A difficult subject re PTS

I'd have mine shot and taken for the hunt to dispose of the body. Once they are dead they are dead. I myself (but fully respect others wishes) dont like the idea of cremation of animals and burying them. When the time comes for my dogs to be PTS they'll be by lethal injection at the vet and the vets left to dispose of the body. OH thinks we'll be getting them cremated probably but I know that wont be happening. I dont do fluffiness.

BUT when the sad time comes for Spirit to go, then whatever happens is entirely OH's decision. Spirit is his and whatever he wants we'll do.

My family shot our own animals in the past when the time that they were at the end of their path and I think if the time came again I could honestly do it myself.
 
charlotte+jill! said:
I have always wanted mine to go by gun and our hunt comes out to do it then take them away. Both mine have hunted, one was a hunt masters daughters mount for awhile. And I personally couldnt worrent that amount of money (thousands) for them to be cremated. (Not that I dont love my horses dearly but once there dead they are gone)
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I had to make a very quick decision a couple of years ago, the hunt did it and I cannot thank them enough, they were kind, understanding, quick and efficient. I would do the same again, hopefully not for a long, long time though
 
Yes the hunt are very effective, kind and considerate. At the end of the summer they came out for 2 oldies at our yard where it wasnt fair on them to go through another winter.

Plus didnt say that I also what mine to go by gun then for the ease of the desposal of the body (another locial reason) i.e can go to the hounds where as all in all the ingection is expensive in the whole.

Just because I dont believe in the injection myself I dont believe anyone is cuerl by doing what they believe with their horse when the time comes be it slaughterhouse, injection and crem etc...
 
I had to have my mare PTS last new years eve, the vet said they don't tend to shoot them now (was too upset to remember why) but she had an injection and she went just as he'd said she would. She fell to the ground and was unconcious for a few moments while we stroked her. It was very peaceful .The disposal man was waiting just off the yard and when he came across, he looked at her and seemed shocked,and said 'What a beautiful mare, What on earth was wrong with her ?'
I was so touched by the kindness of the vet and disposal man, for whom it seemed these things are never 'just a job'.

I didn't stay on the yard to see her winched onto the trailer, wouldn't recommend it, not a pretty sight.OH did and he regretted it.
 
I had to have one of my horses shot a few years back and I swore to god I'd never have one pts again by that method. It was so distressing, both at the time of the shooting and when having to clean the 'jelly' blood up afterwards.

I've witnessed a friends horse being put to sleep by injection.....it was so peaceful and dignified.

I couldn't let the hunt dispose of my horses, because I wouldn't be able to handle the thought of their bodies being chopped up and fed to the dogs.

When the time comes, my horses will be put to sleep by injection and buried on our land......illegal I know, but I'm prepared to face the consequences.
 
The reason vets mainly use injections now is due to gun law they are not allowed to carry guns with then inless specifically going out to use them and then returning to the practice. This means that in almost every case all they have available is an injection.

A little bit of blood does indeed go along way, never make the mistake of turning a hose on it!
 
Yes Bobbin and I have talked about this. I see a lot of large animals destroyed and from what I have seen I would select a skilled slaughterman with a rifle and have her cremated. Lethal injections rarely work first time and I imagine they are a slow painful way to go. They are easier on the owner if you want to be present but the horse is usually semi-consicious when it collapses. A single shot is the quickest most humane method I think as long as it is done by a skilled marksman (and skill does vary enormously!) The horse knows nothing about it and is gone before it goes down. Although I support the local hunts I wouldn't send her there as I don't like the way they are dealt with after. I would then spread her ashes in her favourite place in the sea... Its horrid thinking about it but best to have a plan so its not such a dilema when the time comes. I will keep her to the end of her days so I need to know what I will do...
 
becs said:
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
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I have seen cattle destroyed by injection and often it has taken a long time to get the needle in and the animal is aware of loss of function (afterall they are standing when they start to go). For a prey animal this must be very alarming to sense a loss of control. A free bullet is quick and done properly is instant. Not so nice for the owner but by the time you hear the shot the animal has already gone. I really don't think the animal could possibly hear anything it is so quick.


becs said:
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)
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I unfortunately don't have any land to bury her on and in any case there is no guarantee I would stay there forever so there is no quarantee she would rest in peace.
 
Oh what an upsetting subject.

I think I would have lethal injection for Carrie. She is head shy with strangers and I think that it would stress her out more when they are getting in poition. I also worry they will miss. I'd just want her to go peacefully.

Sadly I had a pony PTS about 7 yrs ago. It was the worst experience of my life and my first real loss of someone I loved. I was having such a tough time at school and this pony was my best friend. (Sounds sad I know). I had a phone call in the morning from one of the ladies at the yard saying something was wrong and that I needed to get to the yard. My mum took me there and I just saw my pony laying in the field and the lady moved all the other horses out. Somehow a load of people arrived after us and I was running across the field. We tried to get him up but there was no chance. The vet arrived quite quickly and was brilliant. I had my pony's head laying on my lap whilst I stroked and talked to him. The vet examined him and said he needed to be PTS. I was so upset and everyone was crying even the men.
He slipped the injection into his neck and just told me to talk to him. He was so good and talked me through everything. My pony went to sleep on my lap. It was quick and peaceful.

The YO took all the fences down so that he could pick him up in his JCB so that he wasn't dragged through the field. I sat with him all night. I groomed him and put a rug over him waiting for the man to collect him. I didn't want the foxes to get at him.
The people that colleced him were so good and distracted me whilst he was loaded then they just went....
He was cremated and sent back to me.

I hate the thought of the hounds eating my horse so really couldn't do that
 
julia gulia said:
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:o :o :o
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Thanks for the sympathy, julia gulia ...:)

india said:
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When the time comes, my horses will be put to sleep by injection and buried on our land......illegal I know, but I'm prepared to face the consequences.
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Nutty Horse said:
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I unfortunately don't have any land to bury her on and in any case there is no guarantee I would stay there forever so there is no quarantee she would rest in peace.
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We could have buried Tristan in the garden - there are a couple of sheep and goats and three dogs there already, but the thought of digging a horse-sized hole was a bit daunting ... In any case, I think the hunt only come if you're going to let them take the body. But it's the spirit that rests in peace - or gallops around in the Elysian fields -
I don't think what happens to the body makes any difference to it.
 
I sat with him all night. I groomed him and put a rug over him waiting for the man to collect him. I didn't want the foxes to get at him.
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you've just made me cry... how kind of you to do that for your dear pony. Our kind lady vet had a similar tale - her pony was her best friend and was PTS when she was a teenager. She said it took her years to get over it.

the thought of digging a horse-sized hole was a bit daunting ...
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my dad warned me about that from burying his working horses years ago - he advised to tuck their legs in etc before they stiffened up or you need an even bigger hole... pretty grim stuff but need to know when the time comes.

Having experienced many anaesthetics / "going under" myself, I think we'll still aim for that option for ours.
 
Great you've set me off too now..I wasn't expecting that.

I had my pony Middy PTS 4 years ago and reading all these posts brought it all back, Especially Carrie, covering your pony with a rug, we did the same :(

My old man was 26 and very underweight despite all our efforts, his organs failed in the end. My dad was leading him out of the stable on boxing day to turn him out and he collapsed. He get kept fighting to get up and banging himself so I sat with him and put a pillow under his head.

When the vet came we all knew it was time. Middy was still sharp as a pin in mind, but had no strength left in his body, so I told him how much I loved him and that i'll see him again one day and left my dad with the vet to give him the injection (the vet suggested I leave). Apparently he struggled to find a vein as they had collapsed :( But my other ponies watched it all over the field wall, and I think it helped them understand.

I didn't look when they winched him on the lorry :(

If i'm faced with the situation again, I don't know what i'd choose. I've seen a horse at a hunt yard that had been shot and watched them chop it up for the hounds, it's not pleasant, but it's one of those things.

I'll stop blubbering now :o
 
I'd never have my horse shot (thankfully they don't do it here anymore really) and I'd never have my horse cremated. They don't do the hunt thing here, thank goodness, but I'd just have my horse buried on my own land. When I lost my precious Milly last year, she was buried by the dam that she loved so much at the yard. If I didn't have my own land, I'd have my horse transported somewhere else to be buried.
 
I think mow I have read this I would opt for injection then burial, cant believe I never considered these things before as Kazz was recently close to it, Never want Kazz to die:(
 
Alex said:
I'd never have my horse shot (thankfully they don't do it here anymore really) .
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Is that just the case with NSW ? I used to live in WA and still have family and friends there, that know of horses being shot as a means of PTS.
 
LindaAd said:
.....I don't think what happens to the body makes any difference to it.
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I'm sure how the body is disposed of after death makes not the slightest difference to whether or not the horse rests in peace.

However, I couldn't personally get my head around the thought of a pack of dogs fighting over parts of my horses body.

If I hadn't got the facilities to bury him on our own land I'd opt for cremation.
 
Horse carcases are properly butchered and boiled up for the hounds, it's not gory at all.
 
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