Interesting comment from vet re cost of living

maya2008

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Random question, for those who use the local hunt, do you take the horse there? I’ve used vet before and seen the knackerman do horses on the yard I was on at the time - just never known anyone use the hunt.
 

TPO

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Obviously, I am hoping you are meaning in the cases of horses that are suffering.

Yes I was, apologies for not wording it correctly. My brain goes faster than my fat texting fingers ? yes, I did mean prolonging the life of horses that are suffering in some way or reaching their natural end and for want of a better expression are "done".
 

marmalade76

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QUOTE="maya2008, post: 14945762, member: 136120"]Random question, for those who use the local hunt, do you take the horse there? I’ve used vet before and seen the knackerman do horses on the yard I was on at the time - just never known anyone use the hunt.[/QUOTE]

They come to us.
 

Snowfilly

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Random question, for those who use the local hunt, do you take the horse there? I’ve used vet before and seen the knackerman do horses on the yard I was on at the time - just never known anyone use the hunt.

They normally come out but a friend has taken taken some of his old hunters to the kennels before now, all plaited up and gleaming with their hooves oiled, often the first time in a few years they’ve been smartened up. They think they’re going hunting and they seem to enjoy hearing the hounds.
 

poiuytrewq

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Farrier bills are my real struggle. I’ve got to the point I have to consciously think about it a few weeks before he’s due and be really careful not to spend needlessly.
Hay and straw are free, I hate straw but can’t justify or afford to buy in bedding.
The two I would spend on vet bills wise are insured. They other 3 I’d only spend minimal amounts on tbh. That said one cost me £600 recently because he had a thorn in his eye! So it’s difficult to put a cap on vet bills.
 

poiuytrewq

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They normally come out but a friend has taken taken some of his old hunters to the kennels before now, all plaited up and gleaming with their hooves oiled, often the first time in a few years they’ve been smartened up. They think they’re going hunting and they seem to enjoy hearing the hounds.
I took one once for someone else, it’s an idea that would have horrified me previously.
The horse bounced off the lorry happy as anything to be on an outing, A lovely guy took him off me gave him a pat led him round a corner and he was gone.
I honestly think he went really pleased with life!
 

LEC

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All four of mine taken by the knackerman in the last year have been signed out of the food chain. He did not even ask so I offered the information and he said that they no longer even do pet food as the regulations were so strict.

The local hounds are fed kibble and any horses that they despatch are sent for incinerating.
Horses are actually very salty. The hunts try not to feed that much horse as hounds don’t like it. Most horses will just be incinerated. Hence farm animals are usually free to be picked up and a charge for horses.
 

Goldenstar

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Knackerman and local hunt are options for those who meet resistance from vets .
Just do it if you meet resistance .
There’s never a welfare issue with a dead horse .
Some Vets will treat to the detriment of horses welfare as an owner you have to be aware of this .
I have fallen into this trap myself I won’t so again .
 

Goldenstar

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Random question, for those who use the local hunt, do you take the horse there? I’ve used vet before and seen the knackerman do horses on the yard I was on at the time - just never known anyone use the hunt.

You can do either, at our hunt you can leave them in stable at ours and they sort after you are gone if you don’t want to be there .
 

Shilasdair

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Knackerman and local hunt are options for those who meet resistance from vets .
Just do it if you meet resistance .
There’s never a welfare issue with a dead horse .
Some Vets will treat to the detriment of horses welfare as an owner you have to be aware of this .
I have fallen into this trap myself I won’t so again .

I agree entirely.
Vets have very different ideas than I do as to how long a horse can be lame for before it needs to depart this mortal coil.
 

spacefaer

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Horses are actually very salty. The hunts try not to feed that much horse as hounds don’t like it. Most horses will just be incinerated. Hence farm animals are usually free to be picked up and a charge for horses.

Salty??? How would they be saltier than other mammals?
Where have you got this information from?
I'm intrigued
 

SEL

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I've started collecting other people rejects. I'm hoping the babies get through winter with good hay and good rugs. My first winter in a long time with 3 is a big worry. the OAP is going to need a fair bit of extra care this year and I'm not sure how it's going to hit me financially (negatively obviously). How far do you take these things before calling it a day in a horse who isn't ridden anymore.

I think you have to give yourself some lines in the sand that when you hit you know it's time.

My oldest could go through winter weight wise with just a bit extra but his joints hate mud and the weather gods can't promise me lovely frosty days vs bogs
 

Snowfilly

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Salty??? How would they be saltier than other mammals?
Where have you got this information from?
I'm intrigued

I don’t know about salty but having a few friends who grew up in France and ate horse, apparently it does have a very distinct taste.
 

honetpot

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When my horses were in livery I didn't give a stuff what other liveries thought about what I did. As it happens I only had one pony pts (by the vet) while there and the YO was a retired farmer, so would have been realistic anyway.
I never discuss it with anyone but my daughters and husband, by that stage you already know what has to be done, and I am just telling them that its going to be done. Even when I had them in DIY, I had stables at home and a summer field, so they went 'home.'
It's sad that you can not talk about something that has been a part of your life perhaps for over twenty years without someone wanting to add their often misguided theory of what you should or should not do. I have two in their twenties, both I have known since they were three, both this time of year could pass for being in their early teens.

I used to when I was younger ask the old vet, and he was old, it was £18 call out and that included the first half hour, what he thought in September about the old horses condition. Then I realised no one likes to give bad news, and I was thinking that I always tell people the truth about death, even if it is wrapped in sensitive language, then most vets were men, and perhaps not as skilled at dealing with upset people and would rather avoid if they could.
Now when I take an animal to the vet I tell them what I want done, and if they come out its a bald no' I am not paying for them to go to the vet school', having no insurance makes it easier for them to justify.
I am still angry that the vet who wanted to x-ray my dog, just to check ??and brought it round from anaesthetic and had it crying with pain before they would PTS. Next time I am taking a red pen to write on the consent form, PTS.
 
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LEC

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Salty??? How would they be saltier than other mammals?
Where have you got this information from?
I'm intrigued
My hunt kennels master friend who knackers a lot of horses - 2-3 a day. Her words were salty. With 2-3 horses a day you would think hounds would be well fed but nope they don’t feed them much horse at all. Maybe once a week if running out of dead farmstock.
 

spacefaer

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My hunt kennels master friend who knackers a lot of horses - 2-3 a day. Her words were salty. With 2-3 horses a day you would think hounds would be well fed but nope they don’t feed them much horse at all. Maybe once a week if running out of dead farmstock.

So no scientific evidence then ?

2-3 horses a day doesn't mean that they can all be fed to hounds - nothing that is full of bute or antibiotics for instance.

(Ans I'm truly not sure what a "hunt kennels master " is. It would usually be the huntsman who deals with the flesh round, while the Masters are less hands on)
 

LEC

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So no scientific evidence then ?

2-3 horses a day doesn't mean that they can all be fed to hounds - nothing that is full of bute or antibiotics for instance.

(Ans I'm truly not sure what a "hunt kennels master " is. It would usually be the huntsman who deals with the flesh round, while the Masters are less hands on)

I know perfectly well how hunting works. This is a small hunt so masters also butcher as well which is what I was trying to explain. Not just the kennel staff. They do everything. Shoot the horse, butcher the horse, incinerate the horse.
All I did was try to explain why horse meat wasn’t routinely fed to hounds contrary to popular belief. Maybe my sample of one anecdotal discussion about it wasn’t enough…. But have at it to widen the data…..
 

ycbm

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All I did was try to explain why horse meat wasn’t routinely fed to hounds contrary to popular belief. Maybe my sample of one anecdotal discussion about it wasn’t enough…. But have at it to widen the data…..

I have another one ? . The explanation I was given was that they don't feed much horse meat to hounds because it "sours them" but I have no idea whether that meant upsets their temperament, their digestion, or they like it so much they won't eat their kibble after having horse instead.
.
 

spacefaer

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Plenty of people eat horse meat, so of course they know how it tastes!

And I've never heard anyone who's actually eaten horse meat ever said that it's salty either. Gamey, yes, or strong, but never salty.

I actually asked our huntsman this morning. He said that horse flesh has to be hung for at least a week as it's very rich but he has no problem in feeding it regularly. This is a huntsman with 30+ years experience.
 

honetpot

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I would imagine it is fairly hard to process a horse on a regular basis. I got a 500kg bull back from the butcher, boned, cut, minced and packed, with out the bones it filled two medium sized chest freezers to the brim. Chopping up the small livestock is probably a lot easier, and easier to store and handle.
 

lme

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Just read this thread and found it really interesting. I'm in a similar position to Paddy555 - too many horses (in my case mostly not in work) to make insurance practical, but (unfortunately) mine aren't at home. I only PTS on welfare grounds and so far, cost of living hasn't impacted vet treatment or breeding plans. Based on past experience, I now I tend to ship mine off to the clinic if they have a slight lameness issue. Just so I know what I'm dealing with. I don't like box rest, and am quite happy to give time off in the field if needed, or retire, but also happy to go high tech if that is going to give a better outcome (not just save time). Not sure I'd do a colic surgery as I've done that in the past and all it did was prolong the inevitable but I am happy to get specialists involved when needed (which recently has been quite often).
 

Lois Lame

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I used to give our two dogs kangaroo meat. The first time they had it, they went nuts over it. There came a time when they decided it wasn't the be all and end all and I gave them a rest from it.

I'm wondering if hounds like horse meat for a time but, like us, they get tired of the same old same old. So much better to eat a varied diet after all, so it sounds reasonable.
 
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