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Archive for June 21st, 2009MyEquusBlog – Panimetro – Thoroughbred Racehorses Beat the Odds, Retire to FloridaThis is a reprint from North Florida Horse Rescue/old HorsesintheSouth.com so that my readers can understand where my Metro came from and why he is so special. February 23, 2007 – Keystone Heights, FL. Seven-year old Panimetro, a thoroughbred racehorse, suffered four major fractures in his left front ankle, an injury similar to Barbaro’s-the Kentucky Derby winner that was recently euthanized. “Metro” could have met the same sad fate, but was able to heal himself by lying down for long periods over the last year and a half and allowing caretakers to attend to him.  Metro in the Virgin Islands in 2005 This was the largest shipment of rescued racehorses from the Virgin Islands Community Cooperative Thoroughbred Retirement Effort (VICCTTRE), a nonprofit 501(C)3 organization that had rescued, rehabilitated and adopted 28 horses since its 2004 inception. All four horses raced both stateside and in the islands. All suffered serious injuries, from Metro’s broken leg to bruised soles, damaged hooves and arthritis. With the medical care, love and dedication of the VICCTRE volunteers they now have a new life to look forward to. Kate Grimsley, VICCTRE’s founding director and barn manager was in tears before sending Metro to his new Florida home. “It’s amazing to me, on the heels of Barbaro, who had to be euthanized, to see his will,” Grimsley said. “I’m a different person for knowing this horse.” (Note: Chris Dunn’s neighbor, Teri Rehkopf, CEO/owner of HorsesintheSouth.com adopted Metro on the spot – she told Chris that he had to stay with us to assure that he would get the best of care. He is Teri’s mare’s companion horse. He has a huge stall with open access to his own paddock. He is let into his own pasture during the day.) Contact: See below and the original press release at the Virgin Islands Daily News. VICCTRE celebrates hard-fought recovery of racehorses ST. THOMAS – As a thoroughbred racehorse who suffered a broken leg, Panimetro could have met the same sorrowful end as Barbaro, the Kentucky Derby winner who was euthanized this week.Instead, the 7-year-old Panimetro fought to heal – by lying down for as many as 12 hours a day, thus giving veterinarians and caretakers a chance to attend to him in his stall. Now he’s headed for a new life and a new home. On Thursday, he was among four retired race horses sent to greener pastures after being cared for by the Virgin Islands Community Cooperative Thoroughbred Retirement Effort. It marked the largest single shipment of rescued horses that the nonprofit organization has produced. Bach One, Brimstone Tough and Smooth Distinction each spent between six and eight months at VICCTRE’s stables behind St. Thomas Dairies. They raced locally and stateside before retiring, and VICCTRE volunteers found each to be special.  Kate and Bo visiting Metro at Teri's place “It’s amazing to me, on the heels of Barbaro, who had to be euthanized, to see his will,” Grimsley said. “I’m a different person for knowing this horse.” Soaping Panimetro up and hosing him down Thursday in preparation for 4 p.m. shipment, VICCTRE volunteer Bohdania Potter agreed. She took special care around a bulb of scar tissue that developed on the horse’s left front ankle, where he had sustained four major fractures. “When I first came here, he was in horrible condition. It was tearjerking to see how bad he really was,” Potter said. “He had his own urge to survive.” To date, 28 horses have been rescued, rehabilitated or adopted through VICCTRE since its inception in 2004, Grimsley said. The four horses shipped Thursday will spend two weeks quarantined at Hacienda Allegra in Puerto Rico. Eventually, they will be sent to Florida and paired with a Marion County Correctional Facility inmate for natural-horsemanship training. (Note: They were adopted by other people in the southeast USA instead via Habitat for Horses with Chris Dunn’s commendable efforts). Other VICCTRE horses have been adopted, either on-island or on the U.S. mainland, or placed in therapeutic riding programs for the physically or mentally disabled, Grimsley said. Contact Lynn Freehill at 774-8772 ext. 311 or e-mail lfreehill@dailynews.vi |
