Has anyone PTS a healthy horse and if so, why?

What has helped me a lot since is that I wrote myself a complete list of all the things that had been odd or wrong about him and why I came to the decision that I did. If I ever feel guilty about it, I can look at that document and remember that I did it for the right reasons.
 
Patterdale said:
Currently having this dilemma with one of mine.

He's 18, tb and in terrible condition. Despite being in at night, adlib hay and 3 feeds a day he has not wintered at all well.
He has Cushings and will not take tablets. He's had laminitis. He has arthritis in his hocks. He has no bottom teeth after an accident, so I've always kept him on long grass but due to the Cushings he can no longer have this.
He is too poor to ride and I am really struggling to look after him with a small baby as well.
I just don't know what to do. Some days he's fine, some not :(

I think ill probably try and get him through the summer and then reassess in autumn :(
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If he was mine, I'd PTS. Sounds like you're both struggling.

I've never had a horse PTS but I have had a few dogs and cats PTS. The main thing for me is quality of life- if the animal has no quality of life (through pain, inability to move about normally, blindness/deafness, illness) then it's not fair to keep them going.

It is a really hard thing and lots of people feel guilty (especially if they feel relieved after the fact). The relief is nothing to feel guilty about- having a large stressor removed from your life will make you feel relieved. It doesn't mean you're a bad person or you're not grieving.

Let's face it- no-one likes being responsible for another living thing's death. It's a really hard thing to do. I do honestly believe that it can be the kindest thing we can do as owners too.

Sorry, Patterdale. I went of on a tangent- none of these last three paragraphs are aimed at you. :)
 
Sadly twice.

The first was my first ever horse, PTS at 16. She was completely unpredictable to both ride and handle. She could be fine for ages and then she would go completely bonkers, so much so that the professional I had riding her at one stage refused to get back on! There was no warning, no obvious trigger and no physical reason we could find despite 4 years of tests. The vets concluded she had panic attacks. Even retired she would flip and attack in the field or stable, so she was PTS. I still remember the idiot YO of the yard I was at pleading me not to take her on the day she was PTS. This was the same YO who would call me because she was too scared to bring her in. So I asked if she wanted to keep the mare for life and of course she didn't want her, her solution was for me to put her in foal! Some people are morons.

The second one was a very lively but talented competition horse that had OCD. 18 months of surgery, box rest and rehab later the problem returned and he was retired but he never settled in the field. For 4 months he galloped around, broke fences, became very excited to handle and wound everyone up. I had 5 horses to look after on my own and he wound up everyone up so much it became dangerous so he was PTS.
 
cinnamontoast said:
Sitting on the horns of a dilemma currently and would appreciate some stories. :)
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Sorry if this has already been mentioned, only got few mins left of lunch and can't be bothered reading through all the pages of replies.

My friend sent hers to the blood bank at Milton Keynes after developing KS. She said it was a truly amazing place. All the horses are turned out in large mixed herds (think mixed) and they stay out 24/7 from April - October. In November they come in and are housed in huge barns with adlib hay. Every now and then (don't know how often) they are brought into the unit on site to give blood and receive a token feed at this time (so they actually enjoy doing this). Its only like us giving blood.

All the rest of the time they are out with their friends enjoying total freedom.
In order for horses to be accepted they have to be middleweight/heavy weight types, I think over 15hh (but I don't know if this is still correct) and have to be roughed off i.e. go to the blood bank without shoes/rugs/feed and so should be used to this prior to going. They also have to be able to live a comfortable life without drugs and obviously they cannot have

I think David does the intake twice yearly, in April and October time.

If you want the number send me a PM.

The only disadvantage (again you would have to ring to find out for definite) is that I have heard that they have altered the criteria and when the horse reaches a certain age you are not entitled to have it back, instead it is taken to an abbatoir to be PTS, but this is a 'proper' abbatoir with professionals. It depends if you are willing to sacrifice a minute at the end of your horses life which may be not be exactly what you would choose for your horse, in exchange for many years of lovely carefree retirement.

Personally I am more than 99% certain that I would go for it if my horse could not be kept by me anymore for whatever reason and could still have many happy painfree years of life left in retirement without the need for drugs. Its a no brainer really.
 
not yet. currently debating what to do about my laminitic girl. it is such a struggle to keep her safe from recurrence and she needs to have company to keep her happy. she's only 13 and is so happy at the moment, but I don't ever want to have to put her through laminitis again, and each day until I see her is spent worrying about what I will find. she is my once in a lifetime pony. i don't want my last memory of her to be ill or pts, I would be happier to send her off but she hates being separated so I can't do that either. those of you who have are very brave.
 
Some very sad stories here, and I salute you all for being brave enough to make the right decision for your horses. I've always said that if any of my horses future was not secure that I would have them put to sleep.

I have just 1 horse left now, and he will be my last, he's only hacking sound now (16 yrs) and if anything happens to me he will be pts.
 
We bought a 13.2 pretty dun cob mare from auction a few years ago, one minute she would be fine to handle the next minute she would go berserk! Lash out, jumped out of the stable (over me), and would turn on anything that moved, rearing over it striking out with her front legs. The vet thought she might have swelling on the brain, so we had her shot, very sad as she was only 4 but she was very dangerous.
My heart goes out to anyone facing that decision!
 
Yes, my 27 year old retired gelding. He was gelded very late and had been used for breeding, so could always be coltish to handle, but never dangerous.
Then his adrenal gland began to fail and he became very very difficult. Jumped out of everywhere, needed a colt bit and chain to lead, began going up at people and front footing in the paddock. He was not on my own property, so he was far too dangerous to have other people handling. When he reared and broke my nose with a foot in the paddock I decided that was enough. I loved him dearly, but I couldn't have someone else getting seriously injured and he didn't deserve to finish his days sedated and handled by people who were scared of him.
If I'd have had my own land it may have been different if I was able to turn him away in a big field to cruise, but as it was, he went out looking fantastic, and that's how I'll always remember him now.
 
No one can tell you what to do, or whether it's the right thing.

I had the same dilemma and one day would be strong and say ok I'll PTS and other days I'd say no, I'll give him longer.

Ultimately it's you who has to say when it's time, absolutely no one else can decide your horses date and sometimes the answer isn't so obvious.

It's the worst decision I ever had to make and the biggest one of y life. I wouldn't wish it on anyone and have the deepest sympathy for those who do.

I let my boy have the spring/ early summer to enjoy himself, but I don't think he knew the difference either way. At times I think I left him too long and at others I think it was just right.

He let me know in his own little way that he'd had enough and this is one thing every owner needs to recognise because so many miss it.

Ask yourself, is he happy? Is he comfortable or in pain? Is he in pain more then he's not?

It's not easy and I never want to make that choice ever again but sometimes you have to be brave and say its time but on the other hand it might not be time to let go.
 
I wil be after summer. healthy in body but half blind and very stressful. i moved 45 miles away and have help looking after 4 days a week.but given her stress i cant move her and logistics and cost are difficult to handle. she is and always will be the horse of my life. my friend through tough times. has been hardest decision i have ever made. :(
 
I'm sure most ppl are aware I made the decision to put to sleep last yr, a tb that I somehow purchased in a poor condition, that was later pts due to ks. I felt awful at the time... But now I realise it was best for that horse. He had been through enough in has life. Its not an easy decision...
 
yes 2, althopugh technically first not healthy as had a genetic condition that required a lot of managing , and was causing pain in field. terrible as he was proving to be a great horse and he was only 5, then unfortunately a year later a 6yr old who was given to me and proved to be terrified of men, was difficult to catch, scared of many things and we never got to safely put even a roller on him, would just freak, bolt, ran through fencing. gave him a chance with a younger professional person with the proviso that he would be pts not passed on, and 2 months later she phoned to say had ran through 2 people in school and gone through fence . vet out next day and pts. felt terrible as 2 in such a short time but best thing for both
 
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