The topic of PTS

Been there for two both were done by the injection. First one was my 35 year old pony who after being ill for several years came to the point where he couldn't stand up any longer and seemed to have given in. Second was my 3 year old who we believe to have had grass sickness we had the choice to either force her to stand up and try to make her better or to use the injection we chose to let her go. I have never used a bullet just because it is easier for the vet to come and inject the horse and would always stay with my horse until the end.
 
I have owned three horses, one of which is my current one.

I have had two PTS. One by injection and one shot. I was there for both and the method was right for each, although it took me a lot longer to get over the gun method.
 
Wagtail said:
I don't understand why so many are against the injection but yet would let their horse have a general anaesthetic for an operation. The horse feels exactly the same. I have watched my child go under GA too many times. Even as a sixteen year old he had panic in his eyes just as the injection hit him. But when questioned afterwards he says he doesn't remember feeling apprehensive. The vet who I questioned about it last time I had a horse PTS said that horses act exactly the same for a GA as they do for lethal injection. We should try not to read too much into their expressions. I know it's hard.
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Nothing to do with the horses' expressions.
The Section A hated injections all her life, had been treated for lami and the vet came on the last day and gave her yet another injection. She objected strongly, with all her body, not jsut her eyes.
The ID was quite happy to be injected normally, she had had an injection every day for a week with no problem. She had septicaemia and was barely able to stand, as the injection went in, she tried to rear.
I will do all I can to never have another one PTS by injection, when they are shot with their heads in a bucket, they know absolutely nothing about it.

And I am unlikely to ever have a horse have a GA but if I did, I would hope that the horse would live to forget about the panic as it went under. I really don't want any of my horses to experience panic in their last moments.
 
To many to count.

In the last 5 years I have had one brood mare die (uterine haemorrhage) and seven put down by the hunt.
This is a lot but all had good reason for going on.
Old hunter that was lame on all four with poor feet and arthritis. Brood mare that had been retired and was having problems getting up and lying down, 3 yr old that severed his deep flexor tendon, mare with advanced navicular, elderly mare that had a bad colic (she had a tumour in her gut) and a mare that was having pelvic problems after breaking it a few years ago. She was having more and more trouble in getting up and frequently suffered from a trapped sciatic nerve.

Of these seven I was present when they all went on and with all bar two I was present at their birth.

They had good lives and good deaths.
 
I had my boy pts in june- by bullet as i think its easier by the horse, although definitely not for the owner. He was sedated first, also personal preference. I would always do it this way if possible- the vet was relieved i'd asked for bullet in all honesty, apparently it is not common in the area im in at the moment (im at uni) but the bullet is common place at home (lincolnshire) i think because its more of a farming community.

I said it at the time and I stand by it- they are luckier than we are for sure.
 
For me first to be with. Family experiences all PTS by hunt. I bucked the usual shooting and went for injection. Cost me a lot £278 removal and bill vet £195. Either method I could have done though. I did question myself as it was expensive did that mean it might be better but no I imagine both are instant when it happens. So quick.

Good advice from strangers on here and friends I opted injection.
Worried it would all go wrong ie horse tanks off although good boy.

I had to be there and was. It was so awful booking, waiting for the time and vet to arrive.

In some ways I cant forget the deed itself, how my horse trusted me 100% and kept looking at vet with suspicion and me telling horse what a good boy he was. Utter betrayal.

However am now thinking I could not have let anyone else deal with him(I had offers but by overriding sense of duty, my horse, my responsibility was quite overwhelming) I needed to make sure he was OK and didnt want anyone else making it up ..if it had gone wrong etc.

I cant get the image of him having the sedation and just dozing off in front of me. The apple being greedily gobbled up to little nibbles on second apple which he never finished.

But the peaceful and gone, loading the body was the easy bit. I didnt find that hard at all.

But that was my experience and I know this sounds odd but I could do it again and could hold someone elses horse. I do deal with humans and I always think of it as the last honorable thing to do for someone. Perhaps the same applies to pets as well. I feel so sad when I think of him though, still raw it was beginning of September (only know as its on bill). I truely take an interest and feel for anyone doing this now if someone posts on here. The forum has been very therapeutic for me in a way and most of us strangers. So thank you.
 
I've only had one that actually belonged to me pts, & I opted for the gun. I've also been there with 9 others. A few belonging to friends, 2 I worked with, & the others I had very close involvement with although on paper, not strictly mine. I like to be there till the end. The first horse I saw die was when I was 14 by injection. There's no doubt the vet made errors, the other injections I've witnessed were nothing like his death. But the memory stays with me, he took far too long to die, & its put me off the injection. Everytime I hold a horse being injected, I fear a repeat of his death. I stay with a horse partly to satisfy myself it was quick. But also because I owe it to them. I wouldn't judge someone who didn't stay though, provided the horse is with someone its happy with. But for me, I like to stay.
 
I was there when my TB mare was PTS by injection and when a friend's gelding was shot.

When my girl was put to sleep, she went down as she would in her stable and it was all very calm and peaceful thankfully. I just managed to keep my emotions under control while she was being injected despite being absolutely heartbroken. I sobbed uncontrollably when she had gone :(

When my friend's horse was shot it was traumatic because he seemed to have a convulsion and didn't go down straight away.

Because of my personal experience, I'd always go down the injection route.
 
I have had 2 PTS by injection

1st elderly mare who had colic- twisted gut, colic started at 9am and she was PTS by 4pm. Very quick, quiet and peaceful. I stayed with her the whole time and when her body was taken away.

2nd elderly gelding who had organ failure, he was sick and deterioating over 3 months, it took me along time to come to terms with the fact he couldnt be saved. He fought the injection which was awful but I dont regret having him injected, I stayed with him the whole time.

Have told current yard my horse is to be injected in the event of an emergency and would always choose this method.
 
Just one, my own, and I was there for the whole thing.
Originally I wanted him to go to the hunt, but he was unwell when he went, and the drugs he'd been on from the vet meant he would have to be withheld.
I went for the injection, as I don't think I would have dealt with the gun and I wanted to be with him (Selfish probably I know).
It was horrendously unpleasant, he went up and crashed, but I knew he had gone fairly instantly, you could see it in his eyes. The old beggar (27) fought everything so it was pretty typical really.
He is buried at home, so I got lots of time with him, and then set up his final bed myself and held him as they lowered him in, which was so important for me.
I'll do the same for Ridge, would insist he was seriously sedated, but he's not such a fighter either, he's a much calmer, quieter personality.
I think it's different for every owner, and every horse, and TBH Jake probably wouldn't have cared if it was me or someone else, but it was important for me. Ridge would stress if it was someone else, he's a real mummy's boy.
But it's a choice, and it's important you make the right choice for yourself
 
I have been present with 3 of my horses.

The first was my TB when he fell and severed his leg on a hack. The emergency vet came out and shot him. I was 17 and it was probably one of the most traumatic events of my life. However, the vet was very kind, told me to walk away (I couldn't leave him) and also reassured me that he was not in any pain as obviously nerve endings were severed.

The second was a gorgeous loan pony from a wonderful family who sadly collapsed and died with her head in my lap before the vet could pts. I sat and held her for some time afterwards. I was heartbroken and sadly so were the family who had loved her dearly for a long time.

The third was my horse of a lifetime Henesy who was pts by injection by my lovely vet with real compassion. I stayed with that lad the whole time and my vet was just wonderful. It was calm, peaceful, stress free for my lad and done in his field with the sun on his back. While I lay with him afterwards my vet cut his tail hair and made me a plait to keep.

It is so hard, but unfortunately part of life's cycle.
 
Flame_ said:
I held Flamey. The other two I've had put down were done between my ex-YO (farmer) and vets, and vets at horsepital respectively.

The first one I was a teenager and told I should leave it to them. I was happy with that, they were all people whose competence I trusted. The second was down the other end of the country and me going to join in and prat about instead of letting the vets get on with it just seemed pointless tbh. i think people like to big up the sentimentality really, as long as the horse is held by someone calm and professional I doubt they give a monkeys whether they're with their owner or not, its not like they know they're being put down, is it? I suppose its worse when say horses are kept at home and only used to being handled by one person, my horses are all used to being handled by various yard staff.

I don't like some posts on these threads, its like they try to make people feel guilty if they don't hang round with their horse until it dies. :confused:
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Agree with this - I left my horse with my very experienced, trustworthy YO when he was shot. My last memories of him are of turning him out in his field and him wandering off in the morning sunshine. He was only 8 young and beautiful but had Wobblers. My mother was about to go in for a major operation and I had to go back home to be with her anyway. I remember waiting with my mum and my sister and sick to my stomach for the text from the YO to say he had gone.

Don't tell me I don't love and respect my horses any less than you because I couldn't face watching him fall dead to the ground.
 
When it came to it I couldn't do it. my friend who he loved and trusted did it for me. I'd spent all day fighting to get him through colic and I was so hysterical and emotionally drained when I made the decision to let him go I wouldn't have served him well by holding him. I had a good bye cuddle and walked away and collapsed.
 
Flame_ said:
I held Flamey. The other two I've had put down were done between my ex-YO (farmer) and vets, and vets at horsepital respectively.

The first one I was a teenager and told I should leave it to them. I was happy with that, they were all people whose competence I trusted. The second was down the other end of the country and me going to join in and prat about instead of letting the vets get on with it just seemed pointless tbh. i think people like to big up the sentimentality really, as long as the horse is held by someone calm and professional I doubt they give a monkeys whether they're with their owner or not, its not like they know they're being put down, is it? I suppose its worse when say horses are kept at home and only used to being handled by one person, my horses are all used to being handled by various yard staff.

I don't like some posts on these threads, its like they try to make people feel guilty if they don't hang round with their horse until it dies. :confused:
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No Flame I think you should do what's right for you and your horse in the situation. everyone looks on it differently some can be there some want the last memory as one of the horse alive.

IMO

This is my personally view having seen and heard many shots in my time:
  • I would want my horse to pass on to the next world in my arms.
  • I want to be able to cuddle her/him to the end and they know I am there.
  • I would always use injection.
  • I would always be there to the end
  • I would always cremate and have individual ashes back
  • I would always check the truck to make sure it is spotless before my horse put into their hearse(truck)



  • I don't want the last memory of my horse as a gun shot sound and feeling him drop to the ground
  • The possibility of blood splats on myself.
  • Seeing a trail of blood on the ground going into where the lorry was.
  • Have the hunt take them
  • Have them ending up as dog s*1t
 
Leviathan said:
No Flame I think you should do what's right for you and your horse in the situation. everyone looks on it differently some can be there some want the last memory as one of the horse alive.

IMO

This is my personally view having seen and heard many shots in my time:
  • I would want my horse to pass on to the next world in my arms.
  • I want to be able to cuddle her/him to the end and they know I am there.
  • I would always use injection.
  • I would always be there to the end
  • I would always cremate and have individual ashes back



  • I don't want the last memory of my horse as a gun shot sound and feeling him drop to the ground
  • The possibility of blood splats on myself.
  • Seeing a trail of blood on the ground going into where the lorry was.
  • Have the hunt take them
  • Have them ending up as dog s*1t
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I think your above post is really rude and direspectful to those who have had their horses shot, by the hunt or not. You're contradicting yourself by saying you have to do whats right by you and your horse, and then going on to slag off the only other method of PTS.

I've experienced both, thankfully none of my own horses, and I don't know what method I'd use, it would depend entirely on the horse and the circumstances.

Either method is upsetting for the owner. I don't think it's fair to judge.
 
It does not matter really how its done injection or shot personally I hate them injected having seen my first horse done that way it was awful not dignified not peaceful at all .
What matter is that as an owner you accept that one day you may well in the position where you have to take the desision to do this .
I always chose to be there only once have I opted to go , it's not wrong at all to opt not to be there the last thing the horse needs is an emotional and upset owner present ,the stress of staying calm and normal often makes me throw up after I totally understand why people opt not to be there.
 
Leviathan - sorry after reading it back, I didn't mean to pick on you, hope you don't take it offensively.
 
Wagtail said:
I don't understand why so many are against the injection but yet would let their horse have a general anaesthetic for an operation. The horse feels exactly the same. I have watched my child go under GA too many times. Even as a sixteen year old he had panic in his eyes just as the injection hit him. But when questioned afterwards he says he doesn't remember feeling apprehensive. The vet who I questioned about it last time I had a horse PTS said that horses act exactly the same for a GA as they do for lethal injection. We should try not to read too much into their expressions. I know it's hard.
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for an operation you have no choice but for pts you do!
 
ABC what a nasty post

working at a vets with equine vets who prefer to use the gun over injection (these are the people with most experience of both methods) i could offer many replies and incidents to support their thinking but it would be tackless and thoughtless.

everyone has to make the best decision for them and their situation. i do agree with previous posts about the owner not having to be there, i don't know that i could/would hold mine if there was a choice but i am lucky in that i could ask many different friends who work in animal medicine to assist the vet, i think the person holding just needs to be cool calm and collect to reassure the horse and be of assistance to the vet if needed
 
I am getting really puzzled, and quite upset by the number of people who say how bad the injection is. All three that I witnessed were very quick and peaceful. But now I'm worried that my chosen method may not be so peaceful when it comes to having my mare PTS. A horse that I love more than any other I have known. I couldn't bear to have a hole put through her beautiful head and have heard horror stories of it going wrong and them having to shoot the horse a second time. But equally, I don't want a struggle with the injection. I think all these horror stories do no good. Both methods, when done correctly, are quick. I just hope I have my mare for a good while yet, but she is having one problem after another. I just find posts telling of bad experiences with either method upsetting.
 
I agree Wagtail.

I don't know, but it is my belief that the method is less important than confidence in the experience and competence of the person doing the job, except in the case of say needle or headshy horses. I don't personally know the hunt servants, but I know my vet and believe he's good at his job so wanted him, with whichever method he preferred.
 
I would always choose the knackerman/hunt with a gun over the vet with a needle (had two done this way). After having seen one shot, it was dead before you even heard the bang from the gun. Quick and painless.

First of my horses shot needed doing there and then - had badly mangled leg. He hated vets and needles, so was by far the best option for disposing of him. Knackerman literally five mins drive away.

Second had to be destroyed for medical reasons, so the local hunt came to do it (different livery yard). I love hunting, and unfortuatly never got chance to take this one. By going to the hunt she was making a contribution towards the hounds.

Its also cheaper to have them shot than it is injection, as the meat can go into animal feed, and presumably the hooves/mane into other useful products. This is what I want for my animals, not a large box of ashes.
 
ABC said:
I think your above post is really rude and direspectful to those who have had their horses shot, by the hunt or not. You're contradicting yourself by saying you have to do whats right by you and your horse, and then going on to slag off the only other method of PTS.

I've experienced both, thankfully none of my own horses, and I don't know what method I'd use, it would depend entirely on the horse and the circumstances.

Either method is upsetting for the owner. I don't think it's fair to judge.
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My comment said IMO MY personal view. I would NEVER EVER judge someones views on termination, I have had many friends and liveries. ALL of which they chose a different end some the hunt some knacker man some have all the ashes back some just a small amount . That is there choices and I respect and would not judge.

I am entitled to think this way its how I feel about MY choice of euthanasia or My horses no way is this disrespect others views on what they choose . I respect EVERYONE'S view on what they do whether they stay with the horse or which choices THEY make.


Spring Feather said:
How many horses have you personally had PTS and what are your thoughts on being there at the end with them?
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People do what they wants as I said to Flame above I did NO way slag off other ways my opening statement said IMO my personal view.

At the end of the day we all see a horses end of life differently and how they choose to end it by means of gun or injection
burial or cremation- huntsman .
ALL is personal choices and personal views. I just expressed my views based on my horses.

NO way is better - right or wrong indifferent or correct.

This thread was started by OP to ask whats everyone's PERSONAL view. I said mine.
no offense



[QUOTE Originally Posted by Wagtail ]I am getting really puzzled, and quite upset by the number of people who say how bad the injection is. All three that I witnessed were very quick and peaceful. But now I'm worried that my chosen method may not be so peaceful when it comes to having my mare PTS. A horse that I love more than any other I have known. I couldn't bear to have a hole put through her beautiful head and have heard horror stories of it going wrong and them having to shoot the horse a second time. But equally, I don't want a struggle with the injection. I think all these horror stories do no good. Both methods, when done correctly, are quick. I just hope I have my mare for a good while yet, but she is having one problem after another. I just find posts telling of bad experiences with either method upsetting.[/QUOTE]

Both my horses were done by injection they went VERY peacefully .

another recently was done injection and the owner said it was so peaceful.

There are many bad experiences with gun and injection.

Personally I have seen NONE with injection go wrong where as I have with the gun ( one of which the brain came out as the horse moved) . I am not saying that some do fight the injection I am just saying I have not witnessed any.
 
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Wagtail said:
I am getting really puzzled, and quite upset by the number of people who say how bad the injection is. All three that I witnessed were very quick and peaceful. But now I'm worried that my chosen method may not be so peaceful when it comes to having my mare PTS. A horse that I love more than any other I have known. I couldn't bear to have a hole put through her beautiful head and have heard horror stories of it going wrong and them having to shoot the horse a second time. But equally, I don't want a struggle with the injection. I think all these horror stories do no good. Both methods, when done correctly, are quick. I just hope I have my mare for a good while yet, but she is having one problem after another. I just find posts telling of bad experiences with either method upsetting.
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Don't read them wagtail.
 
Wagtail said:
I am getting really puzzled, and quite upset by the number of people who say how bad the injection is. All three that I witnessed were very quick and peaceful. But now I'm worried that my chosen method may not be so peaceful when it comes to having my mare PTS. A horse that I love more than any other I have known. I couldn't bear to have a hole put through her beautiful head and have heard horror stories of it going wrong and them having to shoot the horse a second time. But equally, I don't want a struggle with the injection. I think all these horror stories do no good. Both methods, when done correctly, are quick. I just hope I have my mare for a good while yet, but she is having one problem after another. I just find posts telling of bad experiences with either method upsetting.
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I have also seen horses shot twice or missed and bullet came out the ear causing brain to come out .
I also do not want a hole in her skull.
as I said I have not witnessed any bad injection
.

MY PERSONAL VIEW.

My horses get injections all the time flu jab etc so its no different for them.

But I understand some are bad with injections so this means wont be possible.
 
Brevity does have the right effect on second reading of my last comment , what I was trying to say is I know you are worried about your mare so at the moment I would avoid threads like this one I did not mean my comment above in any way nastily.
 
I was with mine until the end, but I couldn't be there when they were taken away. The picture of watching them bring winched up was something I didn't want to have stuck in my mind. I had individual cremation and after 1 & 2 years I still have the ashes, but I now feel able to bury or scatter them.
 
I have mine shot, have been there right to the end for them and many other horses belonging to others; never had any problems with any of them, very quick and peaceful for them. While I have them I love them dearly but I'm too practical to bother with cremation or ashes back (mine go to hounds so not an option anyway) and I would rather spend that money on necessities on what I consider a waste of money but I don't begrudge anyone doing it if that is what they need to do for themselves but at the same time, I don't think anyone should be made to feel almost guilty if they don't spend a lot of money on having that done. It's only come into being since pet crems have sprung up everywhere so it annoys me no end that others are made to pay dearly for a waste product which makes a profit for the crem owners at a time when they are so upset to lose their horse/pet, it's easy pickings for them.
 
Just the one, my first horse and it was extremely hard as it was my first experience of a horse being PTS.

I vowed to stay with him until the end, I felt like I owed him that much and couldn't bear the guilt of leaving him alone or with a stranger. He'd been there for me so I had to be there for him.

It's a very sensitive subject, I only lost mine 3 months ago and I haven't spoke of it properly to anyone as I simply can't. This forum is a massive help as I feel I can talk on here and people understand the grief.

People who go through it I admire, I found the actual PTS not too difficult... But hard to watch, it's the after part of coming to terms with the loss that is the worst part.

I thoroughly miss my boy. I know it was the right choice but it doesn't stop the heart ache.
 
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