PTS - Potters

[ QUOTE ]
The hunt are expecting to do my old boy one day in the not too distant future and he will be groomed, plaited and loaded onto the lorry as if he were off out for a show. It makes me sad to think of it but he will go to his end full of excitement and pride.

[/ QUOTE ]

Thats such a lovely idea, your boy is very lucky to have a mum like you!
 
I have had a horse removed by Potters and the poor chap was on his first day and the lorry was not working well, I found the whole experience really upsetting even though my mare was dead by the time they came. The winch was not strong enough to pull her in so it took three strong men to help it haul her poor prone body on while I had to sit in the cab which stank of death with my foot on the brake as the hand brake was not strong enough to hold the lorry while it winched her on. It took me a long time to get over that. When it was time for Murphy (the grey in my sig) to go, we arranged for the hunt to come and dispatch him and take him away, it cost £150 whereas Potters charged £350 just for removal. He did not know what was going on and it was all over very quickly and efficiently, I found getting over his loss far easier despite having had him for 10 years and him being my horse of a lifetime. Whatever you decide you must make the right decision for the pair of you. I struggle to look at photos of my mare even now but Murphy is still on my wall and I feel no regret about how I did it in the end
 
Ditto what others have said... use a hunt- they will do it at home and take the body away... if hes already stressed it would be kinder..
we took our old hunter to the hunt, groomed him and got him ready (i didn't go) and dad drove him over there and off loaded him with the hounds in the background... the way i want all my horses to go- somewhere they love...
I don't have a problem with potters but if hes stressed then consider getting a hunt out!
x
 
[ QUOTE ]
Horses going to Potters aren't put to sleep, they are slaughtered.

[/ QUOTE ]Oh dear God, I think I have read it all now
confused.gif
 
I have an almost blind horse who is 27 and has cushings so sometime sadly will be in the same boat. He will be pts at home, with his friends. There is no way on this earth would i allow him to go to a slaughter house, they DO know what it is, and my horse does not deserve to be stressed by being moved. In the circumstances i think its a bit cruel to move an old blind horse, when he could go at home which is safe and familiar to him. Please re think!!

Slaughter houses do a job and in this country of over breeding they are necessary, but not for an already stressed blind horse.
 
[ QUOTE ]
My point is that for this poster she may not have the option of PTS at home. I've collected a couple from yards in the past where the YO wouldn't permit it unless it was an emergency. Not all hunts offer the service either.

[/ QUOTE ]

Gosh, really?
shocked.gif
I never dreamed a yard owner would say such a thing! Any idea why??
 
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
My point is that for this poster she may not have the option of PTS at home. I've collected a couple from yards in the past where the YO wouldn't permit it unless it was an emergency. Not all hunts offer the service either.

[/ QUOTE ]

Gosh, really?
shocked.gif
I never dreamed a yard owner would say such a thing! Any idea why??

[/ QUOTE ]

One of them didn't want to run the risk of upsetting clients or her children
crazy.gif

The other just said there was no need for it to be done at the yard as the horse was fit to travel
crazy.gif


One owner couldn't stand the thought of travelling the horse herself, the other didn't have transport, & I got the job of providing the transport. I am excellent with other peoples animals at the end..........& a snivelling wreck with my own.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Seeing as he is blind and old dont you think it would be better to have him pts at home rather than load him off to be slaughtered?

[/ QUOTE ]

I absolutely agree.

Please have this old gentleman put down at home, either by your local Huntsman or by the vet.
 
Sorry to hear you have to make this difficult choice. I think there are two key considerations - how the experience is for the horse, and how it is for the owner.

It sounds like a good idea to investigate what your options are with regard to a local hunt or a vet/disposal. If however Potters is the best option for you practically/financially, I won't judge you. I think it is not realistic for everyone to have their horse pts at home and cremated, thought it is probably is a lot easier for the owner in many ways.

I have not been to potters, but I have been to similar establishments where I would have no concerns sending my horse - only because I have seen for myself that the animals are given excellent care, and that the surroundings are clean and not stressful for them.

At the end of the day you know yourself and your horse best. You are probably the best judge of how well your horse would travel in his current state, and how you would feel about things.
 
Whilst potters may be the best for the owner practically/fiancially what about what is morally best for the horse?
Whilst the 'establishments' you mention may be clean and not stressful, I would assume you are talking about a sighted horse that can see where its going, not some old blind horse that is already distressed in its everyday situation.
 
Thank you for all your replies, I will consider having it done at home. We have had several horses pts at home and its very distressing, thats why we thought this option might be better. But I will look into the local hunt.
 
Natalie, it's always distressing put an animal down (for us). However, this old horse will benefit from not having the stress of being removed from familiar surroundings during his last hours.

Hope it all goes well.
 
FWIW... I had my mare removed & cremeated, and the ashes removed by a company fairly local to me, IIRR it was less than £200, but didn't include PTS as she'd died in her sleep - but I know I had 'her' back, not a mixture, and they'd saved me her shoes and tied her casket with her XC colours ribbons which i thought was a lovely touch... I don't envy the OP's position, but agree with the majority, better for her horse to go at home and friends time to say goodbye etc.
 
Of course one needs to think about the particular horse and how well it would travel etc. As I posted above, "At the end of the day you know yourself and your horse best. You are probably the best judge of how well your horse would travel in his current state, and how you would feel about things."
 
Recently a horse known to me was PTS by the vet. Do vets have to come out to a yard to do this? Presumably they don't do it on their own premises........
And do they use anaesthetic only?
Maybe a vet is another option in this case?
Once again, I feel for you Natalie. At the end of the day it is your decision what you do and you are considering all the options after all.
 
Vets do come out to PTS, they don't tend to do it at the surgery unless the horse is already there. The lethal injection is two drugs, correct me if I am wrong, one to knock the horse out and the other to stop its heart. I have seen and experience some not to pleasant things from having it done this way. The vet will usually organise for disposal which is how I came to have Potters come out to take my mare away as I posted earlier. The whole thing costed £500 in total - £350 for Potters, rest for vet. My mare had colicked badly and was dying hence why the vet was there. I had to beg the vet to do it as she was keen on trying to get the mare into hospital despite the fact that she could not stand and was virtually dead. I think she was newly qualified and not very experienced in it all. My mare reacted quite badly to the injection, another reason why I had Murphy shot by the hunt.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Horses going to Potters aren't put to sleep, they are slaughtered.

[/ QUOTE ]
Sorry, I sometimes feel that we wrap up reality in "nice words", that's all I meant. I know what happens when a horse goes for slaughter, having been there.
I was talking to my vet recently about horses being put down, and that some people worry about the injection because they have heard of it going wrong. He said that sadly, using the bolt or injection, there is always a small chance of it not going to plan. However he said that they have progressed the lethal injection process over the years, and it is almost always very peaceful. The last old horse I held for it, he had the first sedative, which made him drowsy, followed immediately by the lethal dose. Then he started to buckle at the knees and the vet helped him gently down, just as if he was laying down to sleep. So it did feel as if he was put to sleep, and I think it was right that it happened with friends around.
 
Of course it is distressing having a horse put down but it is our resposibility to a loyal friend to make sure that our horses are put down humanely. In this case the horse is very old and deserves to be put down at home, however distressing it is to the owners. If you take on the responsibility of horse ownership you must accept that one day youy will have to deal with te dispatch of a much loved friend.
 
It sounds to me like this poor old pony should be pts at home. I do not think it matters how distressing it is for you it is what is best for that pony having just had my old pony pts because he broke both back legs it was the most horrific thing i've seen and been at so far but i couldn't cry or show emotion because he needed me to brave for him to me its tough and you have to get the heck on with it because thats life you can cry etc later but itleast be there for your horses!!!
 
[ QUOTE ]
Thank you for all your replies, I will consider having it done at home. We have had several horses pts at home and its very distressing, thats why we thought this option might be better. But I will look into the local hunt.

[/ QUOTE ]

It is always distressing to lose a much loved animal, however upsetting it is for you, you have to put the horse first, he is old and blind, if he were mine I could not forgive myself for the confusion and upset I would cause him by packing him off on a lorry.

You need to do the right thing by this horse not what is the least upsetting for you. Sorry to sound harsh, I really don't mean to, but this poor old horse deserves better.
 
In this case I would have this horse dispatched at home rather than risk him, blind and stressed, in the lorry. If you choose to use Potters you will need to book him in and travel him there on a specific date. you will recieve a small amount of money for the carcass. If you want him 'shot' at home either contact the local hunt and see if they offer a service or you will need a knackerman (John Cooper) who will dispatch the horse and then remove the body. You will have to pay for both these two options. Other than that you other choice is to have your vet come and PTS.

If your reason for wanting to use Potters is that you feel you will find PTS at home too distressing to cope with I do totally understand but please be assured that lethal injection (dispite anecdotal horror stories) is generally very swift and surprisingly dignified.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top