Morbid subject

I had two horses PTS by injection with no problems whatsoever, it was quick, stress-free and peaceful.

I had one horse shot and it was a nightmare. He got very wound up and would not stand still so it was very dangerous with the bolt gun, it took ages and was a nightmare.

We buried the two horses on our own land as they were pets and had no problems but we did use a JCB. The third was taken by the knacker man.
 
I have had 2 horse PTS - one last week and one last year. Both were done by injection. sedated first in their stables, then walked round to the back drive and onto the grass. Then they were given their lethal injection. Within less than a second they started to go down - gently with the vet holding their head to ensure that was in front. They went down completely, one sighed once the other made no sound at all. the vet them checked for signs of life ( there were non ) and it was all over. very peaceful, very quiet and no blood. Then they were both taken away by cremtor - the local cremation service. very professional service and very well done.

i will not have a bullet nor will I travel a horse to be PTS, this way is so peaceful. Our vet has a fantastic bedside manner and it is all so bearable and so stress free for the horse. Total cost for vet and cremation £280. One the vet arranged and one I arranged. But both as painless as possible.
 
I had my cob pts at the vet's as she was already there. She was injected and they dealt with her removal.
I would always opt for injection unless an emergency. I'm couldn't bear the thought of shooting one of my horses...it just seems too brutal
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although I realise there is a place for it.
 
I always said i'd have my horse shot, but having seen both methods, 1 was a foal who had been born with a fairly twisted leg, his owner had bought him and then went to fight in afganistan whilst he was away the foal went down hill and we got his permition to have foal pts he wanted it shot, i stayed with the foal when he went down i know he was dead instantly but i dont like how they 'run' its like the last thing they heard was the loud gunshot and the nerves react. i'v seen a 3 horses at the yard i worked at be pts by injection when they had grass sickness of course they were all ill but they got down just lie they were lying down and then just went fairly quickly and peacefully.
Then when the old horse at same yard was very ill he was a firm favourite of everyone at the yard, the vet asked my old boss ' i have to ask if you would rather he was shot or by lethal injection' immediately in my head i had the reaction please please dont let him be shot. And my boss just immediately without thinking said injection and i was so relieved. the horse was allready down and very ill she hadnt even put all the injection in and he was gone. i asked my boss later why the injection, and he said the same as i thought that he didnt like how they run when they are shot.
As reguards having them taken away the knackerman took them all away for approx £100 per horse he was a very proffesional nice guy.
 
I have had two horses PTS by injection and found it a very peaceful way to go and they weren't really aware of what was happening, they were relaxed as it was in their field, none of the other horses were even aware or bothered.

With regards collection, I was quite picky with who I chose as was warned by others that some companies who collect can be pretty brutal and while they may be dead when collected I wanted as much dignity for them as possible, had them both cremated at a pet cemetary - I also chose against burial as couldn't bare the thought of my poor girl being buried in a cold dark hole and would have always dreaded seeing the spot.

I also chose to have them cremated with other pets PTS on that day so that they weren't alone at the end - very soppy I know, but each to their own.
 
Our 3 horses that have been pts were all put down by different methods.

The first one wasn't dying. He was old, stiff and had a terrbile heart murmer that meant he couldnt be ridden anymore.. He was a big, powerful horse and we had him shot. It was horrible for us but it was definitly the best way for him!
We took him round to the horse truck, the man then took him from us, gave him a polo and Bang. He didnt know a thing.

The 2nd horse got colic and ruptured internally, he was also very old. He was on his way out when the vet arrived and the injection was best for that moment in time. It was pretty much instantaneous as well and peaceful. We couldnt have waited to organise for him to be shot, it was to late.

3rd horse was pts during colic surgery by injection. She was under anasthetic so obviously only option and she wouldnt have known a thing.

In my experience if it was one of those things that you had to plan I would choose bullet every time. Ive heard horror stories where people have put down healthy (ish) horses that have leg problems ect by injection and its been awful.. horse thrashing around, the mind shutting off before the body really prolonged the agony and not nice.

All 3 horses were pts while we were there and they were then taken away for cremation. Cremation is nice because you get 2 spread the ashes somewhere memorable.

Its one of those things that untill you have to make the decision its hard to know what the circumstances will dictate if you know what I mean!
 
I've had all my old horses shot, I now that the injection can by just as good. But what do you do if you have a horse that as soon as they see a syringe no matter how ill they are still get stressed out?????
 
I agree that if your horse is needle shy the bullet would be the best option. My girl had some sedative and then the injection. They use a new drug now (I can't remember its name, I wasn't really focusing) but my vet said its what he would choose for himself if he could choose when his time came. It was exceptionally fast, I held her head and fed her a mouthful of pear as the needle went in, and she was dead with it still in her mouth when she hit the floor. The worst thing was the surprised look in her eyes as she started to fall, but there was no convulsing or signing, she just fell quarters first, very fast and lay still, and I sat with her with my hands over her eyes until I was 100% sure.

I actually think its healthy for a close friend to know whats going on. I led her field mate over to see her after and once he had sniffed her he stopped nickering for her and went back to grazing. After that I felt like she was gone and it was just a body. The crematorium man was great, he sent us away whilst he loaded her up, and left her rug and headcollar neatly on the fence. The vets were brilliant and had organised the whole thing so that she wouldnt have to lie there more than 10 mins (we are on a public footpath with small children living next to the field).

I wouldn't hesitate to use the injection again if i had to, but equally two friends had to have their horses shot, one by the vet, one by the hunt and it was very fast and professional too.
 
Sorry if I repeat this, but I have not read all the replies.

Horses may be buried on your land BUT you <u>must</u> obtain permission beforehand.
 
I am in two minds regarding this subject- I work at a riding school where our old ponies retire with us after there working life ,they have all lived to a ripe old(47 yo was our oldest) and more often than not we would have put them to bed fine and found them eg unable to get up ,colicy etc and we have them done by injection - they are in surroundings they know,many times have been down in their box anyway so in those circumstances it has always been the kindest and less stressful way of doing things. However a couple of friends have had their horses shot due to injury (one was a tendon and the other was a broken cannon bone) and I can totally understand their reasoning for this as well - the horses were stuck out in the field with no means of restraint if they did decide to panic - both were in tremendous amounts of pain so they needed to be done quickly - her vet told her that there is a chance that the horses could react to the injection as it can reduce pain so they think they are better as such (not sure how true this is) . I hope that when the time comes I will know what method I want to use for the sake of my horse rather than for my sake
 
Well, as sister said, we've buried 4 of ours on our land - along with several of our dogs. It's our land after all.

I think everyone has a horror story about each method of euthanasia. It's never a pleasant thing and I'm sure not all people die peacefully and without some last twitches etc.

I couldn't and wouldn't send or take my horse away anywhere to be shot. After all I would only be having a sick or seriously injured horse PTS so why would I want to stress it further by travelling it. Plus i am not an active hunt supporter and never have been so it'd be a tad hypocritical!
 
You can bury a pet horse on you land. You have to ensure that it will not pollute any water sources. As well as water courses this includes springs, wells and boreholes especially those used for as a potable source. Much as you love your horse you won't want to be drinking it later
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. The Environment Agency can advise on this.
 
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yes, there is a lot of blood from the bullet to the brain. at the hunt kennels they have an area where they always do the euthanasia, that they hose down immediately.
i had to hold a friend's horse while he was shot when i was 17 - nobody else there to hold him, just vet and me (i'd found horse in field with broken leg). vet got a big plastic feed bag and as soon as he'd shot the horse put its head in that to contain the blood. so, it doesn't have to make a huge mess...

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Some horses bleed a lot - Some horses don't!

I have seen plenty pts over the years and in my experience it is not that often that you get "a bleeder"

So it dosen't always mean a lot of mess.
 
The mare I loaned was PTS by bullet and I've never seen anything so incrediably quick, she stood there eating polos from my hand one second and the next was laying on the ground with polos falling from her mouth. It was like someone had attached ropes to all her legs then pulled them from under her at significant speed, she knew nothing.

For the morbid bit, there was very little bleeding but the vet putting a long metal spike into the hole in her head to check it went all the way in was a bit gruesome.

The hunt were fantastic, stood very quietly and just got on with winching her onto the truck when it was over - she had to be shot at home due to an injury.

When Bears day comes he'll be shot, he's terrified of needles and would be a danger to anyone close by. A very long time ago a friend lost her brother in law to a horse kicking out when being injected.

JDx
 
when ever i have seen a horse being pts by injection it is sedated first then given the injection so it knows nothing about it.
 
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I would never ever have my horse pts by injection. To me this is a fairly selfish option done to suit the owner more than the horse. Sorry, I know that sounds harsh...but even my vet agrees!!! He would never have a horse PTS by injection unless it was on the operating table.

I always said I would have the hunt do my horse but when the crunch came I just couldnt, too much sentiment there, so he was done by the knackerman at home. He was turned out, and instead of turning right into his stable when he was brought in, he went left and into the hands of the knackerman. I have to say, it was that quick that he was still eating an apple when he fell apparently.

Writing that is hard! I have welled up!!! My poor boy.

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Well, I just hope that all the people that have just read how "selfish" they were for having their horses/ponies pts by injection aren't feeling dreadful now too.
 
I worked in an equine vets for five years and many, many horses were PTS by both gun and injection and I never saw or heard of anything going wrong. There are lots of stories, often enhanced by Chinese Whispers about both methods. My advice is to decide what is best for you and for your horse, neither are inhumane. The vet will assist with removal of the body and cost will depend on size and disposal method.
 
I paid £95 for the knackerman to shoot and remove. Vet could have done it but after advice on here I went with the theory that the knackerman does it all day, every day and so should be more experienced. Very quick and clean, no blood, she just fell down. Slightly wierd in that she was lying facing up a slope and so her back leg did twitch a couple of times as the muscles relaxed.

YO and knackerman wouldn't let me watch the winching and I still have no idea why!
 
I've unfortunately had four horses PTS over the last four years. Two were already at the vet college (RVC) and euthanased under the vets' recommendations. The other two were both done at home and both times the vets preferred to use injection.

My first horse had had major surgery and had finally come home but collapsed in the stable and was unable to get up. The second horse was my old mare who came in from the field with a serious kick through to the tendon. In both cases they were sedated first and the given the lethal injection. I was with them both times and it was very quick and peaceful. The vets arranged for them to be collected about 45 minutes after they died (one was late Sunday night and the other late Saturday nights). I did not stay to see them winched into the van.
 
Spooks was put to sleep in october.

I spoke to my vet before hand and asked what he thought was best for the horse. He said that modern injection drugs were so good that it was the best way in his opinion and less stressful for everyone concerned, including the other horses.

Spooks was sedated first, while eating carrots and polos, then injected. In a few seconds he dropped to the floor and was gone in seconds, no fuss and no fear. Dinky, his companion was 10 feet away from him in the same field at the time, eating a carrot, and didnt even notice.

I watched him being loaded - it isnt for some people - seeing your horse hanging from a JCB is a wierd experience, but i needed to see the experience through from start to finish.

He was buried and I last saw him laying in his grave, with his forelock swept back looking like he was sleeping.



Whoever said that getting your horse put to sleep by injection is selfish - grow up. my decision was based on research, advice and experience and was in no way selfish. My horse did not suffer and i would not hesitate in using the same method again.
 
I had my mare PTS by injection, she wasnt old and was reasonably fit, just retired because of ringbone but needed surgery for colic. It was so peaceful and she just slumped to the floor. She was heavily sedated first and a catheter was sewn into her neck. I was warned she could fall in any direction, sigh, even whinney but thankfully she did none. She was picked an hour os so later and was cremated.The vet told me the modern drugs are much better and that they always sedate first. Some vets dont and apparantly this can cause the fight that people hear about in horror stories.
I personally wouldnt have one shot unless of course it was my only option but then thats my preference. A friend had her mare shot, Im told they loaded her in the wagon put her head in a bucket of feed and shot her.
 
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I would never ever have my horse pts by injection. To me this is a fairly selfish option done to suit the owner more than the horse. Sorry, I know that sounds harsh...but even my vet agrees!!! He would never have a horse PTS by injection unless it was on the operating table.

I always said I would have the hunt do my horse but when the crunch came I just couldnt, too much sentiment there, so he was done by the knackerman at home. He was turned out, and instead of turning right into his stable when he was brought in, he went left and into the hands of the knackerman. I have to say, it was that quick that he was still eating an apple when he fell apparently.

Writing that is hard! I have welled up!!! My poor boy.


Well, I just hope that all the people that have just read how "selfish" they were for having their horses/ponies pts by injection aren't feeling dreadful now too.

[/ QUOTE ]Typical CL....
 
My beloved 20yr old horse was pts by injection. The horse is given a 1st injection of very heavy sedation. Takes seconds and the horse is pretty much unaware of everything that happens from then on. The sedation is immediately followed by the lethal injection and the horse drops like a stone and is dead before it hits the ground. The only distressing part for me was that I hadn't realised his eyes would stay open and he fell onto muddy ground. All I could think of was his right eye wide open and pressed into the mud. Stupid really as he wouldn't have known anything about it but still..... You can arrange with a specialist cremation firm to have the body taken away and then (part) ashes returned toyou. Worth ringing one of the many companies to get an idea of what's involved and prices etc. My horse was buried where he was pts.

I would never have a horse shot. It's a very personal decision I guess, and you need to get all the facts together before you make up your mind.
 
i have lost 3 horses in the last 18months- one by the gun and 2 by injection.
first one was very needle shy that the gun was the best option for him and he went very quickly. david funneks (cherry tree) shot him and took him away.
2nd and third one were by injection both injected by the vet and they literally just fell asleep they were then taken away by cherry tree all 3 were cremated.
i would like to take the opportunity to thank cherry tree for being so sensitive they were absolutley fantastic.

i am also very offended by being called selfish! its a very hard decision and what suits one doesnt suit another!!
 
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