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

bonny said:
There are alot of knackermen who refuse to shoot horses with the owner's present because of bad experiences with hysterical owners. I think if you can't handle the situation then you shouldn't be there. Not fair for the man doing his job, or for the horse who needs to go thinking it's a normal day, not that something bad is happening.
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Yes, we have always been with ours until the last few years. Both the huntsman and the local Equine Crematorium representatives have asked us to go into the house while they did the job - mind you 2 of the 3 horses involved were so 'out of it' they wouldn't have known either way.
We were told a story of one hysterical owner who threw herself on the body, so that it could not be winched onto the lorry, EC owner told us that she has asked every owner to leave the horse with her since then.
We have never stayed to watch the winching - that to me is the worst part.
 
Dollysox said:
I hope I will be able to be there for them but I just don't know if I would be too distressed. I suspect it will depend on the circumstances. I've been there for my cats when they have gone, but not sure I could do the same for my horses. I have a pact with a friend that we will be there for the other's horses if necessary.
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Thats a really good idea, i think that would be comforting to know that your friend was there. My YO was there along with the yard hand who im both friendly with so that helped as i knew there were a couple of familiar and friendly faces. I found it unbelievably difficult and didnt cope well at all when it happened to me, I just couldnt have been there- i couldnt have that as my lasting memory but i do admire those who are, maybe it will be different next time (and hopefully weeeeeeeelllllllllll into the future! dont fancy going thru that again in a hurry)
 
I fully intend to be there for "it" if I can. It does depend on the circumstances though - if it was through a freak accident and the horse was in pain obviously I would want the horse put out of its misery immediately, not hanging around waiting for me to get to the horse (from work or wherever I was). If it was a planned one or something though then I would definately be there. Have got 2 veteran ponies who are in their 20's now so I imagine I'll have to make the decision at some point in the not too distant future.
 
pixi said:
legally you wont be allowed to hold your horse when a gun is involved its to dangerous .
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Not always the case.

While our knackerman is very careful that there is no one standing behind the horse in case he misses and they could be hit by a stray bullet but we always have someone the horse knows holding the rope.

When it's mine I run as soon as I hear the shot and the rope goes slack - I don't want to see them down and certainly not see them winched into the lorry - I feel that I have done my duty by being there until they are dead. After that, they don't need me anymore.....
 
My oap was pts last sunday, led her to the gate 20 mins before the fallen stockman/hunt man came,and i left her with my mate with a bucket of food,said my final goodbyes and went for a walk round the block.
 
I had seen lots of horses pts when working at an equine vets but when my boy was PTS by injection I booked one of the vets that I worked with and who I trusted implicitly. He came with a friend who was also a nurse and I stayed while the catheter was put in then I left him with a big bowl of food and went away while he went down. I went back afterwards to see him and left before he was taken away.

I knew he was fine with strangers (he had been a blood donor numerous times when I wasn't there) and I didn't want to see him fall as he was a big horse. The vet told me he went very peacefully and I have never doubted this. He was down in the exact same spot I left him in.
 
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