injection or bullet

[Happy Horse]

[ QUOTE ]
OK
how would u like to be killed by a gun shoot in the head u no its coming or having an injection which u are used too...
as you put the gun to the horses head they know what happening so by doing that you are giving them a horrid last minute on earth
an injection they just think it another injection no big deal and what would u rather see ur horse drop to the floor with a bang from the gun or to be pts peacefully then not knowing whats happening...
we are retired livery here and we have had to put a few down the injection is so much nicer for the horse
it may be more expensive but at least the horse doesnt hear the bang and it looks horrid wid a gun

[/ QUOTE ]


That is a ridiculous thing to say! A horse does not know what a gun is as it does not know what dying is. With a bullet travelling at around 2,000 feet per second it definitely does not hear the bang!

 

[Tia]

I would want to be shot ANY day of the week. It happens then I'm dead....end of.

A horse has absolutely no concept of what a gun is, LOL!!

 

[severnmiles]

[ QUOTE ]
OK

how would u like to be killed by a gun shoot in the head u no its coming or having an injection which u are used too...


[/ QUOTE ]

Cos a horse knows a guns coming....don't make me laugh!

 

[severnmiles]

[ QUOTE ]
Severnmiles, what actually happened to your 2yo?

[/ QUOTE ]

PM'd you!

 

[jemima]

Our little cob has a health problem that could flare up at any time and will cause him terrible pain and from which he will not recover. I wanted to make sure that our slaughterman would be able to deal with him - the little chap has been badly abused in his past and he is nervous and very head shy. Every time the slaughterman comes to our property he talks to the horse, he is able to rub it between the eyes, he is able to rub it between the eyes with the end of his humane killer. It really freaks me out seeing it but I know that when the end comes for my bestest boy he will not be panicking. Then he's going to run with the hounds.

 

[cariadssogreat]

Bullet each and every time

 

[TinselRider]

bullet every time......It's all about personal preferance TBH I would rather it be instant.

 

[Ferdinase514]

A lot of people are saying injection because it's kinder on the owner. Well, if you can;t face it, don't be there when it's done.

I had my pony shot and I didn't stay. I didn't want that to be my last memory of her. My friend and the vet took good care of her, fed her a whole packet of polos and there was no mess.

I'd do exactly the same with Finn. He'll be shot.

 

[TGM]

Personally I would go for what was best for the individual horse at the time. Our old pony was PTS by injection and to be honest I was worried, after reading posts like this, that there would be problems as she was in shock. However, vet did not have a gun with her and persuaded me there would be no problem with the injection. Sure enough, it was a totally peaceful procedure - pony dropped very quickly - no twitching at all.

But if I had a needle phobic horse, or the vet advised gun was best option - then I would go with that.

 

[charlie900]

Bullet, I had the hunt out to my shetland and they were kind and caring and very proffesional it was dignified and quick

 

[WishfulThinker]

For me it would depend on the situation, and the state of the animal. If speed was the aim I would let the vet decide. My oly ikky thing would be that with a bullet I wouldntbe able to spend a bit of time saying goodbye - provided it was already a non gorey situation. At the end of the day, as much as it hurts me emotionally it would be for the greater good fo the animal.
My dog went vis injection, I know thats the only option for them though, but I held her as she went and I felt physically sick at how long it took, and how she must have gone from thinking she was having a nice warm cuddle and getting excited like she was comin ghome, to nothing, but At the end of the day, as much as it hurts me emotionally it would be for the greater good of the animal. So I would have to put my feelings aside.

 

[cheltiegirl]

[ QUOTE ]
I always said I'd go the injection route until myhorse broke his leg - you don't want a horse going down on said broken leg when they're injected and feeling pain as their last thought.

Sometimes it's kinder to shoot.

[/ QUOTE ]

Actually, injection they are dead long before they hit the ground.

Bullet or more accuratly called stunn gun just stuns the horse. It's the emptying of blood that kills them. Have seen horse snorting for air and kicking when the knife cuts through the neck.

Have seen what happens with injection as well. No twitching, no movement basically as they are dead before they are down.

CheltieGirl

 

[WelshRareBit]

Exsanguination - whats that?...
oh just read..ffs gross.
TBH Id have Murph injected. I found it very peaceful with my dog and couldnt bear to see Murphy shot.
x

 

[cazcrazyjonty]

well they do no its coming as when we took one to be done they stood them in a line and it them one by one and they do no its coming achually ppl

would u like to be shot i wouldnt none of my horses will ever be done by a gun its cruel and hurtful for u and the horse could u live with urself if the bullet didnt kill the horse dought and dnt call me stupid cos i have reasons for saying these thing ...................................

 

[severnmiles]

[ QUOTE ]

Actually, injection they are dead long before they hit the ground.

Bullet or more accuratly called stunn gun just stuns the horse. It's the emptying of blood that kills them. Have seen horse snorting for air and kicking when the knife cuts through the neck.

Have seen what happens with injection as well. No twitching, no movement basically as they are dead before they are down.

CheltieGirl

[/ QUOTE ]

No they are not. The injection is an overdose of a sedative. It slowly shuts down everything. A stun gun? No love, use a bullet and you might find they die instantly.

Why would you cut through the horses neck? I think you're confusing putting a horse down with killing a pig (which is stunned and then has its throat slit). The kicking you can get with a gun is due to the brain dieing off, although the heart and horse will be dead instantly the brain will still send out signals to shut everything down even though it is. Just like pulling the head off a chicken, let the body go and it will run around....its just nerves. You can tell if its dead instantly by flicking its eye, there won't be a reaction if it was shot properly.

 

[severnmiles]

[ QUOTE ]
well they do no its coming as when we took one to be done they stood them in a line and it them one by one and they do no its coming achually ppl

would u like to be shot i wouldnt none of my horses will ever be done by a gun its cruel and hurtful for u and the horse could u live with urself if the bullet didnt kill the horse dought and dnt call me stupid cos i have reasons for saying these thing ...................................

[/ QUOTE ]

But didn't your mum say you took it to the slaughterhouse...thats completely different to having it done at home. Any animal knows its time is up at a slaughterhouse.

Yes give me a gun anyday over an injection. A gun is not cruel..I've not heard such rubbish since exiting the hunting forum. At close range its dead, finito, gone. If the horse didn't die instantly then you should question why you had the person at the end of the gun to administer the bullet. And yes I've seen a horse take quite a while to die from an injection...how could you live with yourself witnessing that?

 

[xspiralx]

Oh come off it!

Horses do not know what guns are, yes if you line them up and kill them one by one, they will know that, but otherwise an instantaneous bolt to the head is not cruel, and it won't hurt them

.

Maybe you have a horror story, everyone does, but you can't argue with scientific fact unfortunately.

 

[Maesfen]

[ QUOTE ]
well they do no its coming as when we took one to be done they stood them in a line and it them one by one and they do no its coming achually ppl

would u like to be shot i wouldnt none of my horses will ever be done by a gun its cruel and hurtful for u and the horse could u live with urself if the bullet didnt kill the horse dought and dnt call me stupid cos i have reasons for saying these thing ...................................

[/ QUOTE ]

If you will insist on taking your horses to a slaughterhouse, then yes, they will guess something is up because any of them have an aura about them and the horses sense these things but it also sounds like you took yours to a very unprofessional one too as they should never be allowed within sight of another being shot at all. It must be a real cowboy operation if not actually illegal. If the likelihood of that happening to my horse and God forbid I would ever be so callous as to take one of mine to one of those places I would have brought the place down and insisted they do things properly and with respect for the animal soon to be put down, it deserves nothing less.
I do understand that for many people, a slaughterhouse is their only option whether it be because they need the carcass money or there is not a hunt operating in their area; all I ask is they make sure it is a properly run one with veterinary supervision where their animal will be treated with respect and dispatched efficiently.

A horse put down in its' home surroundings with the people it knows will be far less stressed out than one that has had to travel to an evil smelling place to be handled by people it doesn't know.
It certainly won't know what a gun is at any time!

I know which one I would (and do) prefer for my animals.

 

[PapaFrita]

[ QUOTE ]
OK

how would u like to be killed by a gun shoot in the head u no its coming or having an injection which u are used too...

as you put the gun to the horses head they know what happening so by doing that you are giving them a horrid last minute on earth

[/ QUOTE ]
You have soooo got to be joking. PF wouldn't know a gun if it bit her on the bum!

[ QUOTE ]
an injection they just think it another injection no big deal and what would u rather see ur horse drop to the floor with a bang from the gun or to be pts peacefully then not knowing whats happening...

[/ QUOTE ]
Some horses hate injections, then what? And if you'd read some of the other posts, you'd know that some horses fight the injection.

[ QUOTE ]
it may be more expensive but at least the horse doesnt hear the bang and it looks horrid wid a gun

[/ QUOTE ]
Ermm... well, they wouldn't hear a bang because they'd be instantly dead...

 

[Tia]

What wonderful owners you sound. Very kind and caring right up to the very end even though it must be heartbreaking each and every time the slaughterman comes. You must love your horse a tremendous amount and I applaud you. What a lucky little cob he is to have you.

 

[PapaFrita]

See, I would never, ever take PF to a slaughterhouse (which is what I suppose you mean by them being shot one after the other) If I had to make the decision she would be PTS at home and at peace.

 

[JACQSZOO]

I've not read all the posts, I dare'nt. Had a bit too drink and its all still very raw. Injection worked for me and Royale, and it was a decision I dont regret.

O gawd I'm bawling now, I knew I shouldnt have looked at this thread.

 

[Tia]

I don't care what anyone says about slaughter houses........there is absolutely NO WAY in hell I would EVER take any of mine to a slaughter house.

Each to their own, but this will never ever be an option to me. My horses always have been and will continue to be put to sleep in their own familiar environment where they have their friends around them......at home.

 

[PapaFrita]

Totally with you on that!!

 

[vivhewe]

[ QUOTE ]
My horses always have been and will continue to be put to sleep in their own familiar environment where they have their friends around them......at home.

[/ QUOTE ]

Good on you there Tia. My old mare went to the farm to be PTS as my Nana was kicking up that the neighbours would see her being PTS if she was at home at it was horrid even though it wasn't a slaughterhouse.

I hated the journey to the farm as we followed the trailer in the car and going there we saw her go down in the trailer and it was bad enough. The last memory I have of her is seeing her standing in the middle of a gloriously sunny field watching me close the gate as if to say 'where are you going and what was that crying for?' I still miss her loads and she always solved my problems for me just by letting me wrap my arms around her big stupid neck - no other horse is the same to hug as she was!

 

[sojeph]

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So what if its for our sake tho? Either way the horse will die - neither is cruel, both work! I would seriously struggle to be with my horses while they were being shot but would be fine being with them while being injected and TBH I think it would be better for them if I was there.

[/ QUOTE ]

Trust you to argue with me

Well if the injection is so fab I wish you'd have witnessed my 2y.o go.

I think 'so what if its for our sake' is a very selfish comment, the horse should come before you, no matter what.

If you struggle to hold a horse for a gun then take it to the kennels and say your goodbyes. They'll just put it into a stable until you're gone.

[/ QUOTE ]

First off - I'm not arguing with you or anybody I'm giving my opinion.
Secondly, why can you not just accept that people have different views to you. You are what? 20 something? You DO NOT know everything! Sorry, but you just don't seem to give up.
I anticipate struggling to hold my own 'pet' horses for a bullet but would if was the only option and have held many through work/for friends etc.
So you've had a bad experience with your 2 yr old with an injection, I've had bad experiences with a couple of horses struggling to their feet afterwards - thats why you prefer the bullet and I prefer the injection!
So,you prefer the bullet, I prefer the injection...is that ok?

 

[Happy Horse]

I think this whole discussion has taken a very odd turn! Everyone has a preference however it sounds as if some are suggesting that the injection is cruel to the horse. This is categorically not true. There are occasional incidences of both methods going wrong however if someone chooses the injection they are choosing just as digified way of ending a horses suffering as the gun. It is a slower method of death without a doubt but it is not cruel in any way.

Please everyone keep it in perspective and respect the views of others.

 

[emmajanerushton]

I know of a few people that have bolt gun on horses, and this i find a bit wrong as doesnt do the job the same as a free bullet, each to there own and i have only had to make decsion once and it was a straight forward injection and heart beat stopped within a minute, and i stayed with her after wards which helped but really couldnt have done had she been shot, it was peacefu and straight forward, and happy with my decsion in this cirumstance, but maybe would re think in the future if finances, location etc played any part, as long as its done fast and quick either way, i was lucky my pony was not needle phobic, hence made job simplier, she even had some local anethsetic in before the catheter was inserted.

 

[M_G]

[ QUOTE ]
if someone chooses the injection they are choosing just as digified way of ending a horses suffering as the gun. It is a slower method of death without a doubt but it is not cruel in any way.

[/ QUOTE ]

Well said HH it is a very personal decision and alot of the time will be dependant on circumstances, either way the horses suffering is stopped thats the most important thing

 

[piebaldsparkle]

To clarify my preference is that the method used is the method which is most appropiate to the situation, and that whoever is putting the horse to sleep is exprienced in using that method, thus minimising the chances of anything going wrong. Vets normally inject. Huntsman and Knackerman normally bolt/bullet. If my horse was distressed or in pain I would want the quickest available method used.

There are obviously times when one method is more appropiate than another, and other times when you have an option i.e. old horse at the end of its days as opposed to a cronically ill/injured horse.

I personally think bolt/bullet (when done correctly) is the quickest method and given the option I would say good-bye and have the Hunt put mine down with a gun at home with the sun on her back. I have a close friend who knows my horse who has agreed to hold her, if I can't when the time comes (I have agreed to do the same for her). - Obviously in my dream world she would slip away in her sleep on a nice deep bed or while sunbathing in the field!!! SHE WILL NEVER BE TAKEN ALIVE TO A SLAUGHTER HOUSE.