Have you seen a horse die?

I have seen one hit its head after rearing and craked its skull - I was only 11 and it was being lunged and after a third time it went over and didnt get back up! It was absoulotely awful

Ive been in a field when an old old horse collapsed and nearly landed on my friend! It just went sideways

Ive held a horse while its been put down

Ive also found a horse dead in the field - This one i found strangley to be the most upsetting! He was a friends horse and i cried! I didnt even have an attachment to him really!?
 
yes i have seen a few, when i was 16 years old my 3 day eventer had to be put to sleep due to realy bad novicular, i absolutly adorded him and we decided it would be best for him to be put to sleep, i wouldnt ever have a horse pts with the injection as i have seen a horse be pts with the injection and it just dropped to the floor and we heard the rib cage crack...... it was the most awfull thing i have ever seen in my whole entire life because it was a slow process watching the horse swaying from side to side knowing any minuate it is just going to fall. i had my horse shot and i held him while he was shot (i was only 16 years old)............ i would never do it again or would want to witness another horse`s death, because when my horse dropped my whole heart sank to the floor i was devastated and such a painful experience i wouldn`t wish it on anyone.
 
Yes, I've been with two of my own when they were pts. It was heartbreaking, both times, but there's no way I wouldn't have been with them.

I found the video of Hickstead sad, because his passing was tragic, but it didn't shock me or horrify me.

ETS - I've had one drop dead from a heart attack too. However, he was at the vets at the time as it happened following a GA. I wasn't there as it happened in the early hours of the morning. The last bit of news I had was at 2am saying he was doing well. Then I had a phone call at 7am to say he had died. They said they thought it best that I didn't see him as it didn't look good from him going down in the stable.
 
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Apparently when I was learning to ride (i think 2nd lesson)the pony I was riding had a heart attack and died. I dont remember it but my mum was apparently squashed against a wall as it started to go.
 
Most of my old horses have been put down at home, so was ready for it. My beautiful heavyweight cob Kestrel no,he was fine when I fed him in the evening,got a call from a friend, next morning saying he was dead, and this weekend lost my 3year old dog, so no you never get use to anything, including death.
 
I've probably seen about 40 at least now, but having had horses for almost 50 years and that's included mine, a riding school and a retirement livery they do get old and die..
Apart from them I've seen one hit a jump at PC and break it's neck. One have a heart attack after a lesson and just like Hickstead get down and die. The worst one was a mare with advanced cancer who had just foaled, ten days on she ate her feed, looked at me, collapsed on the floor and gallons of blood and clots flowed out of her back end. Seconds later she was gone. Horrible.
The rest were managed deaths from the abbatoir to injection, my much preferred method. I don't like the bolt or gun though it is quick, and any death done properly is a peaceful respectful thing.
I have also found various horses dead in the field which is always traumatic, you see them flat out and a horrible feeling starts when you approach and see they are very still, then the realisation close up is worse.
It's nothing to be worried about but ideally a managed death is much easier.
 
I was at a local show last summer, when I saw a horse that was being jumped in the clear round arena stagger a little and then stop. I knew exactly what was happening, although most of those around seemed like they were unaware.

Fortunately there were a few more switched on folk around, and they reacted very fast as the poor thing dropped to its knees and onto its side. They quickly moved a trailer and a 3.5 ton horsebox to act as a sort of curtain and covered the horse, in a very sympathetic and dignified way, with a tarp.

Very sad for all concerned, and very discreetly dealt with, especially given the number of children present.
 
Never seen a horse PTS, but this summer saw a horse die very suddenly. One minute they were waiting their turn to jump, then the horse had flipped over and was convulsing. The owner's sorrow upset me far more.
 
I have seen several horses die.
Most from euthanasia and most of those from a humane killer - faster than any needle.
I have also had three horses die under me. The first was a pony when I was about 13, the second was a horse out hunting and the third was an army horse when I was taking my BHS exam!

As said, if you have livestock you have dead stock.
 
Just two - one was mine and one was in a field with a broken leg. Both pts by the vet via injection. One goodbye I couldn't bear was our old pony Polly and she was with the rest of the family. I knew she was ready to go, just couldn't hold it together in her case :(

The death of a horse is somehow worse - maybe the size, I don't know, but I have been far stronger for my small animals (and there have been many) than my horses.

Hickstead went, from what I can tell, reasonably quickly and quite likely without much pain. For a horse, I believe he was one of the luckier ones. However, the shock and devastation for his rider and all those connected, will last a very long time I should imagine.
 
Two racehorses with heart attacks (or ruptured aortas), 1 racehorse by injection relatively nearby. Worst was the first heart attack, which was in the winners enclosure after the horse had won. But for very quick thinking by groom leading the horse, it would have gone down on the front row of spectators and it was such a shock for connections going from winning to having a dead horse.

Also saw one die at a distance at a p2p, fell at fence while leading, got up into path of another horse and went down and didn't get up - think it was a broken neck.

Injection pts was a little slow, but couldn't have been shot as there was a winded horse less than 5 metres away so they'd've had to wait for the winded one to be up and a safe distance away before shooting
 
I have held many horses to be PTS, including my own, both injection and bullet (mine have always been bullet). It's never easy but it's the greatest thing that you can do for an animal when it's time.
Back in the early '70s, my horsey aunty and uncle often used to take me to fancy horse things. I can't remember if it was HOYS or Olympia, but Paul Schockomole's (sp?) had an accident in the ring and couldn't get up. I can remember all of the lights going off for a while. My aunty told me there was a power cut (we used to get them a lot in the 70s!). It wasn't until many years later that she told me the horse was PTS onsite.
I haven't seen the Hickstead clip, and have no wish to, I believe it was very quick.
 
Yes sadly and both at the racetrack. One had just collapsed in the parade ring and just looked like it was taking a nap with its head over one leg. It wasn't on its side but kind of sitting up. It looked a peaceful way to go, if that makes sense.
The other died in the parade ring again after racing, it finished 4th, it was called Careysville. The ground that day was very testing and it was a warm day too. I think to be honest it surprised a few jockeys and horses as to how tiring it was.
I was in the enclosure working ( as part of my job) and was within a couple of feet of the horse. It started acting strange and shifting its legs and generally looking uneasy. It went down and scrambled back up at least once, not nice as it scraped skin off its back. People rushed to get water and try and help. The horse was led away as if to the stables and it just collapsed down onto the grass. Water was poured over it and vain attempts were made to try and revive him. But sadly the horse didn't make it. I was too upset to get the interview with winning connections and had to leave the ring. That memory has stayed with me for a few years now.
I do understand that horses can die for whatever reason and I accept that death is part of every life, I am not a bunny hugger nor anti racing.
I just felt really sorry for the horse that day though and connections of the horse as it wasn't a peaceful end but nobody could have predicted it or done anything any differently as a lot of horses did finish really tired as the ground was gluey.
 
I've seen one have a suspected heart attack (a year on and we still don't know the actual cause). Friends horse colicked, vet out, had injection, vet back out twice again for injections and while he was umming and arring whether or not it was serious we decided to go. Nearest vets to deal with colic from us is a good 2-3 hours in a speeding trailer. Got there, they were prepping for surgery and the horse went down in the padded room in fits and died. Can still remember everything including the noises it made :(
 
Alec Swan said:
I've shot horses, and I've held horses for others. I don't enjoy it, but take a strange sort of pride in doing it humanely and correctly, without fuss.

Alec.
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And what a good job it is that there are people who do feel like that! We've had many an occasion when we have been grateful to those who do this job.
I feel that it is the last thing you can do for your animals, that you owe it to them to keep calm and not upset them with your own emotion. And that really if you don't feel that you are able to do that, you should consider very carefully whether you are the right person to own a horse (or a dog/cat/
hamster/etc). We know that when we get an horse, the only way it will leave us, is on the knacker-wagon.
Even if you intend to sell every animal you ever own before it gets old, you still need to be prepared to have it pts, in case of accident or illness. As has been said before, it was a favourite phrase of our old farmer friend, "if you have livestock, you'll have deadstock". There's nothing surer.
 
Yes, quite a few. Fact of life really. I've seen 4 or 5 at horse trials, one dropped at the end of XC, a couple others broke legs after a fall, one of which was at our fence I was judging, the other was at the other end of the binoculars, just by pure chance, not out of being morbid. Another horse broke his leg at home xc schooling between fences, such a good horse he was. That was very sad. I've seen one go out hunting, another at mini hunter trials, both cases hearts for sure. They loose their back ends, stagger sideways, look at bit shocked that they are not 'on all fours' then gone.
The VERY worst case I have seen though, was at the 3DE western park, I had just arrived as a spectator and parked the car near a water jump. Horse came in, cantered 4 strides through the water, stumbled and hit his head on the step out. He banged his head so hard, it killed him almost instantly. His body reaction was to rear up and over, back into the water. I couldn't let him lie there, so I jumped into the water myself and held his head above the water. Everyone was saying to let him go, but I couldn't allow him to drown, so I held it even while they winched him into the trailer. Took a while to get over that image in my head. Horse was called Lucky Cid, I kept thinking how unlucky was his accident.
I've had two pts with the gun too.
I've never seen a horse pts with injection, but personally would never choose that way.
Should say, nothing I have seen has been gruesome, just unpleasant and shocking at the time. But, I've got over all of it, you have to. Chances are the horses didn't know much.

Should also say I've seen many a farm animal go, and a few dogs too.
 
Supertrooper said:
Yes, three. My first horse died of a heart attack, from the sounds of it very much like hickstead, although it was quick for him it was incredibly distressing to me!

The other two were PTS by injection and it was very peaceful.

Personally it's not the manner of the death but why people want to watch it on YouTube? But that is just my opinion and I wouldn't click on any links because of that xx
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Because I wanted to see for myself what had happened, rather than relying on other people's versions.

I've seen a couple of horses die in real life. One was a friend's old pony who passed very peacefully, and another was on the road/PTS by the vet.
 
Just a modest plea, to all those who are present when their beloved animal is put down. Do please consider the person who is to carry out the deed. It's the one job that is loathed by those who are able, and having distraught owners present only makes matters more difficult for them.

I would always encourage an owner to be on hand, if that's what they want, but at times of crisis, owners, especially when they're strangers, and they're understandably distressed can make a difficult job, that much worse.

Alec.
 
Pearlsasinger said:
And what a good job it is that there are people who do feel like that! We've had many an occasion when we have been grateful to those who do this job.
I feel that it is the last thing you can do for your animals, that you owe it to them to keep calm and not upset them with your own emotion.
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We found one my friends horse with a shattered leg, we knew there was nothing to be done, she called the vet. We cried silent tears and each said goodbye quietly in turn, while the other held the remaining horses nearby. When the vet arrived she was surprised, as my friend had sounded so calm on the phone she didn't realise it was so bad! She was so lovely, we undid his rug, but left it on until the last minute and she injected him and he took a huge intake of breath, half reared, but was dead before he hit the floor. It was so quick, and calm. My friend dropped a card and some choccies in to the vet to say thank you, as we were so touched with the calmness and dignity she gave his last moments.
 
Unfortunently yes and I have also heard from close friends horses who have died that I had been involved with.

The first experience I had with a horse dying was traumatic. At a friends stables, one racehorse was picking grass in the lunge ring, another was held by handler picking outside the ring. The horse being held pulled and bolted doing a lap around the property and sending horse in ring into a bucking fit. By the time loose horse returned to the handler, the horse in ring had head down in buck, threw head back up but head was between middle and top rail, we all heard the bones in its neck and back snap. The next hour was a blur of trying to get a vet (none available to come immediately) couldn't touch the horse as too dangerous, it kept stumbling around sideways and backways. we opened the ring gates and it just kept stumbling around, collapsed in shock before dying. No one had ability or means to shoot. Absolutely horrific.

Same stables, a donkey was attacked by dogs and mauled to death.

Had to have my old horse pts. Extremely traumatic for emotional reasons. I had a friend with his backhoe as well as a very good friend of mine to hold my other horse and provide support for me. The vet was as lovely as could be. However I really wish I had a person who was able to shoot, I dread having to go through an injection again.

Another friends pony was sick suddenly, had the vet come out and due to threat of hendra he had to 'suit up' before he could enter the yard. He attached lead rope to the pony when it suddenly dropped to the ground, fitted and died. Vet literally stood there holding the rope looking at us unable to explain. We assumed snake bite, blood tests were taken but all were used to check for hendra.

A horse I was keen on was taken out into the mountains by a friend, he was with another man and 2 horses, one was being broken in. At a certain point, horse being broken was saddled and ridden, my horse simply followed along, still saddled but not being held by rope. All was well for a while until my horse suddenly went mental, bucking kicking and took off - bolted straight off the edge of a cliff. The two riders had to find a way down the cliff, horse was dead before it hit the bottom, thankfully. The body was in an horrific state when they found it. No known reason what happened but riders both thankful neither was on board as they would have gone down with it.

Many other stories I have been told by friends loosing their horses.
 
When I was a teenager at the riding school, the stupid people that owned the place had felled a yew tree and burned it. Two of the ponies got access to it and died horribly. Staggering and squealing until they dropped.. We couldn't help them and the vet arrived far too late to save them. One other pony had eaten some but we gave him a drench with very strong coffee and he did recover fully. I have no idea if the coffee made a difference of if he would have recovered anyway. The only other one I've seen was a hunter who just dropped and someone said it was a heart attack.
 
I've been there when my horse was PTS. I've been there when a family members machine was switched off, which was far, far worse.

Does that allow me to say I still don't see why anyone would post a horse dying on the internet, or want to watch?

That does not make me namby pamby or sheltered, as the OP implied, just of a different opinion.
 
I've seen dead horses and dead people in real life. Looking at a clip on the internet of a horse dying isn't something I want to do. Some people may want to, I don't. That doesn't make any of us wrong, just that we make our own choices.
 
I have heard many gun shots , they still haunt me
have seen a few dead ones before they were dragged onto truck. ( I hate the blood trail )
seen a few dragged onto the truck.
I have been with both Biscuit and Bonnie when they were PTS by injection so peaceful:(. I crouched next to them when they fell asleep in my arms.
Never seen broken leg in real life ( don't want too ):(
 
Arabelle said:
Completely agree, with Arabelle and ISHmad.

Just typing my post made me sick to the stomach remembering it. I have no problems if people want to watch the clip (or other relevant) and I have no problems if people don't want to watch it. That's the joy of being able to make decisions for yourself. I don't want to watch it, that's just me.
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I think people only watch mainly as sometimes it helps if you seen a horse die its not such a shock if it happens to you , Thats what I did when i watch cambridge pet crem doing an Alsatian dog , they filmed it going in furnace with nice blanket and a posy on it then afterward when came out then being sent to the machine that grinds bones down to powder then put in casket and given to owner. I only watched so I was fully aware what was going to happen to my mare and I was ok with it. which I was.
 
I have seen them shot which was quick & painless. My father said during WW2 going into France etc he saw a lot of wounded & dying horses by the roadsides & their high pitched screams really got to him. You couldn't afford to use shots on horses though. He never forgot it.
 
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