Today is the anniversary of the death of the great racehorse Secretariat. We look back on what laminitis meant then, what it means now, and what we are doing to change the picture of this terrible disease.
It was a dark day in laminitis history, and we could serenade you with all the right moving words that will tug at your heart-strings. But why not go back to that day and see how the news media reported the death of America's great racehorse? The horse who could win it all--except when he came up against laminitis.
Twenty-three years have passed since Secretariat's tragic death, which was attributed to laminitis and the need to spare the great racehorse pain. How far have we come? Horses--even rich and famous ones like Secretariat--are still euthanized because of laminitis.
We know so much more, but not enough--yet.
The Animal Health Foundation had barely begun when Secretariat's death was announced. We thought we could figure laminitis out quickly if we raised enough money. But the disease has stayed a step ahead of us. Now we know we are close, and we know that the mission can be accomplished.
Nothing makes us take stock of where we've been and where we're going like today's anniversary. And nothing inspires us to keep unraveling laminitis like the knowledge that even the great Secretariat knew its pain.
We hope you will stop what you're doing and make a donation, however small, to the Animal Health Foundation, whether in Secretariat's memory or any other horse.
Signed and numbered prints of Secretariat by renowned
equine artist Helen Hayes of Lexington, Kentucky,
will be awarded to all donors of $250 or more.
You can also mail your donation to:
Animal Health Foundation
3615 Bassett Rd.
Pacific, MO 63069
