So hard saying good bye

[tracyward]

A horse at our stables is been put to sleep this morning. She's an old girl, in her thirties. So sweet natured. Its not the first time ive known of a horse be put down, but im so upset :( . I don't know why I have animals I get so attached to them. God knows what its going to be like when it's my turn. Probably by the time ive finished typing this she will be gone. How do you deal with this.

I'm such a soft touch.

"Nite nite little girl......."

[Bobbin]

Console yourself with the fact she had a long life and is probably being PTS for a very good reason.

xx

[joey_olop]

Console yourself with the fact she had a long life and is probably being PTS for a very good reason.

xx

Echo that, if she is any pain she will be no longer suffering as well xxxx

[tracyward]

She wasn't ill just old. I think thats why i feel so upset, even asked my husband if i could take her on. We can't give up on our animals just coz their old, it comes to us all. She running with all the friends she's lost in the past (I like to believe). :(

[Liz McConnachie]

I had to have my old boy put to sleep aged 33 in February 04. I had owned him for 25 years. He was a wonderful pony and gave me some fabulous times show jumping and doing cross country as well as others when he went on short term loans. He was a handful well into his late twenties but I loved him with all my heart.

He suddenly became picky over his food and wasnt producing much manure so the vet was quickly called. Blood tests revealed a large tumour. The decision was taken out of our hands, we owed it to him not to let him suffer and he left us the next day. I was inconsolable at the time. Horses are big animals and as such are a huge part of your life so the void was understandably big, despite still having another oldie. He too was put to sleep 10 months later, again a tumour.

I now have 2 younger models and love being able to ride regularly, as my oldies had been retired due to arthritis and cataracts. I looked after them and loved them until the end - they did the same for me in their haydays so it was my turn to repay them by keeping them in happy retirement until their time came.

[VickiGG]

Hi Tracy - it must be awful for you - I have only known two horses that were PTS and I had only known them for a short time but it was hard - they were both paddock mates of my older horse....I felt for him as well losing them. Someone told me once though that horses are not afraid of death.... that kind of made me feel a bit better. :rolleyes:

She will be pain free, no longer stiff and running around like a wee foal now....

[sheryl]

Hi Traceyward,
Hope you're feeling better now:)

My story is very similar to Liz Mc C's. I also had my first pony for 22 yrs. He had a very long and active life. He was also a real handfull til the end!
He was PTS aged 30. He had suffered with bad teeth for a few years. In the end, he could'nt even manage grass. He also had Cushings for the last part of his life, and the symptoms just grew worse. In the end, there was no more I could do :(.

It broke my heart, but you just have to be realistic. At the end of the day, the animal is no longer suffering. We all have to go one day. If you can reach the end of your days, and say you had a long, happy, pain free life, what more can you ask for?

I wasn't going to get another horse, as I have a young family now. However, after having had horses for so many years, I found I couldn't give it up. After 6 months I started a search for another, and I bought a lovely colt, who has filled the gap in my life, and will hopefully go on to live the life that the last one had:)

[Walnut]

It always affects me in that way too, even though I know it is being done for the best reasons in most cases x