Having your horse pts

[bugbee717]

I know it is always going to be a hard time, but what did you do in the run up to having your horse pts, did you do special things with them, I have never been in this position, but a very good friend of mine is having there horse pts soon, I have said I will help her at the time. I don't want to forget something.

 

[Goldenstar]

When I am thinking about it I tend to avoid them a bit ( not as bad as it sounds as I have two lovely grooms who care for them ) Then once it's booked I do just spend a bit a time talking to them just spend time around them on the day I like it done early pm say 2ish if they are a horse who enjoys a makeover ie wash groom general pamper session I do that one hour before everyone comes into their stable and gets a nice snack and I go in the house I send the girls home when the vet arrives I spend a few monents having a nice cuddle then I lead them round the corner away from the sight of the yard I stand behind the vet talking to them with my eyes shut as soon as I hear the bang I go in the house I never look ,the hunt are booked to arrive and pick them up about 30 mins after the vet.
For me the worse bit is thinking about it once I made my decision I feel easier and better very soon after for me before is the worse time.
Not easy but one of the prices you pay for having them.

 

[Tinsel Trouble]

It does depend on what is happening with the body regarding disposal. You need to be there to hold her hand, and you will need to both be there when the horse is being pts- it is only fair to the animal to have someone there that they know. you also need to think about how she is going to feel in 6 months time, will there be any guilt felt? If so you need to help alleviate that now! Easiest way- make sure she is there!!

If the horse is being buried (as a pet on private ground) then maybe a pillow or a cushion for his head to lie on would be a nice touch? If the hunt is coming to remove the carcass then help her make him look his best before the event, let her say good bye to him before the hunt arrives, but wait for him to cool down a bit first. Warm dead horse is traumatic.

If he had any field mates, or special friends then they need to see him to understand that the horse has not disappeared into thin air. If possible put him in a field and turn the horses out over night so they are able to sniff him and understand. Our old horses were together for 22 years when Otis died. It was very important that Jeremy knew what had happened!

Take a DVD with you, hot chocolate and biscuits and support her afterwards for as long as it takes- if you need to spend the night then be prepared to!

Is it possible to take some tail hair now and get a bracelet made up of the hair? If you are not able to justify the £30 or so for this- suggest this to her- the hair will keep for ages so she can do it in her own time.

I would recommend Burlesque as a good film- no sad parts, no death scenes and a great sound track- I made the mistake of watching Tarka the Otter after my horse had a heart attack- dead otters do trigger the tears!!!

 

[bugbee717]

Thanks for the advice, she will be pts by injection, and will be cremated, I don't think my friend will be able to be there when it happens, she has been through so much with this horse and this is something which has become the last straw, we are meeting on Thursday to discuss the how's and whys.

 

[Tinsel Trouble]

That's great that you will be there with her. Obviously we don't understand the circumstances, but even 9 years on I still regret not taking off Otis' nose band when I left him and ran for help after he had a heart attack on a hack. I had already dragged the saddle off (I don't to this day know how!).

I am so glad that I was able to go up to see him the next day in the field and say good bye.

You remember such strange things when you look back (like which songs I sang to myself when I ran to the nearest house so I didn't start crying!) she needs to make sure that what she remembers supports any grief she might feel, and her actions are justifiable in the future so she minimises the guilt felt.

 

[Ladydragon]

I know it is always going to be a hard time, but what did you do in the run up to having your horse pts, did you do special things with them, I have never been in this position, but a very good friend of mine is having there horse pts soon, I have said I will help her at the time. I don't want to forget something.

Find out what method of euthanasia the vet will use if your friend hasn't already expressed a preference... Our yearling was PTS recently and unexpectedly... I presumed all vets offered the bolt or the injection and only discovered when the vet was there that the gun was in Bristol (I'm near Cardiff) and she only used the chemical method... Cue an instant panic about what to do with the body as the hunt wouldn't take her and I couldn't afford professional removal - plus she was down in the stable...

We were lucky and the farmer's wife, who was there, said to let her go to sleep in the stable and they'd sort the practicalities out in the morning - which they did, in a really lovely way...

A bit of mane, tail hair, shoe if she wants them as keepsakes and some nice photos if possible before hand... Other than that, just be the good friend you appear to be and offer plenty of girlie talk time...

And have a box of tissues to hand... Even the vet (who was lovely) was quite distressed at the time...

Take care...

 

[Tammytoo]

If your friend is going to be upset, it is better for her horse that she is not there at the end, her distress will be picked up by the horse which is not good. As long as there is a familiar person with the horse who can keep their emotions calm, that will be enough. After all, the horse doesn't know what is about to happen so keeping it low key and relaxed is the best thing to do.

I spent the afternoon pottering in the field with my girl and when the vet arrived my friend took me to another friends yard and I helped muck out to keep myself occupied. Yet another friend was there at the end and she was left for a couple of hours for her field mates to say goodbye and then buried in the corner of the paddock when the others were taken in for the night. The last time you see your horse is the lasting memory you have of them, so seeing a dead animal is not good.

My lasting memory was of her coming over for a scratch and then sunning herself in the field.

 

[Tinsel Trouble]

... she was left for a couple of hours for her field mates to say goodbye and then buried in the corner of the paddock when the others were taken in for the night.

This is so important, and often over looked. Horses are a herd animal and understand death. They don't understand horses disappearing into thin air!