Help - with horse greiving please?

P

pipper

Well-Known Member
Joined
3 June 2009
Messages
430
Location
WILTS
Visit site
I have come to the very sad decision to have my 32 year old mare PTS in the new year. She has been struggling with mobility even though she is out 24/7 unless the weather is really bad. She was very 'off' last week but has rallied now. so I am calling it a day for her in the new year. I am devastated but its the right thing for her. My biggest worry is her bond pair horse - she is 24 and in work but they are devoted to each other. They live in a herd so company is not the problem. But within that herd they are always separate and together.
How do I make it easier for the mare left behind?
I am planning to let her see and sniff the body of her chum so she knows what has happened. But will she accept it or will she need extra care/support of any sort.
You advise would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
 
I would just leave your mares body in the field so the whole herd (and her best friend included) can sniff her and realise she's gone. After that I would treat her friend no differently, she might be a bit unsettled/ anxious but pandering to her will probably make her worse. Just let her grieve and come to terms with it in her own time. So sorry to hear about your mare, she is lucky to have you. xx
 
We had a pair bond together for 20 yrs, within a small, settled but not so long-standing, herd. The younger mare had a stroke in the stable one night. We got the hunt to her but her friend had to stay in until the body had been removed, so she saw everything that happened. We put the older mare out with the herd and she was a bit quieter than usual for a couple of weeks. Then we got a new Appaloosa, they seemed to recognise that they were of the same breed and it gave the older mare a new lease of life. We kept her happy and healthy for another 2 yrs.
IME, so long as they have familiar company, they do get over it reasonably quickly. After all, in the wild, they don't hang around to grieve, they have to get on with living or they would fall prey to predators.
 
Beingh totally practical: putting a horse down in the field with its companions is fine - when it's dry!! Under current conditions, it wouldn't be fine!!

I recently had the planned PTS of an old brood mare - I separated her and her best friend a week before - and put the older girl in a small field next to a group of yearling fillies - and gave her loads of distracting food. The girl who was staying went in with a group of younger mares who wouldn't bully her - and she settled down very quickly.

When the hunt arrived to do the job, we took her onto the lorry park - job done. It's heart-breaking for us - but make the job as straight forward as possible or it's even worse!
 
my pony was pair bonded to a neurotic section D. He was the only thing that kept the section D sane. The pony died very unexpectedly, just went out one morning and I knew he was dead in the field and he was. The section D was there and had obviously understood what had happened. We removed the pony and the section D was left alone to mope. We were worried what he would do so put a badly behaved youngster in with him. The youngster taunted him terribly. For 3 days he moped. On day 4 it was as if a switch had been tripped. He suddenly said "that is is, the pony is gone, grieving is over and now we will start on YOUR manners." The youngster had a wake up call and the section D was fine with his new job as a babysitter.

sadly I think you just have to leave them alone to grieve however hard it seems.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top