If you haven't already heard Barbaro was named Kentucky horse of the year! He was an amazing horse.

Man did he effect everybody. It was amazing the amount of Non equine people who followed his story.

But I wonder if it will have little effect on the age they start horses. Or do you think that his blow out had nothing to do with that?

Do I think they start horses too early? Yes, you see many many 2yos with shin bucks, etc.

Do I think that Barbaro was injured due to being started too young? No, I don't. It is very uncommon to see a rear fetlock injury on a racehorse, usually more injuries with racehorses are on the front legs or hocks. I honestly think it was bad luck, just one of those things. Who knows, he could have banged up his rear fetlock while false breaking out of the gate, then the pressure of running on it was just too much and shattered the bone. Sooner or later racehorses are going to being to get problems, sadly its just a matter of time. They key to it is, if you take care of the problem when it starts, the horse usually comes back 100% or close to it, yet the risk of another injur is still present!