Cant help him no more

ETA if you do make the pts decision then am sure that will be the right one for your horse, and only you know your horse best, I was just giving my experience on it
 
To all of you say so and so is a wonderful trainer and can 'sort ' any horse how would you feel if it was your horse and you sent it to a trainer and the trainer got badly hurt or even killed? An aggressive unpredictable horse is very very dangerous, what if a stranger or a child strayed in to it's field ?these are the things that the OP is thinking about ,if this horse os sugar intolerant her vet will advise her what to do but if he is lovely to ride I have to say it is unlikely to solve this handling issue.
I will make myself unpopular by saying people's safety must always come first this is why OP is not passing the horse on, it may be that some one else may be able to sort this but it is a terrible risk to take.
 
OP, whatever decision you make that you are happy (wrong word but you know what I mean!) with is the right one for both you and the horse.

I do understand as I have an unpredictable horse too and while I don't worry about handling him (15 years of practice with him and no, I'm not brave, just knew his 'triggers') it used to terrify me that he would do serious damage to someone if they got in his way while he was having a meltdown.

I ended up retiring mine and sending him to retirement livery so that there wouldn't be any random peeps in and around him but despite FULL disclosure of his issues before he went there I found that they still didn't listen to my advice (as I wouldn't be handling him on a day to day basis) and had to find out the hard way how to deal with him - these are very sensible, quiet, experienced horse people who still thought they knew better than his life long owner. The point is that even if you gave/sold/lent him with all his problems out in the open a lot of people still don't quite believe you and you see how that could go...so at least PTS takes away that concern.
 
It's a shame that there aren't more responsible horse people like this OP. It takes more guts to make the right decision that to pass a horse on. A dangerous, unpredictable horse is bloody scary- OP you won't realise how relieved you will actually feel when you no longer have to look after a scary horse any longer.
It sounds like the OP has tried everything possible and is being really responsible in her decision & I think she deserves all the support possible.
Nobody wants to put a horse down.I honestly think you're making the right decision.
X
 
Goldenstar said:
To all of you say so and so is a wonderful trainer and can 'sort ' any horse how would you feel if it was your horse and you sent it to a trainer and the trainer got badly hurt or even killed? An aggressive unpredictable horse is very very dangerous, what if a stranger or a child strayed in to it's field ?these are the things that the OP is thinking about ,if this horse os sugar intolerant her vet will advise her what to do but if he is lovely to ride I have to say it is unlikely to solve this handling issue.
I will make myself unpopular by saying people's safety must always come first this is why OP is not passing the horse on, it may be that some one else may be able to sort this but it is a terrible risk to take.
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bit melodramatic.

FYI my horse bucked me off and nearly killed me. I was to nervous to ride him let alone spend any time on the yard with him. Chris Haywood trained my horse so well that this year in may i went from doing one quiet sponsored ride and doing only 3 jumps IE straw bales , to doing at least 50 JUMPS. thanx to Chris Haywood. He works with horses on the ground as well as riding . Horse Trainers dont only just ride you know.
If this horse is so bad it needs to be with a horse trainer like Richard Maxwell if he cant make it better then the best option is PTS.
 
Leviathan said:
bit melodramatic.

FYI my horse bucked me off and nearly killed me. I was to nervous to ride him let alone spend any time on the yard with him. Chris Haywood trained my horse so well that this year in may i went from doing one quiet sponsored ride and doing only 3 jumps IE straw bales , to doing at least 50 JUMPS. thanx to Chris Haywood. He works with horses on the ground as well as riding . Horse Trainers dont only just ride you know.
If this horse is so bad it needs to be with a horse trainer like Richard Maxwell if he cant make it better then the best option is PTS.
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I have read all your posts on this thread and don't think you are helping, at all. Is there any chance you could just go away? It must be past your bedtime. Failing that you could perhaps try to re-read the thread along with the other threads about this particular horse, then you may have some idea what the OP is dealing with.
 
Leviathan,

there is more than a slight difference between bucking & this horses behaviour!
The poor OPs situation has been playing on my mind & it occured to me that we completely accept that some people are mentally ill due to chemical imbalances/ brain damage but we never seem to think of this being possible for an animal. For all we know this horse might have been slightly starved of oxygen at birth, suffered a bang on the head or be the horse equivalent of schizophrenic/psychotic. A Vet is unlikely to find any of these & you could go on forever with different trainers/feeding/management regimes to no effect. IMO there comes a time when you have to say enough is enough. The poor OP has already been talking to Richard Maxwell, but people keep blithely saying "try Richard Maxwell" etc (totally ignoring the fact that this is a very expensive option, because it won't be one half day visit & problem solved, will it).
This horse could easily have killed two people in the last few days & I am not ashamed to say that if he had been mine the Hunt would have been out the day after he had me on the floor like that.
 
OP I hope all this is helping you if not perhaps stop reading, how are you this morning I am thinking of you and try to keep your chin up.
 
Yes, I keep thinking about you too OP. Makes my problems with my injured broody look so b***** trivial. You sound like you are in bits. I really hope you have a good support network around you at a time like this. I can actually 'feel' the stress in your posts. I'm not going to repeat anything already said and hope you and he are free from mental anguish soon. x x x
 
Went to vets last night to do the deed as soon as i saw his face i just see the scared horse i see had the market. I just couldnt do it. Iv left him at the vets today because i got myself in such a state. I dont want to pts but i dont want him home either
 
Traceyann, a scared horse is an unhappy horse, I honestly think that pts might well be a blessing for him, free from fear pain and suffering. He isn't a healthy horse mentally, that is what you've got to consider. If I were you I'd ring the vets and ask them to do it now, the anticipation and planning is the worst thing, once it is done it will be relief for him and yourself. xx
 
If he is at the vets is there a time of day when he is more relaxed that they could pts quietly? perhaps early mornng when nobody is around? would it be better after all you have gone through for them to do it and for you to see him when he is gone and the fear has gone from him so that you will know he is finally at peace with himself? it does sound as if you are totally in bits at the moment which is very understandable. I'm sure the people there would give him carrots/apples or whatever food he enjoys and once he is sedated it will be very quick and he will have no more stress or worry and the horse that is scared of life you saw last night will never have to be scared again.
I really feel for you as you are in a horrible place at the moment, but once he has gone and you can grieve properly without the pressure of knowing he could badly hurt someone you will have a huge responsibility removed from your mind.
 
I firmly believe some animals have mental health issues same as some people. I have a rescue with major issues but he is SAFE to handle and when ridden in an enclosed space.

I do not want sympathy and hope you can see what I am trying to say, I am not trying to 'humanize' horses but I genuinly don't think we are that different in some ways.

I had a mentally ill housemate once, as it got worse he got more unpredictable. Upshot he is serving 2 life sentences for what he did to me in one day. I am lucky to be alive. That was a 10 stone man. Think how much more dangerous your half tonne horse is, and he comes with his own lethal weapons.

My old housemate was so confused and desperate that he could not process information in a rational way and wanted to die. PTS could well be the blessed relief your horse has, in his screwed up way, been begging for. Horses aren't really able to commit suicide so sometimes when things are desperate we have to help them. Far kinder than mental institutions and prisons or life support and endless pain and agony, I wish we could be so kind to our fellow humans.

Please be strong, PTS would be a blessing for you, anyone else who may in future come in to contact with your horses, and, from what I have read, your horse, he doesn't sound like a happy chap who loves his life.

As safely as you can, let him know you love him, then let him go.

If you don't PTS then for goodness sake please only handle in full safety gear with someone present, now is that realistic for the rest of his (or your, if shorter) life? Put in place a living will so if he kills or vegitates you he is PTS before he does it to someone else.

This is the hardest, but possibly the kindest decision you will ever make, I think you are so brave for considering it, you have the support of so many people through this forum,

BE STRONG, BE SAFE.
 
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Oh I wish I could hug you you can't go on with this he's at the vets he can't stay there for ever you are right not to want him home. be brave now they will make it easy for him,your family and friends will support you through this and all of us from afar. I have been here and put down a physically healthy horse that was aggressive I bred her nothing awful happened to her in her life it was awful a long and horrible tale that I won't burden you with I had her PTS as a 3 year old it tore me apart I have no children and my horses are my family but I could not go on with being bitten kicked and battered by her front legs I spend a fortune at the vets etc nothing could be found wrong with her. It was awful but it was the right thing for her and for me.It took ages to recover and reading all this takes me straight back to that time but I know I did the best thing in a gotten situation I never speak of it and it's difficult to write it here but I hope it might held a little
 
I don't how I feel about this OP. there is probably someone out there that could help this horse to trust again but that someone won't be easy to find and certainly wont be cheap.
If it were me (and I'm not suggesting what you should or shouldn't do here) I would give him 1 final chance now that he has been diagnosed with a medical problem. Work to manage that and poss wait for a space at Richard maxwells. But then his dangerous behaviour and the risk of someone being seriously hurt or killed comes into play and whether that risk is just too big.
I'm sorry, that was no help at all :(
Trust yourself, there's no doubt that you will make the right decision. My thoughts are with you tracyanne x
 
traceyann said:
Went to vets last night to do the deed as soon as i saw his face i just see the scared horse i see had the market. I just couldnt do it. Iv left him at the vets today because i got myself in such a state. I dont want to pts but i dont want him home either
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Please don't feel you have to be there with him. You don't, and no-one should judge you for that. If the way you can deal with it is to ring the vets and ask them to go ahead over the phone, then that is what you should do.
 
TBH you need to make this decision in conjunction with the vets advice - I would stay off the forum and make the decision that is right for you and the horse.

No body on here really knows you or what you are going through. Then when you have made a decision fill us in - I dont want you to make a decision based on views from people who you are never ever likely to meet. What happens in your life doesnt impact anyone on the forum. Do what you feel is right.
 
Traceyann,

Where are you? The horse doesn't need you to be there for him if you are going to be in bits, but it sounds like YOU need someone to be there for you - hugs, tissues, chocolate, wine - whatever it takes to help you through this.
 
Tracyann

You do not have to be there. I am in Aberdeenshire but I'm sure there is somebody local who will help out. Unless you can stay happy at the injection stage and can manage not let him know you are upset then you are probably best not to be there. Agree that you should stay off forum and clear your head. If you do decide to PTS then the feeling of relief will be overwhelming. Head needs to rule heart here.
 
Dancing Queen said:
TBH you need to make this decision in conjunction with the vets advice - I would stay off the forum and make the decision that is right for you and the horse.

No body on here really knows you or what you are going through. Then when you have made a decision fill us in - I dont want you to make a decision based on views from people who you are never ever likely to meet. What happens in your life doesnt impact anyone on the forum. Do what you feel is right.
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Good post.

Hugs to you OP x
 
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