A difficult subject re PTS

I don't have a horse, but I do have a lot of not-mine horseys that I love :) I think I'd go for ringing the local hunt and getting them come to the yard to shoot the horse and take the carcase to the kennels for the hounds. The huntsman I know is very professional, and also disposing of a horse carcase in any other manner is going to cost a fortune. Being shot and then taken to kennels has happened to several horses/ponies that I've known, and it just seems more right than any other method.

I'd never go for the cremation idea, it just doesn't sit right with me. But then I don't feel comfortable with the idea of cremating people either! Beats me why, mind you :rolleyes:
 
I had to make this choice once. I was going for the injection option although when I spoke to my previous YO she advised against the injection when the horse was of sound mind. She said it wasnt nice seeing a healthy minded horse fight it. So I cancelled the vet and moved the horse up to the YO yard. 2 weeks later she was being ridden and it was decided that there was no need for her to be pts. :confused: Dont ask what happened it is a loong story. A very bitter story. :mad: If was Captain I would go for the injection. I would want to be able to hug him whilst he slipped away. If he didnt slip away quietly it would haunt me, but not as much as a shot to the head and blood and brains everywhere.
 
I have only had one shot and the other horses were so spooked I wouldn't repeat it. I think we were also unfortunate but we were left with a lot of blood to clear up (sorry for the squeamish but you did ask).

I have had several PTS using an injection and despite every vet repeating the warnings about horses struggling have never seen one do anything other than lie down quietly and quickly.

Our cremating firm ask owners not to be there when they load them, The horse is dead and they feel they can do their job better without shocked owners. Thats the time the yard staff and I drink tea and stay out of the way.

Try whenever possible to have the horse PTS somewhere a lorry can access, there is nothing worse than having to pull a loved horse or pony out of a stable. Cost wise our vet charges about £125 to PTS and the cremation company about £100 -£150 depending on size. That obviously doesn't allow for individual cremation of return of ashes etc.
 
You don't always get the choice. When Tristan went, in February, it was Sunday night, and dark. The vet thought a slaughterman would be a good idea, so he rang the two local slaughtermen - one said he couldn't do it because he was all alone, no-one to help, the other refused to come out. So vet rang the hunt kennels, and they turned up, a man and a girl - it was about 10 pm by then, and they'd been out for the evening, but they came straight away and they couldn't have been kinder and gentler, they persuaded me not to watch while they loaded him, it wasn't pretty, but the actual bit with the gun was very swift, there was virtually no blood, and the other horses, in another part of the field, weren't bothered at all ....

Given the choice, that's what I would have preferred, anyway. I don't know if he'd ever hunted, he didn't with me, but I'd rather think of him going to the hounds than being cremated and making a tiny bit of pollution and global warming.

It's very, very sad, though, however old the horse. I'm glad it was swift, though; he was happy right up until the last day. He'd been with me nearly twenty years, and I don't know how old he was, but he outlived his teeth.
 
I so hope my boy dies from a heart attack whilst galloping across an open field:o

I have seen horses shot and P.T.S. by injection. I would probably opt for the bullet. Much faster , just from what I have experienced. Either way? It is a heartbreaking thought. But as Wally said..I think that knowing when to say when is the hard part.
 
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LindaAd said:
You don't always get the choice. When Tristan went, in February, it was Sunday night, and dark. The vet thought a slaughterman would be a good idea, so he rang the two local slaughtermen - one said he couldn't do it because he was all alone, no-one to help, the other refused to come out. So vet rang the hunt kennels, and they turned up, a man and a girl - it was about 10 pm by then, and they'd been out for the evening, but they came straight away and they couldn't have been kinder and gentler, they persuaded me not to watch while they loaded him, it wasn't pretty, but the actual bit with the gun was very swift, there was virtually no blood, and the other horses, in another part of the field, weren't bothered at all ....

Given the choice, that's what I would have preferred, anyway. I don't know if he'd ever hunted, he didn't with me, but I'd rather think of him going to the hounds than being cremated and making a tiny bit of pollution and global warming.

It's very, very sad, though, however old the horse. I'm glad it was swift, though; he was happy right up until the last day. He'd been with me nearly twenty years, and I don't know how old he was, but he outlived his teeth.
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:o :o :o
 
I prefer injections, because then I'm left with a nice clean body to set(I position the horse in a natural, sitting position supported by haybales then leave it till rigor mortis sets in before lifting it into the hole using a 20 tonne excavator) But then again, I'm a ceremony person so mine(I've had to have two horses PTS) go down with flowers braided in their manes, all washed and groomed beforehand so they go looking as good as possible into a nice bed of hay or straw in the bottom of the hole.
I've only had to be around for four horses being PTS(not all mine, but I was there as a support person for the owner), maybe if it was more regular occurance(God forbid!) I'd be less sentimental.
I'm also a vet nurse in training and I euthanased my first dog today, and while it's sad, I feel good about it because it was definitely in the dog's best interests. And I didn't stuff it up.
 
This is a very useful thread - something I don't like to think about but reading all the posts has made me realise that it IS something I should think about for the future as you never know what's round the corner.

It's also a very sad thread, with some of the examples quoted but it's definitely something I need to address "just in case".
 
I had my old boy shot by the vet - it was very quick and I was holding him and feeding him carrots at the time. I was left holding half a carrot - I know he never saw it coming, it was upsetting for us, who wouldn't have found it upsetting, but it was best for him. I had contacted the ILPH as to how I should handle the situation for my other horse and the first thing they said was "you are having him shot not having the injection" as I'd already decided this was the case I said yes, they felt the injection took too long. ( It might be different now this was 7 years ago). My other horse was not there when it happened but we brought her up and showed her the body on vets advice as he'd read about donkeys especially needing to know. She looked at the body and sniffed him and then walked calmly away back to her field. We had no fuss or calling from her she just went back to eating. We had the body buried on the farm as you could then. Three years ago my friend had to have her old boy pts she used equinefarewells mentioned earlier, they were lovely, unfortunately my friend made up her mind the time had come and it was not enough notice for equine farewells to be able to shoot him so we had to use the vet, he was anew vet to me and wouldn't let my friend stand with her horse and she still feels she let him down.
The collection man from equine farewells thought the vet handled the situation badly and assured me that provided I gave them enough time they would get a licensed slaughterman (my friend picked Christmas Eve) when the time comes for my oldie. We again showed my mare the body before he was removed, again no fuss no calling, I think they just need to know where they've gone, I'm sure they already know when they're old and ill, animals are much more aware than us.
 
I've never heard of the injection method being distressing (to the horse) & drawn out. Would be interested in others' direct experiences (rather than just what people have heard).

Obviously it may be a minute or 2 before the heart ceases but if the horse is unconscious by then, surely that's irrelevant. Ours were completely floppy & at peace at that stage.

If the vet gets the needle in a good vein and enough drug delivered asap, I don't really see how they could fight it? Have watched many humans "go under" in theatre and they go out like a light. It's not like oral sedatives that take time to work, so they struggle against the grogginess etc. Perhaps the drugs have changed over the years and / or some vets have not been able to get the drugs in quick enough?

Re cremation - I thought the key reason was because of lack of space. Few horse-owners now keep their horses on their own land where they're able to legally bury the body afterwards.
 
Jarpur was PTS with injection, she galloped on the ground for about 10 minutes, it was distressing, but I knew she was unconcious and only going through the motions, but it was upsetting to watch, Gyða dropped like a stone and was gone in an instant.

It took a very long time for my old 34 year old horse to go from injection, he didn't drop instanly and staggered about reared and fell in the hole we had dug for him before he was fully gone.

Sorry if this is upsetting, but something you need to be aware of. eml is right, shooting leaves a real mess to clear up, but they drop instantly and there is little risk of them staggering and getting into bother....however they do thrash about after being shot.

All our lot are burried on site, we are allowed to burry here as there is no alternative.
 
Hmmmm... perhaps one of the differences with anaesthetising humans v. horses, is that humans are given muscle relaxants too. That would fit what everyone's describing.

Incidently, my daughter's experiences at an abbatoir were that shooting is less messy than we imagine (usually) but they do thrash about for a bit - but I agree, Wally, they may not aware of that themselves.
 
Incidently, my daughter's experiences at an abbatoir were that shooting is less messy than we imagine (usually)
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A litte bit of blood goes a long way, like beer, spill a drop and it goes for miles! ;)
 
i had one break a leg and he was pts by injection - he dropped immediately

my donkey was pts recently following surgery - unfortunately, because her neck was swollen they had to inject her via a vein in her stomach - at one time they thought they would have to shoot her.

they wouldn't let me be there, mainly because it probably wasn't going to be instant, and it took about 30 minutes with me waiting outside. i think it would have been better to shoot her, but the vet wasn't keen on that, mainly because the practice tends now to always use injections. i think the local knackerman would have been better under the circumstances, as it would have ended Mouse's pain much faster.

I have one horse who is a bit needle phobic so what we would do with her is debatable.
 
I had Magic shot but have to admit my YO dealt with it all for me as I just wasn't up to it. Maybe a bit cowardly but don't think it would have helped to have me going to pieces there.

He had a last play with his friends in the field, then was brought in and given a big feed and then the slaughterman arrived and shot him .. she stayed with him throughout and said he had no idea it was coming and it was all very quick. She was glad the slaughterman was on time as he might have colic'd after his big feed :o
 
i've only seen it a couple of times, by injection - both were quick and quiet. we had the one at our yard done in the trailer, and then she was taken to a grave that was ready for her (this was a while ago, before the new laws came in about burial on your own land). she was sedated first, so she was stood but drowsy, and then she just lay down and went. it was very peaceful.

it is something we ought to think about before it becomes a matter of urgency - not only the method, but the circumstances, for instance when you would say enough treatment is enough, if you'd go for colic surgery, and so on.

my old man is 23, and i have started to make decisions and what i will and won't put him through if he is ill or has a serious injury. better to make the decisions now and minimise the agonising when the worst happens i think.
 
Have had one shot at home by the hunt, one went to a slaughterhouse where he was shot with vet in attendance (I took him there; he wasn't collected) and two by injection.

For me it would depend on teh horse. One of the ones that went by injection just collapsed quietly; the other fought the vet while he tried to get the needle in, fought the sedative, fell over and generally got very upset in the last few minutes before she died. Very difficult to watch. Both those shot went down like stones; neither made a huge amount of mess to be honest.

The slaughterhouse does offer collection, and horses are pts with a vet in attendance. I know it upsets some people to think of a horse being collected and taken there to be pts but sometimes it is the only option. I have a friend for whom having horses pts in the field is not an option; it's shared grazing and unless it's an emergency horses must be removed to be pts. She has no transport herself; she's already said that in the event of facing that decision the best option for her would be to have her horse collected and taken to the slaughterhouse. I don't think judging others to be cruel or insensitive for choosing that method is really very fair; it's still an owner facing the worst decision they'll ever have to make and trying to make the best one in their circumstances. There is really no one right way... it does depend on teh horse, the circumstances, and the options available. What matters is that owners are prepared to take the responsibility for that decision and make it when it needs to be made, and make the best one they can in their situation for the horse.
 
HAd my home bred two year old shot, quick and not too much mess, we made sure her mum was well out the way, well actually I took her out the way and stood sobbing into her neck until it was done.:o

KAth x
 
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