Stillman's or Potters - Taunton

honeymum

honeymum

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We may have to let go of our 2 oldies this year as we are going to lose most of our grazing and we don't want to sell them and they aren't really loanable so we were wondering which slaughterhouse was best? If anyone has any experience of either please let me know. We are trying to get them into a home of rest first but if it doesn't work this will probably be the only option left to us, obviously all other ideas are welcome.
 
Personally I could not do this. I had to have a horse PTS nearly 2 years ago and I opted to have him shot at home. Call your vet and discuss the options with them. They will lay out the methods and related costs for you and also give you contact details for hunts and knackermen.

Hope this helps. It's not an easy decision to make and one that all responsible horse owners should be able to the strength to do if necessary.
 
While I can understand why you're having them PTS & agree that it's the best thing in the circumstances (huge hugs to you, I think you're being very brave & caring) I also would PTS at home rather than travel them to the slaughterhouse. Sorry.
 
Why on earth can't you have them pts at home? I had my lad euthanised by injection and it was so peaceful for him. Please don't send them to a slaughterhouse. x
 
Potters are fine if that is the course you wish to take. I think the majority opinion would be that it would be kinder to have them PTS at home, particularly if you can use the local hunt, so they can also deal with the carcasses for you.

If you do choose to use Potters or similar, please take them there yourself. There are people who will charge you to take them there - but they actually end up at grim dealers yards - better to make sure if that is the way you choose
 
We are considering having them PTS at home too, sorry if my first post wasn't too clear, I am a bit upset that it has to happen at all. It definitely won't happen til the end of the summer anyway.

Mother-hen - we would get a very good friend of ours to take them and wait til the deed was done, son't worry about that.
 
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I think the majority opinion would be that it would be kinder to have them PTS at home, particularly if you can use the local hunt, so they can also deal with the carcasses for you.



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I have had 4 PTS in over 30 years of horse-ownership. Two were PTS by the knackerman and two by the vet by injection. The knackerman took the bodies for disposal in each case.
 
I see no real reason why anyone would want to send their beloved old horse to an abbatoir. To me, it is not a fitting end to any horse's life - I am quite prepared to be shot down for this, but I'm afraid it makes no sense to me that this is even an option for you. There are so many options available, I cannot believe you are considering a slaughterhouse. We have had many old horses and ponies to the end of their days, and each one of them has been taken to the Hunt. We took them there ourselves, watched them being led away, watched their little ears prick up as the familiar scents filled their nostrils. How much better is this kind of end compared to one spent alone, worried and panicked by the smells of death surrounding them? I'm afraid I dont hold with the people that say horses dont panic at slaughterhouses - you only have to ride a horse past one to see its reaction.

I'm really sorry if I have come across harsh here; I completely appreciate what a horrid situation you must be in. But please - unless you are desperate for the few pounds an abbatoir will pay you for your horses' meat - fork out a couple of hundred pounds and let them be put down by the hunt, a vet or a knackerman. It is so much fairer!
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I'm really sorry if I have come across harsh here; I completely appreciate what a horrid situation you must be in. But please - unless you are desperate for the few pounds an abbatoir will pay you for your horses' meat - fork out a couple of hundred pounds and let them be put down by the hunt, a vet or a knackerman. It is so much fairer!

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My local hunt charged me £25 to shoot and dispose of my old boy and they handled both of us brilliantly and were very professional.
 
Having spoken to a friend that has used Potters they came highly recommended. She told me that the staff were helful and polite and happy to help. I know that some people find the thought of the horse going for meat awful but it is a personal choice. I have decided that when the time comes my old girl will be PTS at home but it depends on what you feel is right.
 
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We are considering having them PTS at home too, sorry if my first post wasn't too clear, I am a bit upset that it has to happen at all. It definitely won't happen til the end of the summer anyway.

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I rather thought that might be the case. It is very upsetting having to deal with/organise such things. Hugs hun!!
 
Potters will look after your horses very well, the man who dispatches them is lovely, you couldn't ask for a nicer man to be with your horse at the end.
 
Hi, I have spent 2 days at Potters. When the horses arrive they are put into holding pens, either individually or in a group, I assume you could ask for your two to stay together. When they are ready they are led across a concrete yard into a large stable sized room then shot immediatley, 2 can go into together and be done in quick succession. The man who shoots them is very experienced and good with horses. They are shot using a free bullet. I think they way they are handled there is fine, I think the main thing you would need to consider is if being held and then taken into a strange room would be very stressful for your horses. They also only take horses one day a week. If you do go there is a certain smell, I think from the guts just so you are prepared! I dont think that it would be for everyone but I feel the horses are handled professionally and with kindness in their final moments.
 
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Potters will look after your horses very well, the man who dispatches them is lovely, you couldn't ask for a nicer man to be with your horse at the end.

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totally agree with you...the guy is brilliant..and a good laugh too!!!

IF you go down this route, THINK very hard that your oldies are fit to travel..as Taunton is a fair old trek from Bucks..

i'm pleased to see you have the sense NOT to sell or loan your olds and to take full responsibility of their welfare.

take care
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JM07 - I thought this too - its an awful long way for two oldies to be travelled just to be shot
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The cost of diesel/transport hire would be more or less the same that the local hunt would charge to put down and dispose of the horses, so again, I just cannot understand why hauling them all the way to Taunton would be an option
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Poor you; very sorry to read this, however I believe you are doing the right thing. I also couldn't take a horse to an abattoir. I always have mine shot at home on familiar ground with all of their friends around them.

I've never been to these abattoirs but have seen footage of what goes on at Potters and I have to say I was very impressed by how non-stressed the horses were in the killing room, and how wonderfully competent the slaughterman was.

You choose what is right for you and your oldies.

Tia x
 
I have PM'd this poster but have to say I didn't find the experience there good, and I had sent quite a few to the Cheshire Abbatoir until then with no problems whatsoever.
It was so traumatic at Potters that from then on our horses have all been dispatched at home.
Eventerduke do you not feel killing two together is unacceptable? no matter how quick the second horse sees what's going on, and I don't think that moment of terror should happen.
I found the slaughterman rough and too handy with his piece of blue alkathene, and the fact you wait above the killing pen in your box with a full view for the horses of what's going on unacceptable too.
The so called appointment didn't happen either, I was just put in a queue.
I'm not soft with my horses, and when I think their time has come I try to give them an easy death, I am afraid after the time I had I couldn't send another to an abbatoir, the two I took weren't handled with any sympathy they were treated like lumps of meat..
ps I know many will disagree with my view but I do have personal experience to be able to state my reasons.
 
Henryhorn - it makes me so sad to hear of experiences like this. Horses should never have to endure such things at their end; I applaud you for making the decision to do it differently now
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eventerduke...i've been to Potter' many many times, both at their current site in Taunton and also to Bishops Sutton bristol...not ONCE have i witnessed TWO going in together.....i find this unexceptable...and no, i'm not calling you a liar...just not omething i've come across in the last 35 yrs.....

i'll ask "****" next time i see him...
 
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I have PM'd this poster but have to say I didn't find the experience there good, and I had sent quite a few to the Cheshire Abbatoir until then with no problems whatsoever.
It was so traumatic at Potters that from then on our horses have all been dispatched at home.
Eventerduke do you not feel killing two together is unacceptable? no matter how quick the second horse sees what's going on, and I don't think that moment of terror should happen.
I found the slaughterman rough and too handy with his piece of blue alkathene, and the fact you wait above the killing pen in your box with a full view for the horses of what's going on unacceptable too.
The so called appointment didn't happen either, I was just put in a queue.
I'm not soft with my horses, and when I think their time has come I try to give them an easy death, I am afraid after the time I had I couldn't send another to an abbatoir, the two I took weren't handled with any sympathy they were treated like lumps of meat..
ps I know many will disagree with my view but I do have personal experience to be able to state my reasons.

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was this at Potters, Sue??
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or Turners..............
 
Most were done alone the ones done together were shetlands so not sure if this is normal as I fully agree that I dont think this is fair on the second animal.
 
QR - Just to let you know this would not be a long trek for them as both horses live with my mum about 6 miles from Taunton, it is me that lives in Bucks not the horses, however as I said originally we are looking at various options and have not definitely decide on anything yet. I just wanted some opinions.

Also if it were to happen I certainly wouldn't want them to see what happened to the other, they would definitely go in seperately.
 
QR:

Thank you for choosing the right thing to do - you only have to look at Horsemart to see how many people think it is OK to sell on oldies - so sad
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I don't have a problem with taking a horse to a slaughterhouse and I think it is wrong that others are thrusting their beliefs on to you. If at all possible I prefer to use the hunt, mainly because I am a supporter and I value the work they do, but I am also a supporter of decent slaughterhouses and if I was that close to one I would prob use it too.

Good luck with whichever decision you choose, it will always be an emotional time anyway.
 
I totally agree with Weezy on this one. We are not far from Potter's and have used them in the past. We were dairy farmers for many years and it does 'harden' you to losing much loved animals.
 
Although I'd agree that the abbatiors seem very good at a quick despatch please have them done at home or somewhere they know, I had one girl shot at the vets as she'd broken her knee and it was so quickly over and my beloved girl PTS by injection at home which sadly was quite traumatic as the injection took a while and she fought it.
I would now opt for a quick shot at home.
My thought go out to you and I hope whatever you decide is the best option for you and most importantly them. x
 
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