The best way to have a horse put to sleep?

i had my girl pts a few months ago and it was so peaceful. i was asking my vets the other day witch way is best he said in his case he would go with injection. but i surpose both ways have wrongs and rights. i have a horse who is scarced of injections but i dont feel i could shoot him so the vet says sedate him then give him the leathel dose when he would not no buy it. if you do have them shot buy hunt can they leavbe the body for you to dipose of so you can get your horse creamated?
 
I've always had them shot at outside at their home and stayed with them. They are sedated before they are shot and I would always do it this way.

I don't understand how people say they've seen the shooting go wrong? It has an immediate effect and IMO is the best for the animal, they don't know what's coming. Going "wrong" is more likely the owner being distressed by the mess and twitching afterwards. Not even going to pretend it's not upsetting but the horse is gone by that point painlessly

I think the injection is more for the owners "comfort" and find it quite cruel when you really think about how it works through their organs. Horse's don't want to go down and unless they are already pretty far gone most will fight the injection. It's awful.

My last mare was shot and she was dead instantly but it took 15mins for her heart to stop beating. I can't begin to imagine how traumatic and distressing it would have been for her to have been injected and fought it.

Before she was pts the vet was trying to get me to change my mind as the injection would be less upsetting for me etc. I really don't care about me, my horses get the best from the moment they arrive with me until they leave and IMO having them pts quickly, painlessly and with their dignity is the main thing.
 
I agree Shiraz, the Injection can be a very very long, slow and suffering death! At least when shot the horse is dead and put out of pain asap, The twitching is just the body's way of shutting down!

If you have ever watched a horse have a heart attack its much the same, the horse is dead but still twitching for a while after!

Id have mine shot over injection any day! mine are both fine with injection's, but I couldn't forgive myself if they fought it as many do! If they were almost gone and It seemed right there could be a slight possiblity for mine to have LI but they would have to be pretty bad for me to agree.
 
I had to make this decision last year but my horse was teriffied of vets and needles, so it would have caused far more distress to him to go for the injection so i went with the gun. It wasn't the vets who did it as they don 't hold a gun at the surgery and would have had to get the people out who did it for me anyway. They were very good with him.

Whether i'd go for this option agian, probabaly, but i think it all depends on the horse.
 
i'd go for shooting everytime, but it's interesting hearing everyone saying they'd want the hunt - i'd never even thought about not having a vet, but i can see how much sense it makes. i'm a vet student, and have to say i hope i don't get to have that much experience shooting! i tend to think that the injection is more for the owners benefit. i've never known a horse that was injected, but the horses that i've seen shot all were dead before they hit the floor. i may become pathetic when the time comes and want injection for my own benefit, but its an ordeal giving my mare a flu jab, so def wouldn't be possible for her, and i think my boy would be the type to fight the effects. i'd much rather they were gone quickly without knowing anything was wrong, than risk an injection going wrong.
 
Just to add our old Appy had seen the gun before, her friend had gone down in the box next to her and was shot where she lay, with old Appy still in the box next door, able to see it all. When it came to her turn she weldomed the visitor and had no apparent precognition of what would occur next. He brought a food bucket with him, he fed her, shot her and she died eating. The best death possible.
 
My old showjumper was sedated, led into a lorry with a feed then shot by a knackerman without even realising what was happening. He thought he was going off to a show.
It was really calm, quick and very professionaL. I cried of course but I feel that it was the least stressful method all round.
 
Since people are asking how can shooting go wrong, the horse I had shot was scared of needles so there was no choice, we used an experienced knacker man recommended by the vets, but even so, for some reason, the horse lost the plot, he was rearing and pulling all over the place, the knackerman could not safely place the gun near his head, it took ages, and it was extremely distressing for everyone involved.

I am not arguing that therefore injections are always problem free, just that things can go wrong either way.
 
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I don't understand how people say they've seen the shooting go wrong? It has an immediate effect and IMO is the best for the animal, they don't know what's coming. Going "wrong" is more likely the owner being distressed by the mess and twitching afterwards. Not even going to pretend it's not upsetting but the horse is gone by that point painlessly

I think the injection is more for the owners "comfort" and find it quite cruel when you really think about how it works through their organs. Horse's don't want to go down and unless they are already pretty far gone most will fight the injection. It's awful.



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I have used both and have no real 'preference' - but EITHER can go wrong if not done by competent people. I have had the vet put down horses and it has always been extremely peaceful - he sedates before giving the lethal injection - and they have gone down very quietly. I have also had horses shot by hunt staff - the last one got spooked and they spent 10 minutes getting him calm and settled and used to them before the deed was done.

I have a mare to put down once her foal is weaned (she has heart failure and won't see another winter) and she will be put down by the vet by injection as she is very nervous with strangers and a bit head shy.
 
I've had three put to sleep in a very short space of time.

1st by shooting (vet) which I stayed for. It was quick and I really don't think she knew what was happening.
2nd by injection, again I stayed for this. It wasn't as quick and the horse did react to the injection. I found this experience the most distressing for both me and the horse.
3rd by shooting (vet again) but I didn't stay - he knew the vet well so I didn't feel I was leaving him with a stranger.

So hopefully, it will be a long long time before I have to make the decision again but I'm 99% sure I'd go with shooting.
 
I had one of my old girls shot at the vets after she broke her knee and it was quick and she was out of pain immedialtly whereas I had my precious mare injected when she became desperatly ill and it went wrong, she fought the injection and struggled and only stopped when I pushed the vet out of the way grabbed her head and spoke to her, she cocked her ear toward me and relaxed and died in my arms, it was the most traumatic thing I have ever dealt with and although it was two years ago it still haunts me so< I pray its a very long time away, it'll be the gun for her son.
This gives me a lump in my throat just thinking about it.
 
I think the gun so long as it is done by a competent person. The twitching and blood afterwards isn't pretty, but however you do it, it's not going to be a pleasant experience. I think its your final duty to the horse to get it over with as quickly and painlessly as possible and depending on where you are at the time and what your horse is like, you have to decide which is the best way to do it when the time comes.

Only had to witness this once, we chose the gun, not least because it was for us the quickest option which was important with darkness falling. We wouldn't have to wait for the vet to come out and we wanted his suffering over as soon as possible. Please let it be a long time before I have to go through it again.
 
I don't understand how people say they've seen the shooting go wrong? It has an immediate effect and IMO is the best for the animal, they don't know what's coming

either can go wrong of course!!!!
as i said my friends horse was shot-it didnt kill him the first time and he had to be shot again, obviously he was in even more distress, thrashing about,scared and in more pain at that point and it made it very hard all round.
 
Booboos that happened with a friend of mine's mare, and it was just so utterly traumatic. The mare was led outside, not by my friend but by strangers as the friend couldn't face it. mare lost the plot and went loopy, it took three shots to finish her, there blood everywhere. It was a thoroughly terrifying and undignified end to a good horse and I've found it hard to forgive the friend and the huntsman.
 
I had my 36 year old pony put to sleep by injection. I would not consider anything else as the whole event was very peaceful and quick. When the vet left and before he was collected I allowed my other horses to go and see him. Their reaction was interesting, some sniffed him and then turned away while one who was always scared of him still seemed nervous and sniffed a hoof. Having had him since he was 4 it was the only way I could contemplate parting with an old friend whose quality of life had gone.
 
The huntsman's gun, every time.

Have known two awful occasions with horses whereby the injection went horrifically wrong, and I could never, ever put mine through that. Have also known two dogs where the injection went wrong
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Shot every time.

Had a weanling shot by the vet when she broke the top of her back leg in the field in the middle of Jan one year. And had my old pony (40yrs) and my mums old horse shot by the knacker man, they were eating corn when it happened and that was the last they knew. I agree you owe it to your horse to get it done as quick and painless as possible.

 
We found our 30yr old shire cross with colic the last thursday & wondered if we would have to make the decision having not really thought alot about it before. Luckly shes recovered well & weve discussed that if any of our horses need 2 be put down in the future it will be by injection.
 
I thought you might be interested in my comments about shooting V injection. I had a horse put to sleep by shooting (he was five and had a compound fracture of his tibia breaking his leg playing in the field). I saw the vet walk over to him and shake his head and I walked off as the yard owner was holding him for the vet and I had said my goodbyes (it is very important not to get upset in front of your horse, no sobbing and clinging onto his neck - horses are not stupid despite what we may like to think). My dad met me at the top of the field out of sight of the horse and I shouted to my Dad that my horse was being shot, and Dad who was hard of hearing said "what?". As it started to shout my reply I heard a shot. ten to fifteen seconds later I heard a second shot. It was blantantly obvious to me that the first shot had not killed my horse outright and common sense tells me that when my horse heard my voice he moved his head at the last minute. It was very distressing for all concerened and the vet tried to cover up by telling me that all big horses (Miki was 16.3hh) are shot again to make sure. I now know this NOT to be true. That is my own personal experience of shooting. I have spoken to my vet about this issue gun against needle and have been told that which ever you choose the horse is dead before they hit the ground. Sadly in my horses case it was not to be. I also had another horse Rommy put down by injection at Liverpool Hospital (see Wobblers post). I had a few minutes before with him to say goodbye and again I did not shed a tear although it was very hard, and lied to him and told him we were going jumping at the weekend (his favourtie thing ever as he loved his jumping) and I had to lead him into the put down box as he would not go in with the nurse as he was frightened which haunted me for months afterwards. I was not allowed to be present (the consultant said it was because he was too unsteady on his feet but I think it was really to spare my feelings). Again I said my goodbyes told him I loved him and the deed was done. I asked that I could go and see him afterwards and I went into the put down box with my dad and Rommy was lying on the floor. I bent down and stroked his neck and he let out a huge groan immediately followed by two more. I found it deeply upsetting and was very distraught but I was also in shock as I was convinced he would only be at the hospital a week or two and then be coming home. I was suprised that no one had bothered to spk to me about this being a possible outcome of euthanasia but I can understand that they did not consider that this might have happened or that I had not experienced it before. His belly was also flicking up and down. I was assured he was dead and I know that he was but the body shutting down on such a large animal takes time and is distressing to watch. I would never insist on seeing my horse after it had been put down again and for obvious reasons would not have wanted to had he been shot but I thought it would be of some comfort to me - people who have been through this experience will understand where I am coming from. Liverpool were very good to me about the whole thing and I do not bear any grudges but maybe people can read this and bear this in mind should a thing be an option for them.
 
I had my last mare despatched by the hunt. I wasn't there. I couldn't be.

When Ronnie's time comes he will go the same way. I want it to be over with quickly. As he's such a spanner I'd imagine sedating him first might be best. I won't be there. I've thought about this a lot lately due to a lovely horse on the yard being PTS last week. Haven't forgiven myself for not being there for Cass in her final minutes, but I know I couldn't have been and I still wouldn't. I would cause more distress by being so upset. Each to their own.
 
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