Spin off from Meat Man Thread. Were you/Will you be there when your horse is/was PTS?

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I never have been, and I doubt I ever will be unless my circumstances change and I gather enough experience watching horses PTS that I'm de-sensitized enough to see my own horses put down.

I've seen dead horses, and horses given general anesthetics but I've never seen a horse put down. TBH I would like to, but its never been my place to deal with anyone else's horses, and I would be a emotional waste of space with my own, which I've always thought meant it made sense to just keep out of the way.

I suppose I would be there with my horse in an emergency situation, but whenever it has been pre-arranged, other people have handled it.

Are you there when your horses are PTS?
 
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I haven't yet been in this situation, but when I do have a horse, I know that I will be upset when the time comes I think will choose to say goodbye and walk away, leaving my horse with someone experienced that I trust. I wouldn't want the horse to pick up on my upset.

It would be different with an animal to which I wasn't so attached, or in an emergency.

I will have done the right thing by the horse by making the decision and the arrangements, and I don't think it would be helpful for me to stay in that situation.
 
Yes, I was and contrary to some of the alarmist posts on this forum it was a peaceful and dignified death (injection by vet).

He was down already, I hand fed him and only knew he had gone when he stopped chewing, he died with food in his mouth. I stayed with him and talked to him until he was cold, just to be sure.

I will always stay to the end. I was with my son when they switched his machines off, so I can certainly survive the death of a horse, however loved.
 
I didn't even know it had happened until I got home. It was 2 days after results and I was at a friends the other side of the county when he suddenly took a turn for the worse and looked very unhappy. My mum did the best thing for him and he was PTS. I never got to say goodbye. However, I wouldn't have wanted to be there at all.
 
Yes I always have and always will be.

I am also the person that holds friends horses too. I think its a very individual thing and no one is right or worng in what they choose to do (be there or not).
 
I chose to be there when my Toby was put to sleep by injection. He'd battled an unknown condition for three years and I felt it was right that I should be there and that it was 'time'.
It was a horrible expereince for me though calm and quick for him. I don't recommend being there just to see it tbh. Taking a life even when it is considered kind is something I find personally very difficult.
 
Mine would depend on the situation. I've had horses destroyed through broken limbs and you just want them to be destroyed as quickly as possible. One broke a shoulder with me on the track - that was very unpleasant. I am not very good with loud noises and out of choice would always want my horses shot so in that senario it would have to be someone else holding them. I would want to be there in person though, but my jumping at a noise wouldn't be benefical to the horse or the knacker man. I think the hunt kennels etc are so good at their job that I wouldn't have any problems in getting them to do the job. We have a large horse disposal scheme where I am as inevitably where there are thousands of horses you get loss of life.
 
Only had one horse PTS so far and yes, I stayed with her (injection). It was very, very hard but there was no way I would desert her. I've also held a friend's pony to be shot; that was horrible (for me, not the pony) and I went into delayed shock about two hours later.
I've had several of my own dogs PTS over the years and worked at a vets where holding the animal to be PTS was part of the job. It never got any easier and I cried over all of them.
 
I wass on a school trip wen my 1st pony was PTS - my mum didnt tell me till i got home on the friday night. - he broke his leg in field and YO sorted everything out for my mum - Dont really know if I would have wanted to be there - It was very hard going to yard after and seeing that sum1 had removed his rug for me - I think that should have been my job. poor baby xxx
 
I stayed with my boy, lethal injection and he was eating his carrots right up till the end. Very dignified, he went peacefully and I will always greatful to my wonderful vet.
 
Luckily my lad is still with me and hopefully will be for a long time but unfortunately I've been around to see a number of friends horses PTS. I'm a very level headed person at times of crisis so tend to get called on to help out (go home and fall apart but keep it together in company!!). I've seen both injection and shooting and to be honest if it comes to it for my lad I'll definately use the gun on him. I just think it's a cleaner quicker method.

Unless anything stops me I will absolutely be there for him, have been for my other animals and will be for every one of them. It tears a piece of my heart away everytime but I couldn't leave them at the last moment, they've all given me so much it's the very least I can do.
 
I've not been there when my horses have been put down. I'm ashamed to admit that - but also have the good sense to know that it would serve no purpose in me being present. I am a coward but also very emotionally attached - and would have found it too distressing.

My horse was put down 3 weeks ago today. I brought him in from the field, handed him to the huntsman, and with a final pat walked away.

I then sat in my stable until it was done - desolate.

For those that can be there - that is very noble, and no doubt the right thing to do.

However, for the professionals doing the deed it's not helpful to have a wailing weeping woman (me) present (I'm simply not strong enough to keep it together). The huntsman and his colleague did the job professionally and with compassion. My horse was not distressed and knew nothing (as observed by the YO).
 
I was there. I was with him all day when he was ill, and when he couldnt be made better I was there as the vet topped up his sedation and he slipped away. The vet was brilliant throughout.

I was devastated - heartbroken. I sat with his head in my lap until the man came to take him away. (OH dealt with the disposal man....who I gather was lovely too, but I didn't want to see the whole dragging Desi on the lorry thing)

The children were there - they didn't see the deed but came to say goodbye to Desi when he was on his side- he just looked like he was asleep.

There is no right or wrong.....its a very individual thing.
 
ill be there to hand him over, and will see him afterwards but ill be hiding in a stable waiting for the crack of the gun when it actually happens
 
I would like to think I would be strong enough to be there when the time comes. My horse can be quite suspicious of people he doesn't know so part of me feels like he would be likely to get stressed if I walked away. I was there this summer when our old dog was PTS and while it was very upsetting, I managed to hold it together until afterwards so hopefully will be the same with my horse.

He gets very upset when the vet jabs him so if he was PTS with injection, either I or someone else would have to be there to hold him. If it happens whilst I'm still at my current yard then I know my YO would hold him, as she has done for other liveries, if I couldn't do it and he trusts her so if I was too much of a coward, that is always an option.
 
Still makes me well up thinking about my old boy that I lost two years ago!
I was with him whilst he was sedated, the lady who I share the field with was with him when he was shot (hubby very sensibly took me for a quick drive) then I returned after the event for one last cuddle and to show my other ned that his friend had left us.
Don't think I could ever stay with one of my own but would stay with someone elses friend as not the emotional bond.
Certainly didn't stay for the loading onto the lorry tho.
Miss him every day......
 
I would be there i hope when the time comes for my girl. I held a friends horse when she was PTS as i did not want her to be on her own. It is a very personal thing and i can fully appreciate why people would not want to be there. I also went with my brother when he had his dog PTS as support for him.

As another poster said regarding the horses, i would need to know the deed had been done. I had a friend whose horse was picked up from her yard to go to be PTS and she always had an element of doubt in her mind that it had been done and it did her head in for a long time!
 
I would love to be with my girl when the deed is done, but I think it would be selfish of me as I know I will be in pieces. I'll pop her headcollar on and have a hug and pat, feed some carrots and then hand her to someone she knows and I trust to hold her for the knakerman. No good to my mare or the person doing their job if I'm there howling. I would like to have a pat after, but as I would choose a bullet I don't imagine that would be a very good idea - a change in her looks would upset me.
 
I've always said I'd be there for any of my old horses when they go - I travelled over 400 miles to be with Benji on his last breathe, and will do the same for Wizz, Bronko and Cally if asked. It hurt like hell but it was the best thing for him, and to be honest, I'd have been devastated if I'd not said goodbye.

My close horsey friends no that if they need me to hold theirs when they are PTS, I'll do it. I have held 3 of my friends horses whilst they sobbed in a stable. Its not nice or easy which ever method you use, I prefer lethal injection.

To me, regardless of the fact they are no longer mine I've got a strong bond with them all still and a close friendship with their current owners, who know they were part of my family, and also know that I'd do anything for it to be less painful for all involved.
 
I wasnt there for my first horse as he was at the vets and I was 16 at the time so decided I would go out for a final good bye.
I have since held 3 horses for owners 2shot once in an accident. The horse had broke his leg in the field, it was a very unpleasnut experience as there was a bad traffic on the road he was left in the field and hour with four people holding him down, he was very stressed and once the vet had arrived she couldnt get the needle in him as his veins had collasped. When the owner arrived he was in a right state so she left and I stayed with him.
The other the owner didnt wana be there she rang up last min and said could I hold him for her, he hadnt been turned out in a year and was so egar ro get grass didnt notice a thing, he was shot.
The last was injection the owner was there but wanted company, she went very peacfully.

I want to be there for my horse I know it will very different to the other horses I've seen as he is my horse of a life time but I owe it to him to be the last person he see.
In an accident I want him not to suffer and done which ever method can pts quickest.
 
amymay said:
I've not been there when my horses have been put down. I'm ashamed to admit that - but also have the good sense to know that it would serve no purpose in me being present. I am a coward but also very emotionally attached - and would have found it too distressing.

My horse was put down 3 weeks ago today. I brought him in from the field, handed him to the huntsman, and with a final pat walked away.

I then sat in my stable until it was done - desolate.

For those that can be there - that is very noble, and no doubt the right thing to do.

However, for the professionals doing the deed it's not helpful to have a wailing weeping woman (me) present (I'm simply not strong enough to keep it together). The huntsman and his colleague did the job professionally and with compassion. My horse was not distressed and knew nothing (as observed by the YO).
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Absolutely!!! I can say now I'd be there as I'm very good in these situations BUT those are not my horses!! When my cat was PTS I was fine during but couldn't leave the room for an hour afterwards because I was wailing and hysterical..so can't imagine what I'll be like for the horse. I suspect I'll be brave for him but my emotions for the big lug are very very high so I can't say for sure.

Bottom line is they are highly unlikely to know we are there or take a huge comfort as they don't know whats happening or coming, but for us if it helps to be there then so be it but if as in your case you are better off alone then that's certainly not wrong.
 
I held a horse at my old work when he was put to sleep by injection in the field and then winched in to the knackerwgon by his neck. It was peaceful, but I wouldn't choose to do it again - I would rather have a lasting image of them alive rather than dead.

My girls had to be put to sleep earlier this year due to incurable injuries (5 weeks apart). They had been at the vets all morning for assessment and it was decided it was the last thing we could do for both of them. I said goodbye to Treacle when we left her there in the morning as I knew deep down that it would happen, but had to go and see Empy before she was put down as I didn't believe it would be possible to lose them both so I hadn't accepted it.
They were both injected in the indoor arena at the vets and both cremated.
 
Always have been there for them and always will. I am also the one that friends always ask to be with their horses if they cant face it.
It is always very emotional and upsetting but i am always glad to have been there with them till the end.
My mum was with me on sat when Pride was pts and even though she found it very upsetting she said it was easier to deal with having seen how peacefuly she went off.
BUt everyone is different and we all do things how we deal with it best my choice is to be there but others is not
 
Yes, I was there with my boy when he had the injection. I had the support of my yard owner and my fantastic vet who kept everything calm and straight forward. It was a very peaceful end to his life and I'm glad I was with him until the end, and I'll be there when the time comes with my current horse.

However I was not there when he was taken away afterwards, that would have caused me immense pain. My last memory of him was him laying peacefully in his field with the sun shining down.
 
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