Morbid post: How did your horse die?

[Cedars]

A friend's horse had a horrific accident in the field yesterday, and its got me really worked up that when they meet their end it will be really horrid or violent and I wont be prepared. If its not too upsetting, please tell me how it happened for you:

 

[_daisy_]

i hope you and your friend are ok.
my old gal was PTS nearly 3yrs ago. She had had major issues with her hocks and stifles and vet treatment had only mildly helped. We knew the time had come to let her go, so we had the vet to PTS by injection. I was there from start to finish and so were my other horses.

 

[Captain Bridget]

This didn't happen to me but the owner of the horse I shares' previous horse died by getting tangled in his haynet whilst in the stable. She is now understandably paranoid about them. Total freak accident sadly.

 

[milliepops]

Hmm thus far I have been fortunate enough not to lose a horse of my own :touch wood:

But over the years several have gone on the yard -
One of true old age, died overnight in the stable with no signs of distress
2 put down due to advanced COPD, at a very good age ~30 yrs after a happy active life
1 put down due to cancerous growth in neck, in her late 20s and still quite content
1 put down as a youngster as diagnosed wobbler
1 put down after not responding to colic treatment - mid 20s - the only really traumatic one.

erm, think that's it from my yard. (bearing in mind I've been there 14 years!!)

Don't worry those accidents are very unfortunate and heartbreaking, but not that common. You can't think about it too hard otherwise you will go nuts and try to wrap your horse up in cotton wool - we can't stop them being horses, as that's just not fair on them.

 

[miss_c]

Mazzie went from none of those...

My friend's trailer came detached while on the M5. It hit the central reservation and flipped a number of times. Mazzie was went over the back ramp and had a major head trauma and broken back. My consolation is that while she was alive until the vet arrived to put her down, she was completely out of it.

 

[quirky]

I have lost two horses.

First was pts due to stomach cancer . This reared it's ugly head after he had battled and overcome laminitis.

Second was pts due to neurological problems that made him dangerous .

Having been trough protracted problems with both horses, that left me sleepless and emotional for a long time, I'm not sure what is the easiest (for want of a better word). A long drawn out affair where you can (or maybe not) prepare yourself for the worst, or just be confronted with it when an 'incident' occurs.

Either way, it's still heart breaking and I wouldn't wish it on anybody.

 

[mattilda]

I have lost 3. We had a 36 year old cob who had cancer and was peacefully pts at home. My husbands 26 year old had colic and was pts also at home. 2 weeks ago I lost my 31 year old. He went very peacefully at home and we think he had a tumour of some sort which affected his movement.

I have had horses for 30 years and been around them longer and have never witnessed or heard of a bad field accident except for on here. Worrying about it won't help you or your horse although I know that is easier to say than do.

 

[VioletStripe]

Never owned my own horse, but the worst one I've ever heard was a horse at my hold stables who had got his leg caught in a door and couldn't get it out again.. as you can imagine it was pretty graphic and they just had to get someone out quickly to end it. Other than that, whenever a horse I have known as ever died, they were always PTS either because of old old age, or sudden illness, or even very bad back injuries. xx

 

[Cedars]

Oh my good god fihunt, thats horrific. What trailer was it? Had someone not attached it properly? It is a comfort to know she wasn't present by the end xxxxx

 

[taceann]

My boy was kicked by another horse, the kick smashed his front leg to smithereens so he had to be pts.

 

[UnaB]

Only had one PTS myself and that was at the very respectable age of 28. Nothing unpleasant, she wasnt sick at all, just fell over one day and couldnt get up due to a brain tumour. We had her pts by injection whilst she was led down and it was very peaceful and she wasnt in any pain or stressed.

A pony I owned was PTS due to cancer (on his sheath, poor boy!!), they tried operating a couple of times and it didnt work so had him PTS before he became very unwell.

I had a friend who lost hers in a horrific accident when it escaped from its field that was on a main road and got hit by a car. Sadly the poor thing didnt die from the impact so it was heartbreaking for everyone waiting for the vet to arrive. Also had a friend who's pony bolted from the yard when it was spooked after she was dismounting after a ride. For some reason it tried to jump gate into a field (it was only 13.2!!) and got caught in it and broke a leg.

Theres no telling how or when they will go so i find it best not to dwell on such things and enjoy them while you have them

 

[Persephone]

The first was put down at 8 due to recurring laminitis and other problems.

The second, my 30 year old collapsed in the field with a TIA three weeks later to the day. The vet put her down but she was well on her way.

Both passed very peacefully. As well as I could have hoped.

 

[Ebenezer_Scrooge]

My girl was 27 and we had been hacking the night before and had a good gallop and a lovely time. Little did I know that it would be our last. I got a call at 8am so say that the owners had seen them run about and she fell over. She had broken her shoulder and was put to sleep. I was with her and so was her best buddy who never left her side. It is a day that I will never forget that happened 8 years ago and brings me to tears now. She went in peace and was buried in the field. Love you sweetie.

So sorry for your friend xx

 

[miss_c]

It was an IW510, it had been triple checked when hitched, so we have no idea what happened and to be honest I don't want to know. All we had was three bangs and it was off.

In hindsight we were very fortunate... no other vehicles were involved, if it hadn't come off then the car might have gone with it, the other horse came out with just cuts and bruises (he stayed in the trailer and would have been stood on Mazzie if she hadn't come out of the trailer), and for Mazzie it was over really the second it happened. I'm still getting over it almost 2 years on, but we really were fortunate that day.

 

[ldlp111]

My old pony came cantering down field for tea and just started to stagger about, she died with me stroking her. Obviously vet was called but arrived too late and nothing they could of done anyway as was a heart attack. She was 20 so not really old but had copd.

The other was my sisters horse who got colic, was operated on but too much damage had already been that she might not of recovered anyway so was pts on operating table.

 

[Cedars]

Bloody hell fihunt I'm so sorry xxx

 

[Katie]

where i used to ride a horse was being ridden western (being led). she suddenly spooked when asked to canter, throwing off her rider and galloped around the arena bucking. the saddle sliped and a atirrup hit her fetlock, it was horrible seeing her and walk when i next went she had been pts. i think it was in a place where it wouldn't heal properly, i can't really remember. completly a freak accident though.

 

[Toffee44]

My ex racer Woody, was PTS (shot with bolt gun) as he had kissing spines and query neurological problems as well. He became severely aggressive over night. Attacked me, other horses and hurt him self in doing so. RIP Wooly Bear

 

[Grey_Eventer]

My first pony died of old age and not being able to cope in the heat wave.
My second pony died of a haemorrhage at a Pony club rally... one of the most horrific things to see aged 7... your pony dieing in front of you... and you can't do anything abuo
Other horses have died due to heart attacks on the polo pitch, old age, cancer, broken legs and various other reasons

 

[zippo]

As the vet says"Lack of oxygen"

 

[Puppy]

With regards to the last 3 that I've lost:

The most recent: Colic, followed by PTS by injection. After being alerted by a friend to the colic, we dashed to the yard and called the vet. He had a few hours of vet treatment, (although it seems much longer with hindsight, even now ). We actually thought he was over the worst of it, having got him upright and walking around, but about 30 minutes afterwards, he went down again, and I just knew it was time to let him go. I called the vet to come back and asked him to PTS. As he was already down, we used the injection, and it was very peaceful. The horse was mid 20s and didn't travel or stable well, so there was no way I was going to put him through surgery. It's one of the hardest losses I've had to deal with as he was terribly special to me but I've no doubt that it was the right call.

The previous one: Heart attack following surgery. The horse spooked coming in from the field one night, in the dark (early January evening), and fell on his knees. The vet came out and started to treat the wounds, but it was decided that the knee joints of both legs had been punctured, so he was taken in for surgery to flush any dirt out of them. The surgery went well, but some hours later he had a huge heart attack and died. The PM showed that he had a weak heart valve, and would have had a heart attack and died sooner or later, it was somewhat of a blessing that at the time he did so no one was riding him and that he was still in my ownership, as he'd been up for sale at the time.

One before that - He suffered a field injury (massively damaged the muscles in his neck, after trying to break though the fencing. He was a mature shetland cross) He was being treated by a vet, and sedated, but literally went too deep to sleep and didn't wake up... It was very peaceful, and for that I am glad.

 

[claireelizabeth]

The welsh cob I used to look after got out from her field when the farmer left the gate open to get the tractor out!! She got on the main road and was hit by a car. Her leg was broken and she was PTS. Was pretty awful and a dreadful waste.

A lady I ride with lost her Daughters pony when the vet gave it antibiotics for a field injury. It reacted badly and dropped down dead within minutes.

 

[MochaDun]

I've not lost a horse yet (only owned one for last 6 years) but at the yard I am on in that time we've had one elderly pony fall and fracture his pelvis so was put to sleep, then a 29 year old just started getting weak and lost lots of muscle use in his back end which didn't respond to treatment so he was put down before he fell or couldn't get up. Another gelding got a very bad kick to his hock and 2 months and 2 ops later also had to be PTS due to infection in the bone, another mare also got a kick to the hock and she had to be put down within 2 weeks of it due to infection of bone (that poor owner had only had her 6 weeks...), and a lovely mare PTS after a tragic trailer accident. Though not mine every single horse we've lost I was really upset about as it's a small yard and you get to know the horses well.

 

[Mrs B]

Kept horses for over 30 years and run my own yard, so seen many - old age, sarcoids, cancer, car accident, broken legs etc.

My worst was my old rescue pony, Benji. A cheerful, brown, hairy lami case - 14.3hh who thought every hack he ever went on was the best ever!

Ridden by my late Mum until well into her 70s. We'd ridden out together one day when Benj was 29. No problems, all as usual. Checked him that night. All ok - peacefully grazing. Next morning, went to check him and my other boy, and he was on the ground in the gateway. Terrible, bleeding sores where he'd been rolling in agony from a twisting gut and, I think, trying to get back to me as I'd always been there to sort out his troubles.

He was just alive when I got there. I rang Mum who arrived as the vet did: massive painkiller meant a few precious minutes respite for him while we said goodbye, then pts.

Please, please everyone - don't miss checking your horse just because you think he'll be fine. One day, he may not be. If I could take that day out of my mind, that awful image of my wonderful friend like that, I would give anything.

 

[Perrie]

My old companion pony who i lost in Oct 09' went down with a heart attack.
Very sudden but at least she never suffered.
I so miss my old girl.
XxX

 

[Sirreal]

none of mine have ever died, thank god...
However we've had quite a few at our yard who've died..
There was a lady who bought her first horse aged 50, and had to have him PTS 3 months later, due to bone problems, and being constantly unsound. He was 6.
Then there was Sailor, a big grey cob, who was out in the field one night during a storm, and was struck by lightening!! There's a pylon in the field, that was probably the cause...
One of my old instructors was out cantering her 15 year old mare, when she had a heart attack, went down, and died five minutes later. She was thrown from the saddle, and was in hospital for two days.

It's all very sad especially when they go in less than nice circumstances.

 

[gabbypinkjessica]

I lost my youngster about two weeks ago after a field accident. It was really sad, a new horse went into the field and we introduced them all carefully as you do. Berry was only three, a lovely little sec D filly, who was the first horse I brought on and backed myself. She was coming along really well, and I'm so glad that we hacked out twice round the block the week before it happened, I'm so grateful for those memories.
She was the last horse to be introduced to the new horse, and I really thought they would be ok - I was more worried about her kicking the new horse as she can be a bit silly in the field, but she doesn't have shoes on so we thought they would be ok. They charged around a bit and then all started grazing, I watched them for hours to make sure they had settled.
However, my friend (who owned the new horse) rang very early the next morning and said she thought she had broken her leg and I needed to get there now, vet was coming etc etc.
I thought maybe she was over reacting and she had slipped a stifle or stood on a nail cos all she said was Berry couldn't walk, but when we got there her off hind leg was dangling from a big open fracture. Thank god my mate had been there, the blood was all fresh and she was full of adrenaline so didn't seem to be in pain. She was so chilled, she just ate a bucket of feed while we waited for the vet to come.
It was all over very quickly (although not before the vet tried to convince me to refer her to the nearest equine clinic, but I'm an A and E nurse so knew that was not a sensible option), done by injection. Before this happened I always thought I would prefer the bolt gun and sending her to the kennels (not sure why, it just feels like the circle of life and all that), but it was nice cos she didn't bleed so I could sit with her for a while.
I brought my other horse in to see the body which was quite a spiritual moment - she nudged her a few times, squealed and then walked away. Berry was buried in her own field, having felt no pain and eaten her favourite feed.
To be honest it was the best death I could hope for, I'm glad she didn't suffer for long, and it felt like a real privilege to be there.
It has knocked the yard for six - I never thought it would affect me so much but it really feels like something is missing, and the poor girl who found her feels so guilty. I am trying to be philosophical and remember that this is what horses do, just one of those things, but it has hit us all very hard (just a tiny yard with 6 owners).
Sorry this has been so long, but I have really wanted to do an RIP post and just haven't been able to.

 

[toomanyhorses26]

Thankfully I have never lost one of my own but being on a riding school have seen them go mostly through old age related conditions - generally in their box ,very peaceful ,lots of kisses and cuddles and they go.The worst one was a 12hh little table top pony who went everywhere at 100 mph, she suffered with cushings and laminitis in her final years and sucummed to another attack even though we had been managing her condition and she literally stepped out of her front hooves. The whole hoof wall detached fom the laminae - so upsetting and thankfully our vet got there really quickly. Another story that will always stick with me was a horse that was kept in a old style barn that had beams running across the tops of the stables and a horse reared in its box and came down with it neck/jowl area caught over the top of the beam so effectively suffocated itself - such a freak accident

 

[Cedars]

Gabbypinkjessica, sounds like you did the right thing by your girl, as horrific as it was. Hope you're managing ok xxxx

 

[lavery834]

hi, a young horse i had thirty years ago had his leg almost totally kicked off by my mare and had to be put down. recently my sister had a new unhandled youngster and put a headcollar on her and had her walking on a slabbed area with a stable to start handling her but she leaned into it and caught the side of her headcoller on the end of a bolt,about2cms long, and broke her neck when she freaked and pulled against it. she has nine other horses and doesnt put headcollers on any of them in the field.make sure you use safety ones if you do.