A Funny Old Day

Vixen Van Debz

Vixen Van Debz

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Apologies all, but my OH isn't here tonight for me to chew the ear off, so I thought I'd post on here instead!

It's been an odd evening at the yard: first of all, I did my first (and second) round of show jumping since 1998. It was a very small start, but it still great to break that duck! It was on a horse I hadn't jumped for 6 months, and I was scrappy... but I'm delighted to have started on the road to competing for fun again.

I helped to do the hay, and never has it been so quick to do before, despite the addition of about 8 new stables in the barn. I was thinking how well things were going all in all...

Then a horse escaped: not just any horse, but a bolshy, mannerless, under-handled youngster. While catching him (which took a bit of time and some nerve) we heard distressed calls from man and horse alike: little Breeze, a 10hh or so pony got caught in the fence and had been heard by the YO. I did what I could to help with a torch and a saw, and we got him out within 5mins or so... While he wasn't as cut as I'd thought he'd be he was still bleeding from a few places, he was in such a state of distress that I've never seen any creature in before. Every breath was a fight, and when we put him indoors to keep him safe while the vet made his way, he couldn't stand, couldn't breathe, and the escaped horses who were also in there were protecting him. I'm sure he's been PTS by now: he was only a recent addition to the yard, but it was clear to the YM early on that he had neurological problems. That, added to his prolonged distress means I'm sure that euthanasia was chosen as the kindest result for him. RIP little Breeze - I'm sure his owners are shedding a few tears tonight. Took a while for it to hit me, but I shed a few too once it hit home.

Hot chocolate with marshmallows for those who made it through that wee essay.
 
Like Jenhunt, I don't really understand the story. Are you saying that they'll put the pony down because he got panicked after being caught in a fence? I'd have thought most ponies would panic if they got caught in a fence but would soon calm down again after being rescued and reassured. Why would they put him down? That sounds brutal unless there's other stuff going on with him. Poor lad.
 
I thought so too: that he was terrified but would calm down and be fine with a bit of treatment to his cuts. 45minutes later and he was no better: still unable to stand and struggling for breath. I heard the YM pray that he be taken quickly rather than let him suffer. She thought shortly after he arrived that he'd been blind, along with other neurological problems. The people that own him are new to horses and bought Breeze cheaply and without vetting as an older, 20-something leid rein pony, either not realising he had problems or not troubled by it as he was basicially bought for walk, trot and trotting polls once or twice a week. He apparently galloped at the fence too with no attempt to jump it, which the YO (who saw it from his house) found odd. He's used to escapees being jumpers and gap-squeezers rather than battering rams.

I think that because of his neurological and visual problems which the YM thought were impairing his quality of life already, along with his prolonged distress and age, that everyone thought being PTS was the best thing. It's certainly not a decision they'd make for a panicked pony with only a few cuts. I think it was concurred with over the phone with owner, explained to the vet along with their opinion on his future, so while I don't know 100%, I'm pretty sure he went to the big meadow in the sky last night. All the yard workers certainly took it as a done deal - they just needed the vet to arrive to relieve him.
 
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