usually in his best interest to think about the horse more frequently.

"He knows now that when he comes home from work, if he doesn't ask how Barbaro is, he isn't going to get his dinner," Barbour said.

Comments (26)

Beautiful story- thank you for writing and publishing it! - Sharon FOB of Forked River, NJ

This article was truly touching. As one of the members of the nightly AOL vigil group, I have to tell you that we have formed strong bonds in the community. We avidly search for news about Barbaro's progress. I can totally relate to Ms. Barbour about needing to be in touch all the time to catch up on the updates. What a marvelous hero with world has found, in our great horse, Barbaro. He is an inspiration to so many. Our blessing go out to his wonderful Dr. Richardson, his owners and his trainer for their heroic treatment of this great horse.

THANKS for the amazing article on Barbaro.....HE IS AN AMAZING HORSE and deserves without question to win Horse of The Year for the interest he has generated in all aspects of thouroughbred racing and horses in general .....a more appropriate designation would most definitely be as a Fan of Barbaro refers to him "HORSE of FOREVER"!!!! He has an aura and his aura inspires greatness...HE IS A SPECIAL HORSE !!! FOB are currently working full steam ahead on senate Bill S1915 to eliminate horse slaughter for consumption which passed in the US Congress by a very wide margin!!! If you would like to help Barbaro and his friends with this very important legislation please phone IMMEDIATELY your senators and ask them to co sponsor this BILL to end the cruel and barbaric slaughter of one of man's most faithful companion animals !!! PLEASE SEND A STRONG MESSAGE TO THOSE CONCERNED...TELL THEM YOU WANT THIS BILL OUT OF COMMITTEE and ONTO THE HOUSE FLOOR FOR A VOTE WITH NO AMMENDMENTS !!! I don't think any other horse in history has inspired so much GOOD from adversity or anything for that matter..... Barbaro has thousands and thousands of proactive fans in 15 different countries...HIS LEGEND WILL BE GREATER THAN ANY TRIPLE CROWN.....I BELIEVE IN MIRACLES !!!! I BELIEVE IN BARBARO !!!! Maribel FOB Ontario Canada

I have been following Barbaro from the moment he got hurt and was so happy when I found this site a few months ago. I check his updates first thing in the morning and the last thing before going to bed. He is truly a fighter and a champion and he has brought so many people together. I pray that he will make continued progress and be able to enjoy life as he should.

Uri Friedman Thanks for giving the Barbaro Maniacs print. I enjoyed your article and it illuminates the Tim Woolley site properly. Alex Brown never fails to supply us with the answer we seek which is...How is our UNDEFEATED CHAMPION Barbaro progressing. The owners of "Bobby..." the Jacksons are two of the most compassionate owners of racehorses that I know today. Prayers for our guy would be appreciated as he has a long way to go, but he is a WINNER so I have no doubt that he will make it to full recovery. Thanks again!!!!

Mr. Friedman, Thanks for your great "Barbaro" article. I was devasted to see him hurt at the preakness, and just like other Barbaro maniacs, my everyday starts with checking up on him. Thank goodness for the Tim Wooley Racing website! This horse, the Jacksons and the staff at NBC are all about goodness and good people. Hard to find, these days, in this difficult world. And yes, I pray for them all, too.

Hello Uri Friedman, Thanks for writing the article about Barbaro, Alex Brown, the Tim Woolley Racing Site and all of the "fans of Barbaro". You did a pretty good job of capturing much of what goes on daily on the Tim Woolley web site. One thing not mentioned is the caring and support the "fans" have for each other. When one in the group recently lost her pet cat due to illness - there must have been more than a hundred comments full of compassion for the grief she was experiencing. The same can be said for those undergoing illness or surgery themselves or anyone in their families doing the same. There seems to be a genuine regard for the well being of all members. The other thing hard to define is the understanding that exists among all of us who care for animals. I am proud of all the members of the Barbaro nation for the incredible accomplishments that have taken place in such a short time and firmly believe that this is only the beginning. Janice Proud to be a "Barbaromaniac" or "fan of Barbaro"

Thank you for posting this wonderful article about Barbaro, The TWR,and all Barbaro fans around the world. I am a proud member of that wonderful site,we have accomplished so much in our love for Barbaro. Because of Barbaro I opened my eyes to the reality of the abuse and slaughtering of horses(that I was unaware of) safety of the tracks and many other issues. I love all my BarbaroManiacs friends in the site, they are just wonderful and very creative people and most of them with a lot of knowledge. I make my own vigil for Barbaro every night. I pray God for his recovery and health. God bless all Barbaro's connections for giving him a second chance. Alex Brown, Tim Wooley, thank you ,thank you,thank you.

I liked this article, obviously some people do not get the humour in the womans wedding story, get a grip people. It's purely humour and another reason why I like the people who surround this amazing horse. Keep it up you Barbaro Fans. We must continue to fight for the Ban on Slaughter. NY

Good article! Although Barbaro has a HUGE support of well-wishers .... we need more. I wish more would follow his journey. He's amazing. This horse has opened my eyes to so many issues in our world. Before Barbaro, I had no clue horses were being slaughtered as they are. I read the news every day wondering what sort of chaos is hitting now. But, then I think about Barbaro... and the inspiration he has cast on all of us maniacs. His journey has changed many of my thoughts on life; it could for others too if they knew about this courageous animal. Spread the word. Get people excited about Barbaro, his will to live, the positive affect he has on all his fans and the things we can change in our society... all because we personally care about our celebrity horse, Barbaro.

Dear Confused...that was merely an excuse she gave her husband...hehehe

Don't get me wrong, i dig horses, but i'm suprised no one has commented on the fact that A WOMAN CANCELLED HER HONEYMOON TO SIT NEXT TO HER COMPUTER SO SHE COULD READ ABOUT A HORSE OVER THE INTERNET! seriously, doesn't anyone else see a problem with the fact that during the holy matrimony, she was thinking about murals and horses and not about her husband or their love or the bond she was about to enter into? if there's any single day of your life that you might want to stop thinking about a horse for 10 minutes, it might be your wedding day. maybe she'll forget to do her Lamaze when she's giving birth because she's wondering how a horse she's never met before is feeling today. obsessing is not good for your health.

I'm convinced that all the barbaro maniacs did a circle jerk/finger when he finally grazed

I enjoyed this article. I have been a fan of Barbaro since he broke his maiden in Delaware, and followed his racing career very closely. I am also involved in a nightly vigil we hold every night for him, and have been since July 15. I am also co-writing a book with Jo SInger about the history of the sport, and the last few chapters will be about Barbaro. I am hoping to be able to go to New BOlton to get some information I will need for the book. I have been involved with horse racing most of my life, and find it only fitting to write a book with new information about it.

Great article on Barbaro. His courage and intelligence in the wake of his racing accident has been a source of inspiration to all of us humans who have been keeping up with his progress this past five months. I am grateful that he has such caring human connections.I pray that our loving Heavenly Father will continue to watch over him on his long road to recovery. K.F.A.

Excellent article. Thanks so much. Please do some follow ups not only on Barbaro but also on the anti slaughter legislation. Thanks again.

I enjoyed reading your story and was delighted to see my friend Shannon mentioned in the article...We still laugh at Shannon's tale of wedding day bliss and thoughts of Barbaro...We have so many wonderful stories, both happy and sad at the Tim Woolley Racing website...I hope you pay a visit and enjoy them....

Thank you for this wonderful article about our gang! I am so glad you featured my friend Shannon and her wedding day bliss...a story that is absolutely true and just as amusing...Shannon is a riot! The MANIACs/FOBS are currently envolved in anti-horse slaughter legislation and the passage of S1915...we invite everyone to call their senators regarding the passage of this bill. Shannon has more great stories, as do our other members...some sad, some funny....Barbaro has made it all possible.

[QUOTE id="93ade7d2-a7a3-47da-9c74-adbb2ba20444"]dude it's a stupid horse. horses suck.[/QUOTE] NOOOOOOOOO, people like YOU suck.

What a great article! I am also a Fan of Barbaro aka Barbaro Maniac and your story pretty much described what we are all about on the Tim Woolley website-especially our passion and dedication to the most wonderful horse ever - Barbaro! Thank you! Charlie Wallen in SW Florida

Wonderful article about Barbaro and his followers. Hopefully it will inspire even more people to care about horses, especially the unlucky ones bound for slaughter.

dude it's a stupid horse. horses suck.

I just wanted to thank the author for the mention of the Barbaro prayer group on AOL. I am proud to be a member . We pray for him and other concerns every night . What a wonderful group of people!

A good overview of the Fans of Barbaro and an interesting story. I wish there had been more of a discussion of the anti- horse slaughter bill, but I suppose that was outside the reporter's purview in this assignment. All press is good press they say, when you need publicity, and the Fans of Barbaro need to get the word out about the dirty little secret of horse slaughter in this country.

Mr Friedman,thank you so much for this article. You have captured much of what goes on at Tim Woolley's Racing Site. Alex Brown has been such a great trooper for us in getting us information about Barbaro. Dr. Richardson, Roy and Gretchen Jackson, Michael Matz, Peter Brette, and everyone else that is around Barbaro has been great to us and we love them very much.