Methods of PTS - DISTRESSING, please don't read if easily upset

We had the old man PTS by injection. I had left it that day too long and it was very obvious he was feeling pretty poorly.
He went without so much as a sigh. Vet told us to leave while he was loaded to be taken away.
Years ago, we had a gelding break his neck in the field. He was shot as it was the quickest, no faffing around way to put him out of his misery.
Since having the old man PTS by injection, I wouldnt be adverse to using it again, in the right circumstances. A young animal I would have shot. Over before they know whats going on.
 
I held my friends 21 year old cob last week, and he was injected after being sedated first of all, it was sooo peaceful for him and he just went after munching on a pack of mints.

The vet, the crem guy from Grafton Equine bereavement were amazing and made me feel comfy being the handler for the old boy.

My own two boys, Beau went with the gun from the knackerman and Nell my 12 yo was injected. Personally my own choice is the injection following sedation if last week was anything to go by.

Hugs for all concerned in this post. xxxx
 
Mine was in horsepital anyway. I always thought I'd have him shot, but he had been through, and gone down ok with 4 General anaesthetics anyway, so it seemed kindest to him to inject him. The benefit of the whole thing was he had coped enormously well with the operations, and I think he just thought he was going for another one.

The vets, nurses and grooms at Rossdales had all been BRILLIANT to him for the month he had been there, so again, another decision of whether or not I could cope with being with him for that moment was taken away, as I had such faith in his wonderful team of fans that I have no regrets in letting the professionals handle his last moments, and he was PTS in a theatre where they had the winch equipment permanently installed (for operations, as well as the sometimes inevitable deaths), and the vets organised his removal and cremation.

In many ways although his loss was tragic, I was so very lucky for him to have been where he was when the decision was made, as they had such brilliant facilities and contacts to do it all quickly without fuss and with dignity.
 
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Only had/seen 1 PTS which was my old girl. She was 37 and ready to go, so I went with the injection as it would be least distressing for me (sounds selfish, but I trust my vet 100% and he said there was nothing to choose between the 2 methods). He sedated her, gave local anaesthetic so she wouldn't feel the cannular going in, then injected her. She fell instantly and died straight away. Completely peaceful, no regrets about the decision at all.

However, I would always choose the most appropriate method for the horse and situation. Posie was old and ready to let go, she was also "good" with sedation, so I went with the injection. My current horse is old, but definitely not ready to let go or good at being sedated - she fights it. When her time comes, it'll be sedation and shoot her. It'll be worse for me, but I couldn't live with myself if she fought the injection and it wasn't quick.

I stayed with Posie right up until the last second (vet took the rope from me literally as she began to fall), and would do the same again. I didn't watch the winching, I had to walk away, so my husband stayed to make sure everything was ok. He said it was fine but undignified. It was into an ordinary horse trailer, so she was only winched a short way. The chap who collected her also removed her shoes for me, which was the only keepsake I wanted.
 
I have 3 done by the hunt and 2 at Turners abbatoir.

The huntmen are very professional and quick.

If they go to the abbatoir i always request for them to be led in and handed over, I would never ever just leave a horse there and not watch it.
 
I had my mare PTS sleep 2 months ago by injection shehad ringbone and had battled for 9 months over the winter to get her right but in the end it was too much and i was not going to let her suffer. The injection it's self was lovely and peaceful i was terrified before but i made sure i held her right to the end. My distressing point was our YO is not horsey at all (god knows why he has the job) he made it very upsetting questioning why the vet was putting her to sleep ordering me to cover her over as i was saying goodbye on the ground and then he bought the tractor and trailer round to put in front of her as we had to wait 4 hours for her body to be collected and he nearly ran her leg over and told me it didn't matter she was dead!!! As you can imagine that didn't go down to well and what with me being heartbroken he got an ear full!!!!!
 
had my girl PTS by shooting, I was only 13, picked the date a week before as injection but changed my mind to shhoting after a friend said that they always wondered what the horse could be thinking as they went down.

The mornignn came, she was booked for 10am by the knackerman, I didnt want to lead her out so treid to put it off a few times i think. I lead her around the corner of the yard to a little patch of grass, she had her ears pricked forward as she thougth she was getting turned out since shed been in late, gave her a final hug/ kiss and walked around the corner, pretty much straight away heard the crack of the gun and that was it. It was really wierd cause I looked at my mum and shed started crying but i jut felt cold inside, I tidied up her things and then the knackerman asked if i wanted to see her, i peeked throught the window of one of the barns and then felt brave enoguht to say goodbye. I picked her tail up and lay it between her legs as it was slighty up a an angle, kissed her and tried to take her headcollar off but it was too heavy. so the man took it off. there wasnt any blood just a small black hole under her forelock. we were the firtst of the day i think because i was young they didnt want to risk me seeing anyother horses piled in the lorry. I lef before the winching and we had her cremated and the ashes returned although once I had them I didnt really see the point cause it wasnt her anymore.. It was fireworks nigth not long after and the sound reminded me of the gun but it wasnt anything I couldnt cope with.

gun for chippie i think, it was quick for Puzz she had no idea what was happening and thats how i want it for him.

sorry to go on so much.. RIP Puzz baby xxx
 
Our old boy Miri - well into his 30's was pts with the bullet by the vet. He knew nothing and went very quickly. He did twitch a bit, and there was a bit of blood, but Miri didn't know. His last memory was walking up the hill and looking out at the view. I straightened his hind leg as it twitched tight upto his tummy, gave him a pat and thanked him for being a brilliant friend and companion. Sadly Heavens gates were busy that day - September 11th 2001. He was buried soon after.
Just 5 days later, a beautiful horse Boysie broke his hind leg while cantering between 2 XC jumps. He too was PTS using the bullet by the same vet. He was calm and went quickly. No blood, no twitching. Kennels came and picked him up several hours later.
Sunny was taken to the kennels and shot once there. He loved his last journey so went a happy horse.
Bella was also shot by the kennel knackerman.
I've also seen my fair share of tragic accidents out eventing and jump judging. I have never seen anything go wrong. All very professionally done.
I would personally not use injection, bullet method has always worked for us.
RIP all our friends.
 
frostie652 said:
had my girl PTS by shooting, I was only 13, picked the date a week before as injection but changed my mind to shhoting after a friend said that they always wondered what the horse could be thinking as they went down.

The mornignn came, she was booked for 10am by the knackerman, I didnt want to lead her out so treid to put it off a few times i think. I lead her around the corner of the yard to a little patch of grass, she had her ears pricked forward as she thougth she was getting turned out since shed been in late, gave her a final hug/ kiss and walked around the corner, pretty much straight away heard the crack of the gun and that was it. It was really wierd cause I looked at my mum and shed started crying but i jut felt cold inside, I tidied up her things and then the knackerman asked if i wanted to see her, i peeked throught the window of one of the barns and then felt brave enoguht to say goodbye. I picked her tail up and lay it between her legs as it was slighty up a an angle, kissed her and tried to take her headcollar off but it was too heavy. so the man took it off. there wasnt any blood just a small black hole under her forelock. we were the firtst of the day i think because i was young they didnt want to risk me seeing anyother horses piled in the lorry. I lef before the winching and we had her cremated and the ashes returned although once I had them I didnt really see the point cause it wasnt her anymore.. It was fireworks nigth not long after and the sound reminded me of the gun but it wasnt anything I couldnt cope with.

gun for chippie i think, it was quick for Puzz she had no idea what was happening and thats how i want it for him.

sorry to go on so much.. RIP Puzz baby xxx
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frostie you poor thing (((((hugs)))))))
 
I've not yet had to have ours pts but have been there when our friends horse (hovis' girlfriend) was pts by the gun and there when another oldie died in his field.
Our local hunt did M and it was v quick and v kind. Her owner said goodbye and hubby, her dad and I stayed. I got her ready to walk out then hubby led her. She went with her head down to munch some hay and didn't know a thing about it. There was blood afterwards but I think it looked worse as the ground was covered in snow.

Several pointers:
The gun is louder than you think. I could hear it in the barn and it made me and the other horses jump.
Chose the place where its done carefully so the removal can be done as easily as possible. We had no choice with T as he just died and we had to take fences down and all sorts to gte the van in to him.
Have the shoes removed before hand if you want them. Hubby and I took T's shoes off when he was dead and it wasn't pleasant. His owner was in Scotland at the time and we thought they'd want them and some mane and tail.
Hubby didn't let me see either of them being removed and said it was pretty horrible.

I think you've got to know your horse. Our vet does say they are more likely to fight the injection if they're not "sick" i.e. its an injury etc but that is less than it used to be. Hubby told me that whilst the shooting wasn't pleasant for him he knows she didn't feel a thing and he'd like ours to go like that.
 
we always have the gun. its less distress for the horse and for everyone else. i remeber my grandfather had a welsh cob mare who basically was with him her hole life and was our studs foundation mare... i dont know if any of u other welsh breeders have heard of her? 'morfydd' was her name. she was happily grazing in her field, she had a little orchard to er self as she was in her late 20's. the huntsman walked up to her along with my grandfather, he put a halter on her and rubbed her face ( hes never been a soppy owner and a pat or a hello is his way of affection but morfydd was and always has been his best mare) he mutterd ' goodbye lovely ' in welsh an the huntsman steppd forward placed the gun to her forehand and it was done. she was buried under the apple tree that was in her field.

another old mare we had PTS was a aged section A who bred most of our welsh mountains including the juniour broodmare who won the royal welsh 2009... we brought her into big stable... no halter, nothing! huntsman walkd in, there was no fussing around with the usual 'hello pony' and making it longer. he opened the door. held out his arm and it was done. the gun is always the best way to me!
 
I had my boy pts with an injection. I bought from an auction on his last legs and he was about to go too the meat man, but i spotted he still had some life in him so i bought him. I had him for 2 very happy years but he had bad arthritis in his front legs. The last time i rode i came off and pulled his bridle off which spooked him and he bolted. When i got back to the yard his legs were extremly swollen and sore. After that he when down hill fast and couldn't get out of his stable, so i decided it was time to let him go. On that morning he had managed to get out of his stable and i let him eat the grass while the vet gave him asedative, when he was gone i stayed with him untill the hunt took him away. It was a peacful ending to my first horse and owed it to him to stay with him during his last mins. I have a chunk of tail to rember him by.
 
Some of these stories have really made me cry.

The only horse I have ever had to have put to sleep was one who had been lame for about 8 months. He was having his final diagnosis at the vets, and was under heavy sedation as he was such a panicky horse (and in pain). When I saw the x ray of his spine, coupled with his ongoing lameness problems, and having discussed it at length with the vet, I made the decision to PTS then and there at the clinic (although I had been considering having him PTS if the treatment wasnt working for his lameness anyway - just not quite so suddenly) . My vet was very nice and helpful, explained what either procedure would involve, and left me to decide. I elected to have him shot but I did not want to hold him, nor did I want to watch - I trusted the vet to do it, and having gone through some fairly traumatic moments with him previously didn't fancy my remaining memory of him to be another traumatic one. As it is, I remember him being at peace (something he very rarely was, in the short time Id owned him) standing quietly in the darkened x-ray room, under a very dim spotlight, head lowered. As I watched him for a couple of minutes I felt a massive responsibility and a huge sense of having failed him. I dont think he'd had a very nice life, passed from pillar to post because of his behaviour, and I did fleetingly think about changing my mind and having one last attempt to help him, but my best friend was with me and we chatted with the vet again and decided it was for the best. I regret my decision all the time, but I don't feel any regret about the actual way he went - my vet assured me it was instant, and he was calm and pretty much out of it anyway, so I couldnt have asked for anything more. Hopefully he is at peace now.

If I had to plan my next horses euthanasia, I'd probably go for the hunt kennels I think.
 
we used the hunt. On both occasions we took the horse/pony concerned to the hunt as there was no particular urgency, it was just time to do it before they suffered (both old and losing the battle slowly). The hunt were great, and left us to say good bye and came back when we were ready. The horses never knew, and were gone by the time they hit the ground.

What upsets me to this day was not how they went, or the event itself, but purely that they're not here any more. :(
 
elsbells said:
15 years ago, a friend of mine had an old hunter that was getting worse and worse with arthritis every winter. She had owned and enjoyed him all of her life and hunted him every week during the season as we lived on the estate and close to the kennels. On that last year she decided that he would not go through another winter in discomfort and that the time was right for him to go. On a misty early morning, she tacked him up as she did to go hunting and rode him through the woods and onto the kennels, where the kennelman waited to call out the dogs. There in the beauty and familiarity of the parkland the dogs ran around his feet excited and ready to go. My friend slipped off his saddle for the last time, the hunting horn was blown, the old horse lifted his head, pricked his ears in anticipation of the hunt ahead and he was shot.
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I posted before I'd read everyone elses stories. I'm glad I did cos this just made me bawl... This is exactly how I'd like Ron to go when it's his turn. Hunting is what he lives for, the whole reason I got him, and to be fair what we're both best at. The other thing I think is that, the hounds have given us so much fun over the years that it's the least we can do for them.

Obviously though, an emergency is different, but I still think the bullet is the 'kindest' way in many respects.

*goes off to bawl some more, and get ready to go out!! :eek:*
 
Mine was done by injection. He had a last day in the field, on as much bute as I could get down him, and seeing him gallop was amazing
He was so good to handle he'd not had sedation, well for years! The sedation pretty much knocked him out, he wobbled his way to the field. She injected him and pushed him on his shoulder then he toppled over. I sat with him (and sung Twinkle Twinkle) and he went so quickly
 
I had my chap put to sleep by injection, my problems was not really with the injection, but was with the vet, she had not been out to see him before, and when she drove into the yard he seemed to get all his strenght back, and started to act up as he never liked any vets, she had to sedate him first, but before she did this she asked me why I was having pts, having not seen any of his notes. I walked him out of the stable to some grass, she then injected him and he dropped to the floor very quickly, which for him was the best thing, but I was not given any information on what was going to happen before hand, she then just walked away from my and my horse back to the car, leaving me alone and very upset. So when I think back I have nothing but a very bad memory of this, the only good thing I take from this is that he did not suffer it was a lack of information on my part as to what was going to happen, perhaps this was my fault and I should have found out before hand.
 
Only ever seen it done once and it was by injection. The Mare had a badly deformed leg (as in permanently hopping lame) and massive badgering on my part, then another groom, got the owner to realise that 23hrs a day lying down was no life for a TB Mare. Having seen it, allbeit quick, I'd never do it that way again on a young otherwise healthy Horse. For an oldy or one already on the ground I might, but I swear that mare knew (despite munching on apples at the time) what was happening for the 2-3 secs she remained conscious. For anyone thinking injection is peacefull - if they are still standing no it's not. The Mare still went down with a bang. But....she knew nothing about it from point of falling. They don't just lie down and sleep.
I watched a TV programme which had an oldy being shot in the field and that would be my preference. It was instant. Was also the same at potters on the youtube video and worth sending a Horse there just for the experience the people have. For me if they are upright shooting is better. If they are down on the ground then injection is a possibility.
 
We had my mare PTS by injection.

She was sedated, then the lethat injection administered.

Poppy gently went to her knees, then laid down quietly.

It was very calm, and I felt she was ready to go, after suffering with arthritis for years, and we knew it would be a struggle to get her through the next winter, she was in her 30's.

I chose a good day, the sun was warm on our backs, and I'm sure Poppy sensed what was about to transpire, as she lent her head against me when the vet arrived, we had a few moments in silence, then the vet did the deed.

I certainly don't regret the injection, it was the best thing for my mare.

My son's pony had the same a couple of years ago, as his surgery after his colic op hadn;t done the job. Again the pony was an old chap, the injection administered the same way.

No fuss, no stress, a fitting and respectful end.
 
please excuse my spelling as crying as i write this

i am having my mare pts on friday next week due to an ongoing illness which has had her in pain for such along time and vets feel they can nolonger help her.

i have decided she will be put to sleep by injection as i heard a horse get shot in a school as a child and still hear that sound when ever i go in an indoor school.

i know this sounds heartless but my o/h and i are already looking for another horse as i know my own mind and know if i left it too long i would never get another.
it took my 16 yrs to get this mare and already feel empty as she is nolonger the mare i bought 9mths ago.
i havent taken the thought of getting another horse lightly and the thought of this hurts just as much as pts my mare.
,y y/o is going to haddle it as i know i cant but i plan to take her for a nice walk in hand just me n her and say good bye.

i feel for everyone who has or is going through this
please think about your options when you buy a horse and i never thought about it but didnt expect to have to do it so soon after getting my mare 9 months ago.
i have changed my mind so many times over last 4 days on whether i want to be there but one thing i do know is i could never have her shot as she isnt just my horse but my best friend
 
I have always had horses (3 of) PTS by the gun - lucky enough that my ex husband was always there to hold and to deal with the aftermath of burial as we are lucky enough to have our own land and a council who say if they are not competition horses and they are pets they can be buried !!

I now work for an equine charity who always use the injection method.

I have been told that this is now a lot safer as the drugs involved do not have so much risk of fitting after administration like the old drugs did !!

I now have a 30 year old mare and when her time comes (hopefully not for a while yet as she is still competing !!) I will look at the injection method as the ex husband is an ex !! and I don't expect my new husband to cope with the same !!

Hope this helps at horrible time - all you can bring from this is that you are still doing your utmost for the horses welfare and if it means hurting ourselves then so be it !!

It is the last kind selfless act we can do for our horses !!
 
We have generally always had the hunt do our horses-partly because they come out at all hours and partly because we like them to go that way, especially after a good few hunting seasons with us.
My 2nd pony we had done by the huntsmen... she had a haemorrhage at a PC rally, she went down while i was riding her round, vets took ages to come so we called huntsmen, both arrived at pretty much the same time, vet confirmed our suspicions and huntsmen did her there and then asap as blood had starting coming out of her (horrific to see)... was quick, easy and as we knew the huntsmen he was very lovely about her. I left just before she was done but he left a note with my dad (i was v. young) about how much he had liked her as a pony...
Recently we took one of our old hunters to the kennels to be done there. was a nice environment, he knew where he was with the hounds in the background and he went peacefully. simple.

We have had the injection once and the horse did a back flip on the vets and wouldn't die, thankfully huntsmen came and took the horse away quickly, but we think this was due to adrenaline being so high- just collapsed on a polo field mid-game, we think heart attack...

My dad has always been there with the huntsmen and has always said it is very peaceful, quick and professional. I have seen it once with the above pony and it was so quick, well explained and peaceful...no regrets.
 
Hi everyone, I'm new here and probably not the most cheerful introduction but thought I'd share my experience. I couldn't read the other posts, but I had my old mare PTS by injection last November.

She'd been found collapsed in the field with a broken leg, as you can imagine this was a very distressing time anyway but the attending vet dealt with it in a very sympathetic way. After sedating her, I was able to sit with her head in my lap whilst he gave her the injection, then I stroked her until she went. It was very dignified and she passed very quickly. I stayed with her for a while afterwards too which I am really grateful for.

I suppose what I'm trying to say is that I don't think I could have dealt with the gun in that awful situation and the whole process seemed a lot calmer.
 
The galloping that shoeey noticed with her horse was purely reflex as the body shuts down and whilst distressing to see, the horse is unconscious and knows nothing.
 
OMG Bonny, I feel for you about your mare, I am so very sorry that you had to witness such a dreadful spectacle and so brave of you to come on to this forum to say what had happened. I hope the vet was spoken to about it afterwards. What a dreadfully sad tale, I am so very sorry. I have lost four but thank go I was never subject to that although as previously stated my horse needed to be shot twice as I suspect the first shot missed/injured rather than destroyed. Bonny big hugs xxxx
 
Nikkif you can chose to have your horse cremated. This is the only course of action if the horse has been PTS with lethal injection or been given certain drugs that are in the system and therefore cannot go into the food chain for obvious reasons. If shot then you can chose for the hunt to take away the horse and his body will be fed to the hounds. You can also choose for him to be incinerated if you wish. With injection or shooting you can have an individual cremation (which is about £800) or he/she can be cremated with fallen stock, ie cows, sheep, deer, etc. I think you can get the ashes back if you chose the latter, but obviously they won't be just his/her's but lots of animals too. I have always gone with incineration with fallen stock as it is cheaper, I have never wanted the ashes back and I feel that when they have gone they have gone although I woudl not like them to end up fed to dogs, but thats just my feelings. xxx
 
Ebony Allen - that's how I felt after my horse was put down at Liverpool. I wasn't warned when I went to see his body after he was put down (they wouldn't let me stay as he was very ataxic and they couldn't predict how he would fall) that he would make noises or move. It was extremely distressing, and my last few seconds with him stroking his face and telling him I loved him were in full view of about five students and the consultant all huddled in the put down box. When I walked out there was a student outside holding a massive syringe up to the light and tapping it, and my legs felt like lead, but I held it together. So went I went back to see him I thiought he'd be all quiet and gone but he moaned and moved. It was all reflex thank god but when you don't know these things it is very hard to move on from.
 
Two shot, two by injection.

The injections were peaceful, but took a little time - I wouldn't have been happy to use this method for one that was scared of needles.

We had one shot by the vet, which was a bit scary - I wasn't confident that he would do the job right and by the look of how his hand was shaking, He wasn't either. It was all ok though and the horse was dead before it hit the ground.

The last one was shot by the knacker man. The horse was a difficult horse, and was a problem with the vet, to worm, clip, even fly spray. The knacker man gave him a handful of feed, aimed and fired. The horse knew nothing at all about it. The process was very dignified, and the body was disposed of immediately.

I would choose the knacker man any time.
 
Some really harrowing stories on here but I do think that this thread is a really valuable source of information so thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences be it good or bad.

I had previously seen horses pts by injection and gun and had always thought that I would go for shooting if I ever needed it but it's funny how things work out.

My old pony was pts by injection, he was very old and one day decided that enough was enough. He was already down and once given the injection went very peacefully and was taken away a couple of hours later.

More recently one of my tb's did his tendon for a third time and I couldn't bare to put him through yet another spell of painful confinement on box rest (he was also a terrible cribber when kep in so it didn't help).

At the time we had all the tb's in one big field with no stables so when I had to ring my vets I was in the middle of nowhere on my mobile. I got through to the receptionist and there began some of the most unprofessional treatment of a customer I have ever witnessed.

I explained the situation, trying desperately to remain calm and fight back the tears. I was asked for my mobile number and for the life of me could not remember it so I told her and said it was on my records, but no, she would not accept this and told me to ring back when I had got it off my phone.

So I called off, all the time having to look at my poor boy in pain behind me. I had no pen or paper and for a while tried desperately to scratch the number into the dirt when it dawned on me just what I was being asked to do.................. in shock I looked through my mobile contacts and found a number for my friend's vet and tried them. The result could not have been more different. I explained the situation both with my horse and the other vets. She took my location and sent the vet out as she took my other details. They then contacted someone to come and collect my boy and thankfully took it all out of my hands.

Upon arrival the vet came over and made a fuss of Max before quietly putting in a cannula and giving some sedation whilst I fed him all the goodies under the sun. She explained what would happen in detail and then walked away whilst I said goodbye. At this point the other four came over and each one in turn came and touched noses with Max and then walked off the the other end of the field, it was surreal.

I wanted to be with him 'till the end and as she put the injection in he was munching on the biggest juicy red apple with a smile on his face. He went down quickly but fell onto the wrong side pulling out the cannula which did then bleed out quite a lot but it wasn't terribly distressing or anything and I felt an overwhelming sense of relief that his pain was ended once and for all.

The man who was there to take him away then came but I left before he was loaded as I've witnessed this with other peoples horses and did not need to see it with my own.

RIP Max - much missed
 
I had no choice, she was in so much pain we had to let her go as quickly as possible, two weeks ago tonight I held onto your head kissing you, telling you to run free and how much I loved you while the vet put you to sleep - My darling Donks RIP I miss you so much XXX
 
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