Putting a healthy horse down

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smellydogjack

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A lady at my yard has caused uproar. Her life situation has changed and she can't really keep her horse. I suspect- after much deliberation, she has decided the only choice she has is pts. Said mare is 10, and a lovely horse, but she wouldn't trust a loan home, and she couldn't bare to sell. Que an uproar that she is cruel etc... from the rest of the yard. Part of me gets it. I get why she can't see through any other choice, I'm not saying I would do it. However part of me understands.

Pointless post but it's played on my mind all week.
 
There's a blog link in my signature....have a read, feel free to share with your friend and maybe share with others on the yard as well. What your friend is thinking of doing is seemingly awful, but in reality, a very responsible decision that will guarantee the future of a horse she loves. It doesn't mean she doesn't love the horse....in fact, it means she loves it so much she wants to protect it from an uncertain future.

The only other thing I will say is that it may be worth mentioning Horses4Homes to her as a way to loan, but she would still need to be in a position to step in if anything fell through.
 
Whilst it seems a bit unnecessary, I get why she had made that decision. Its her horse so she has final say.

As long as the horse doesn't suffer it's not cruel. Others should butt out and not make a hard decision harder.
 
I think it's rather unfair to put down a healthy, useful and rideable horse if it can very easily be sold on and give someone else pleasure as these types are easily loanable as well.

If however the horse is unrideable and has issues of some sort then I do believe she is doing a very responsible thing for the horse she loves.
 
Can't bear to sell but will PTS instead? Hmmm. If her circumstances have changed, she should put the horse up for sale or through the nearest market and let it take its chances. No doubt the money she would get would be helpful. No-one turns down £££s if they have any sense?
 
we all bang on about old horses being sold, what difference does it make? Whenever you sell a beloved horse you can t gaurantee where it will end up. be it a younger fit horse or and older one.
I would hate it happening beside me, and would feel very sad and upset by it, but its her horse and she does what she has to live with.
 
Wow. I'm going to have to be the person who goes against the flow here. How flaming arrogant can a person get! She is the only person who can look after a horse? Her horse is better off dead if it can't be with her? It is her horse, yes and it is her decision to make but what a rotten decision for the blimmin' horse! The horse only has one life and she's taking it for no good reason. vile.
 
Her horse her choice.

Those causing uproar should think about the emotional hell this woman is going through.

I can see why they wouldn't be happy but at the same time, she is saving the horse from an uncertain future. She obviously cares more about the horse than money.

We currently have a crisis of too many horses and not enough homes. Think about it.
 
This is why it has played on my mind. I really understand both sides... I am also ashamed with how people have reacted to her, she is not finding this easy.
 
The question for me is is the horse rideable? If the horse can be ridden and has no health issues then i'm with the wtf camp. If everyone decided to put there horse down when they didn't want it any more, there would be no horses for people to buy who couldn't produce their own. If however the horse is particularly sharp then I can understand, as horses like this can go the wrong way. Not saying it would, but they are much harder to find a good home for.
 
OP I have to say I personally think that the owner is doing the right thing.

I have 4 horses, a 23yo, a 16yo and 2 7yo (mare and a gelding) who I bred myself. If my circumstances changed and I could no longer keep them I would have them all PTS if I could not guarantee their future. I would rather a horse have a shorter happy life than a longer awful one. Yes I know the chances are they could go on to happy homes and be loved for the rest of their days but can I guarantee that? If I couldn't say to myself with any degree of certainty that I have secured their future then I would go down that path.

Even more so nowadays when there are far too many horses for the homes available and they are becoming more of a disposable commodity.
 
Hepsibah said:
Wow. I'm going to have to be the person who goes against the flow here. How flaming arrogant can a person get! She is the only person who can look after a horse? Her horse is better off dead if it can't be with her? It is her horse, yes and it is her decision to make but what a rotten decision for the blimmin' horse! The horse only has one life and she's taking it for no good reason. vile.
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I agree actually. Different if the horse has issues.
 
It's her horse she can do as she likes it's no one else's business, I would rather have one of mine pts than have them neglected by someone and the state of the horse welfare situation in this country at the moment there's a good chance that could happen.
 
Hepsibah said:
Wow. I'm going to have to be the person who goes against the flow here. How flaming arrogant can a person get! She is the only person who can look after a horse? Her horse is better off dead if it can't be with her? It is her horse, yes and it is her decision to make but what a rotten decision for the blimmin' horse! The horse only has one life and she's taking it for no good reason. vile.
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Completely agree! There are hundreds of good loan homes out there and also even more people who would buy a ten year old horse and give it a good home. Poor mare. What is the horse like and can she be ridden?

eta: If the horse has issues, then depending on what they are, then PTS might be the best option, but if not, then I think this woman is feeling so depressed she is not being fair on the horse.
 
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Perhaps a little respect should be given to the owner. It is stated she is experiencing a 'life changing' situation. Who can judge what a life changing situation is ? There could be any number of issues, health physical or mental, violence, becoming a carer for a loved one etc etc.

In 2013 I made the decision to put down horses if the life changing situation I found myself in did not have a good outcome.

it should be remembered that when we take on animals we are responsible for their destiny and there are a lot worse situations then death. A short drive around and plenty of suffering horses can be seen.

I wish the owner in this sad situation closure and peace in whatever she decides to do.
 
Hepsibah said:
Wow. I'm going to have to be the person who goes against the flow here. How flaming arrogant can a person get! She is the only person who can look after a horse? Her horse is better off dead if it can't be with her? It is her horse, yes and it is her decision to make but what a rotten decision for the blimmin' horse! The horse only has one life and she's taking it for no good reason. vile.
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Got to say I agree with this - why assume that all other potential owners will be awful? Is she the only person in the world that can be trusted to look after a horse? Seems she's denying the horse a chance of continuing a happy life (especially if it's fit and well and not even old!).
 
Ultimately it's the owners decision whatever anyone else thinks. The mistake she made was to discuss her intentions with others on the livery yard.

A horse might be healthy but that doesn't always mean it's suitable to be loaned/sold. From the info supplied we cannot make that judgement.
 
i think if i was in her position i would probably do the same. Fox is bit older now, covered in bumps and scars and is only insured on one leg.. he is an angel and perfect to me but i know he would be near impossible to sell
 
ihatework said:
Ultimately it's the owners decision whatever anyone else thinks. The mistake she made was to discuss her intentions with others on the livery yard.

A horse might be healthy but that doesn't always mean it's suitable to be loaned/sold. From the info supplied we cannot make that judgement.
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^^^ agree

People are quick to judge and we have to remember horses are not people, they have no idea or concept of being PTS . But they surely will notice if they find themselves in unfortunate hands/badly managed or misunderstood .

I feel sorry for the owner/her situation, but it really is her business and her responsibility- which she is obviously taking very seriously.
 
AdorableAlice said:
Perhaps a little respect should be given to the owner. It is stated she is experiencing a 'life changing' situation. Who can judge what a life changing situation is ? There could be any number of issues, health physical or mental, violence, becoming a carer for a loved one etc etc.

In 2013 I made the decision to put down horses if the life changing situation I found myself in did not have a good outcome.

it should be remembered that when we take on animals we are responsible for their destiny and there are a lot worse situations then death. A short drive around and plenty of suffering horses can be seen.

I wish the owner in this sad situation closure and peace in whatever she decides to do.
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As usual AA has worded it far better than I could.
 
fatpiggy said:
Can't bear to sell but will PTS instead? Hmmm. If her circumstances have changed, she should put the horse up for sale or through the nearest market and let it take its chances. No doubt the money she would get would be helpful. No-one turns down £££s if they have any sense?
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Sorry, i think this is the most ridiculous post!

People do turn down money if its in the best interest of the horse. Putting a horse through the sales and letting it 'take its chances' is not in the best interest of the horse!

It is upto the owner what she does, yes PTS does seem extreme but its her call if she can't live with giving her horse an uncertain future then it is 100% the right thing to do. The horse doesn't know, she doesn't have plans for tomorrow or next year or the year after that, they live in the now. She will know all those years of love and will never have to worry about ending up in the wrong hands, it is ridiculous to think that that is better than a few hundred quid for the owner.
 
The age and health of this horse is the issue for me. If the horse is unrideable then fair enough, but if she's rideable I really don't understand it. There is at least a good 10 years of work left in this mare.
 
Damnation said:
Her horse her choice.

Those causing uproar should think about the emotional hell this woman is going through.

I can see why they wouldn't be happy but at the same time, she is saving the horse from an uncertain future. She obviously cares more about the horse than money.

We currently have a crisis of too many horses and not enough homes. Think about it.
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^^ Exactly this!
 
AdorableAlice said:
Perhaps a little respect should be given to the owner. It is stated she is experiencing a 'life changing' situation. Who can judge what a life changing situation is ? There could be any number of issues, health physical or mental, violence, becoming a carer for a loved one etc etc.

In 2013 I made the decision to put down horses if the life changing situation I found myself in did not have a good outcome.

it should be remembered that when we take on animals we are responsible for their destiny and there are a lot worse situations then death. A short drive around and plenty of suffering horses can be seen.

I wish the owner in this sad situation closure and peace in whatever she decides to do.
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Well said AA.
 
Goldenstar said:
It is, but there's no reason why a nice sound ten year old won't find a good home so if it were me I would sell carefully to the right person .
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And there is the crux - carefully to the right person. If you couldn't find that right person/home and guarantee your beloved horse a future (regardless of age) what would you do?
 
I know someone who is currently trying to sell a pony that is sound, no vices, priced sensibly but has had no takers for about a year. Luckily she isn't in a position where her life is changing drastically so can hang on for longer, but it isn't always easy to find all these wonderful homes, especially when statistically there are more horses than good homes out there for them.

I would struggle to pts a healthy rideable ten year old, but I would never say that I wouldn't do it; until you've lived the other persons life you have no right to judge her decision and I respect her choice to provide what she thinks is best for her horse. Perhaps she has tried and failed to find the right home.

I'd far sooner pts than sell into an uncertain future. The horse only lives in the now, pts isn't a cruel choice in itself.
 
AdorableAlice said:
Perhaps a little respect should be given to the owner. It is stated she is experiencing a 'life changing' situation. Who can judge what a life changing situation is ? There could be any number of issues, health physical or mental, violence, becoming a carer for a loved one etc etc.

In 2013 I made the decision to put down horses if the life changing situation I found myself in did not have a good outcome.

it should be remembered that when we take on animals we are responsible for their destiny and there are a lot worse situations then death. A short drive around and plenty of suffering horses can be seen.

I wish the owner in this sad situation closure and peace in whatever she decides to do.
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Well said, but can't help wondering what may happen in the future if/when the owner comes out the other side of this current situation whatever that may be. If it's a situation similar to yours AA the owner could find themselves in 12 months time wishing they hadn't gone through with it.
It's an awful position to be in, and I can't help thinking that IF (big if) the owner had the option to turn the horse away for 6-12months somewhere similar to GGs set up (I appreciate this may not be an option), they could give themselves time to assess their situation and go from there? This is assuming the decision is one that they have come to relatively quickly in reaction to fast changing circumstances. This may not be the case and the owner may be beyond that point already.
 
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