Putting a young horse to sleep

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Welshie0405

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Hi,

I think I'm just looking to justify my thoughts but would you PTS a young horse?

I've had a horse since he was 6 months old. He is severely roach backed and has issues with his hinds. He has to have Bute for the farrier, we've done a year's worth of physio and a rehab programme but nothing seems to be helping.

He has recently become more aggressive and we were going to scope for ulcers and also do a full work up/scans. However, I have decided that there is no point stressing him out taking him for a couple of days at the vets for them to tell me he's uncomfortable when I already know that. I also don't think my insurance would cover it because I've scanned him before.

So I've spoken to the vet and we have decided to treat for ulcers until I can get my head around booking him to be PTS.

He is 4.5 years old will never be ridden and is a liability to have, I have young children and panic every time they are around him.

I'm feeling incredibly guilty, keep going back and forth over my decision. I feel like the worst person in the world. I adore him and all his quirks but feel like enough is enough

What would you do?
 
It sounds like you have already gone far enough and beyond for him. I would also PTS if it is very obvious he is in pain and there is no more that can be done to give him a full and content life even as a field ornament. So very sorry you are going through this, hard enough at end of life for an old horse, so much more heartbreaking with a youngster. 💔
 
I'm a human and I live in pain, its better now than it has been, but I wouldnt wish my life on my worst enemy. I have learnt ways to cope and can rationalise it. At its worst I've made deals with myself to just get through the next minute and it it doesnt ease I'll take enough medication to never wake up. Its never come to that yet, and I hope it wont. But to free your horse from its pain is an absolute mercy. He doesnt know it might feel better tomorrow, or that it will be sunny again in summer and it will help. He just knows it hurts and hes probably scared, because anything in pain is vulnerable, and to a prey animal thats terrifying.

Its a hideous thing to do, but I hope you do it and its a relief for you and him.
 
I'm so sorry you are having to face this, but he is in pain, and this is the kindest and best thing you can do for him. I had to make the same call back in August for my 4 yo NF, and it was the hardest one yet, but the specialist vet at Liphook told me never to feel guilty, because it was the only thing to do. Sending hugs 🫂
 
I had to pts a 6 yr old. It's horrible but I literally had no choice.
It's even worse for you because although it's the best thing for your horse, death isn't inevitable for him in the short-term. If he is so uncomfortable and nothing makes a difference, you really don't have an option.

There won't be many people on here who don't support your decision because it is in the horse's best interests. I'm sorry you are facing this.
 
Welshie0405 said:
I feel like the worst person in the world.
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You're not - you're the best person in his world to constantly put his needs first. Many of us on here have had to put youngsters to sleep - it is not the age that matters but how much pain he is in and, if he is unpredictable, then I think it must be considerable.

Give him a loving and dignified end to his problems - and give yourself peace of mind.
 
Imagine if it were a dog or a cat, in constant pain and unlikely to ever feel better. Would you still feel just as bad, or would you just see that it's for the best? I don't think I could be happy to keep anything going, when they don't have a good QOL. if he's showing pain signals I don't think it's fair to keep him going for what would be your benefit, not his. Sorry it's come to this, but it sounds like you've done more than enough for him.
 
I wouldn't hesitate to PTS in your situation, I thought that before the end of the first sentence to be honest.
I have traditionally pity bought horses and thus have PTS a 17yo, 11yo and a 7yo and only for one do I have any doubt and even then I still don't feel it was the wrong call (I was 17yo and misled by trusted 'adults')
 
poiuytrewq said:
I too would absolutely support and back that decision.
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Pts at home is a no brainer! Having recently having had our youngish beautiful boy so kindly put down in his familiar surroundings, it was a huge relief knowing his pain was over. Just be thankful that we don’t live in the U.S where old, crippled, emaciated, sick and ‘useless’ horses are just thrown onto trucks by cowardly uncaring owners ,to go to auctions and then to Mexico for slaughter!.
 
I'm Dun said:
I'm a human and I live in pain, its better now than it has been, but I wouldnt wish my life on my worst enemy. I have learnt ways to cope and can rationalise it. At its worst I've made deals with myself to just get through the next minute and it it doesnt ease I'll take enough medication to never wake up. Its never come to that yet, and I hope it wont. But to free your horse from its pain is an absolute mercy. He doesnt know it might feel better tomorrow, or that it will be sunny again in summer and it will help. He just knows it hurts and hes probably scared, because anything in pain is vulnerable, and to a prey animal thats terrifying.

Its a hideous thing to do, but I hope you do it and its a relief for you and him.
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Yes, but not ‘hideous’ - because the mercy and mutual relief far outweighs that.
 
Someone said to me recently. With horses you can’t train pain. He will never be predictable. It’s an awful shame and I don’t normally jump on the better a day too early vibe but think it is right from what you describe. A ton of carrots and apples on the day and some molasses or other equally delish treats. Hugs.
 
So sorry you are in this situation, but I take my hat off to you for thinking what is kindest for your boy. I have heartbreakingly lost a 2yr old to an injury that was never going to get better despite trying surgery&rehab and another youngster to genetic illness who unfortunately became aggressive towards the end because his pain was so great.

I think as owners, we have the ability to take away all of their pain and we make that decision because we love them so much, even though it hurts us so much.

My wonderful vet told me once that euthanasia is also a treatment..

Thinking of you in this hard time and if (it is allowed?) you want to, feel free to message me to chat xx
 
I had to PTS my sweet mare who was in my mind "only ten"; she had trigeminal nerve headshaking which wasn't getting any better and was in constant pain & state of agitation. That was hard enough, so I cannot imagine the heartache of having to make "the decision" about a youngster.

We are all with you on this; you are obviously seeking to do the right thing. You couldn't ever sell him; and you couldn't even loan him because of his rapidly-developing aggressive tendencies, no doubt connected with his mis-conformation.

Awful thought but yes you could bundle him up and send him off for slaughter........ you'd get some money back then at meat-price........

Which leaves the only other option being PTS. Speaking gut-to-gut here; but something to consider if you decided you are having the vet for the PTS process, is the effect that the sedative(s) used might have with a horse which is already in "flight mode" because of an inherent pain issue. They may just fall asleep very nicely, but what you don't want is for a horse already fighting a pain-issue to start then fighting the sedative as they feel it taking effect. I am speaking personally as my current pony reacts really really badly to sedation, and what is a normally placid pony becomes a raging dragon. For this reason might I gently suggest that you might wish to think of having a licensed knackerman to do the job; when we've had our chappie at my yard to do a job the horse has very obviously not had a clue about what's going to happen, which has been the best way to deal with a horse which might become reactive. Sorry, am trying to be sensitive here.

So very sorry you are in this position.
 
So sorry it has gone this way for you. Its terribly sad sometimes the hard thing can be the right thing, you will know in your heart either way which is right. But guilty you should not feel, as so many just pass problems on etc. to an unknown fate. What you are discussing is a far kinder fate. Best wishes
 
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I recently had my 3-year-old youngster put to sleep after he was diagnosed with ataxia. He also had a roached back and looked slightly lame on his right hind. I had both a physio and a chiropractor out, and they said he was carrying a lot of tension in his poll. They even asked if he had ever been bitted because it seemed like he was holding trauma there—he hadn’t, ever.


I took him to the hospital for a full lameness workup, and the vet wasn’t happy with how he was walking, so they did neurological testing, which he failed badly. He had grade 3 ataxia coming from his neck, and he started to get progressively worse. I made the decision to put him to sleep before he became a danger to himself or anyone handling him.


I’m absolutely devastated and it’s made me question whether I want another horse, because he truly was my pony of a lifetime. I know I made the right decision, but that doesn’t make it any easier. When they’re so young, you really have to think about what their quality of life will be, especially since they could live a long time with a condition like this.


I’m so sorry you’re facing a similar decision—it’s not easy at all.
 
It's rubbish but you probably know through gut instinct what to do. I had an 8yo pts. I'd owned him since weaning but he was just never right in so many little ways. My biggest fear was one day he'd either go down and not be able to get up, or have some catastrophic field injury and suffer for hours. A year or so later I learned his mother had also been pts, aged only 14. Sometimes there's just nothing you can do for them. Everyone here understands though. You're putting him first.
 
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