HHO's morbid fascination?

Cazza525

Cazza525

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Have been on this forum now for a while and have enjoyed the help and guidance by many of you over horse related subjects.

I cannot however fathom out why a subject of being PTS is becoming more and more popular on this entire forum. You can just tell by the amount of hits certain threads have that there must be a certain amount of morbid fascination in this final act.

I have had a handful put down over the years and although I was there and it has emotionally affected me in some way,I would rather not chew it over and over. I personally don't think it healthy to watch videos of the final act and go on and on about how each horse has died.

This is a horse related forum,and although it is an important subject, I would rather read about other things.....ie solving problems NOT the best way to kill.

I logged on ten minutes ago and the first page of new lounge is covered in meatman threads,were you there when PTS etc. Hardly an enjoyable experience tbh.

I have enjoyed a lot of ppl's informative and practical advice over the time I've been coming on here but am seriously considering terminating my account.

I'm sure there will be some of you that will say....'if you don't like the post,don't read it! ' ....which I don't, but am a little concerned about the way of thinking on here now.

It's bloomin winter and gloomy enough without harping on about the horrid stuff ALL the time :)
 
I can't be looking at the same Forum as you then. These things are important and different people face them at different times. Are they wrong to ask for opinions, advice, experiences etc then?

The great thing about HHO IMHO is the diversity of threads, the massive breadth of experience in different disciplines, all ages groups, everyone from novices to professionals and so on.

I find it a useful place to be and have laughed, cried, ranted, spluttered and everything else at some posts along the way.

Chill out a bit, take some time away from the Forum if it's getting you down but don't close your account. You said yourself you have enjoyed a lot of informative and practical advice over the time you've been on here. Although of course ultimately it is only a Forum, not real life, so the final decision is yours.
 
Threads like these seem to come in spates, next week it will be a different topic, Parelli, barefoot, fatties, cobs etc, etc. and the PTS ones will be long gone, one innocent thread does tend to create more on the same topic, that's how forums seem to work :)
 
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As responsible horse owners, its a duty of ours to ensure the most humane end for our animals, so sharing experiences in this regard is invaluable. Surely you know this? Death is one thing that absolutely everyone has in common, so it's not surprising that everyone has an opinion, is it?
 
As with every forum new members come and they want to share their experiences, if these include the death of a beloved horse or wanting explainations over what happens when an animal is PTS, what's the problem? Are you suggesting they should not express their grief or that them sharing is wrong? Everyone is different, you may not want to write your feelings but the next person may get comfort from it so if you don't like the look of a certain thread..simples don't click on it.
 
I for one think that these subjects NEED to be on Forum..

if the amount of people on "that" thread are to be believed, that they found it informative/that they were glad they'd read it, then its a subject that needs more discussion, not less.
 
nativeponies said:
I for one think that these subjects NEED to be on Forum..

if the amount of people on "that" thread are to be believed, that they found it informative/that they were glad they'd read it, then its a subject that needs more discussion, not less.
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This exactly!! It is not a pleasant subject to discuss and I don't think anyone would say that - BUT as horse owners/riders/carers/observers it makes sense to want ALL the information about this situation so that each person can make an informed decision of which process would be most suitable for them and their horse when that horrible day comes.

I understand it can be depressing or upsetting for some people but (and I know you said not to say this) if you don't like it don't read it - the thread names are pretty self explanatory.

Personally, I do read these threads all the way through as I have only ever lost 1 horse and as he was loan I was neither there nor had any say in what happens. So I've never had to make this decision and want ALL the information good or bad.
 
I am all for sharing grief.....that is most helpful. However, chewing it over and over again means that you haven't 'moved on' from that experience,and that indeed is not healthy. Posting videos is most certainly morbid.

I now refuse to read such posts unless anyone has lost their horse that day and need to share their grief....of which I would empathise with.
 
it works both ways..

just look how many inane and totally rediculous threads that are on here ATM..there are at least 2 on page one..

i don't open them/nor do i feel the need to comment on them as i am not remotely interested in what colour numnah suits which horse/who horse is the nicest colour/who has the prettiest pony..complete drivel to me, so i dont open..

i do however, open, read and comment on subjects that interest me, so it is very easy to ignore subjects you aren't likely to be interested in..
 
nativeponies said:
I for one think that these subjects NEED to be on Forum..

if the amount of people on "that" thread are to be believed, that they found it informative/that they were glad they'd read it, then its a subject that needs more discussion, not less.
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Have to agree. New people are coming on here every day and many of them, to put it bluntly, haven't got a clue, possibly shouldn't even have a horse if they know so little. They need all the help they can get and if this helps horses and their welfare, who are we to argue?
 
Though threads on this subject can be tough to read, its reality. I wish to god the internet was around and threads like pts etc were about when I had to have my lovely mare pts as then i might of had a little bit more info on ways and means. Instead I had horses for about 6 years with no knowledge or experance of PTS options. The vet I was sent when my mare was essentialy dying was a complete t**t who messed up big time leaving her to suffer for 9 hours.
If I had read a thread like the one going on at the moment, I would have thought of other ideas to get someone out to come and end the suffering much quicker.
Its all more views and experances of others that one day we might just be in the sad position for it to come in useful.
 
I am a first time horse owner, and as such I have found the PTS posts extremely informative.

I've cried buckets whilst reading them, been a little shocked too, but at least I have some idea of the practicalities and the emotional impact surrounding this subject.
 
I think its because these issues are so sensitive/emotional and really get to our most "felt" thoughts (didnt know how to word that, bit incorrect but I sure you understand). PTS, deaths injuries etc IMO are subjects that are full of controvesy and think it is human nature to be curious/interested in?? I found the meat man thread very provocative to start with and still think it was intended for that reason but I have learnt a great deal from that thread and I am glad I read the whole thing. Why dont we get a game started? I really enjoyed the alphabet game we played few weeks back ! :D
 
DH1 said:
I am a first time horse owner, and as such I have found the PTS posts extremely informative.

I've cried buckets whilst reading them, been a little shocked too, but at least I have some idea of the practicalities and the emotional impact surrounding this subject.
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I do agree with you....but I notice you are a relatively new member. Once you have been on here a while and suddenly find the whole forum is taken over by ppl giving their experiences time and time again you may realise where I am coming from.

Happy pills anyone ?? ;)
 
It is an emotional topic and therefore people have strong opinions on it, so it's hardly surprising that these threads generate lots of posts.

I have a horse with a degenerative condition, and though I don't know how far in the future it will be, I do know that he won't have a long retirement. Like all other aspects of horsecare I have a responsibility to him to make a good and informed decision about how and when. I find it much easier to discuss death impersonally on this forum than with my friends at the yard, and there is a great breadth of experience here.

I don't continuously read the pts threads, and most of the time I ignore them, but by and large I'm grateful that others are willing to share their experiences in order to inform the choices of others.
 
annaellie said:
Though threads on this subject can be tough to read, its reality. I wish to god the internet was around and threads like pts etc were about when I had to have my lovely mare pts as then i might of had a little bit more info on ways and means. Instead I had horses for about 6 years with no knowledge or experance of PTS options. The vet I was sent when my mare was essentialy dying was a complete t**t who messed up big time leaving her to suffer for 9 hours.
If I had read a thread like the one going on at the moment, I would have thought of other ideas to get someone out to come and end the suffering much quicker.
Its all more views and experances of others that one day we might just be in the sad position for it to come in useful.
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Dear god thats awful annaellie, poor u and mare.
When I was studying, PTS was part of one of our modules. Very very emotional and informative. I questioned the vet who came in on how exactly the LJ works. When he explained I just thought that sounds awful, I wonder how it actually feels. ALways prefered the idea of it until then. Since then always debated to method I would choose again. Shooting always has seemed very undignified to me but after watching the potters video of grey pony, it has made me realise the gun is actually the better, quicker and less distressing way for the horse to go than injection (IMO). God forbid I have to go through that in the near future, touching wood :)
 
Most of the threads dealing with horse euthanasia have very clear titles - surely the title "the meatman" makes it pretty clear what it is about, so people who are not interested in the topic or feel repulsed by it can steer clear.

These threads have often taken place on HHO over the years, and I for one am grateful that they have, because it gave me a much clear idea of my options when the dreaded decision had to be made. Judging by some of the comments on these threads, there are a lot of people who haven't actually done much research into the matter and know little of the real facts, so if these threads help to inform them more, then surely that is only to the good.
 
Cazza525 said:
I do agree with you....but I notice you are a relatively new member. Once you have been on here a while and suddenly find the whole forum is taken over by ppl giving their experiences time and time again you may realise where I am coming from.
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Just because YOU have seen people giving their experiences time and time again Cazza doesn't mean other people have. Especially not newbies. How will they know about these things if people don't share what has happened to them again?
 
I'm another who thinks these posts need to be on here. The more knowledge and awareness you have about how to care for a horse - the better owner you will be.

I have seen horses die a month too late and in distress because their owner couldn't bear to do the responsible thing.

We all need posts to remind us of the huge responsibility we have to the animals in our care.

If I were a horse and utterly dependant on a human I would rather have an owner who made a decision to end my life and thereby preventing me from suffering, neglect or abuse than to have an owner who dressed me up in the latest fashions and gave me lots of kisses, but failed to consider MY needs.
 
I have never had a horse PTS.

My first horse is now almost 25 years old.

Although he is healthy and happy, I know that no matter how well I try to look after him, no matter what research on supplements I do, no matter how hard I try - I will have to face my greatest fear one day.

The only way I can deal with this nagging terror is to be informed about it.

I am grateful for the free information on here.
 
I have received pleny of pm's on my replies on the subject of Abattoirs/PTS

All were answered as honestly as i could..and all received a reply and a cheery "Thank You"

And to those who said "i wish you were closer, i'd want someone like you helping when the time comes" speaks volumes..i thank you.

A few have been, well, what can i say?...and were deleted!
 
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I agree that they are gloomy threads but I think it is important that we offer support and guidance to people who are in the situation of having to make the decision to have their horse PTS. Therefore, people who share their experiences provide valuable information for these people.
 
I now don't read posts which you'll all find I stated in original post.

I agree that they are informative,well mostly,but am finding I'm steering well clear of the same old culprits that continue to harp on about their 'experiences'.

Why not say 'I had my horse PTS by such and such' and leave it at that? Terribly upsetting for all anyhow no matter what circumstances instead of posting vile videos of the gruesome act.

I am entitled to my opinion and stand by my original post. I do question the mentality of some forum members with reference to these posts and hope that I don't have the misfortune to meet them in the real world.
 
Cazza525 said:
I do agree with you....but I notice you are a relatively new member. Once you have been on here a while and suddenly find the whole forum is taken over by ppl giving their experiences time and time again you may realise where I am coming from.

Happy pills anyone ?? ;)
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Yes I am relatively new, but where I have trod others will follow. There will always be new members who will probably be as uninformed as I was/am (I'm not a youngster either at 47).

I probably won't won't read them all in future, but you can never stop learning.
 
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