To put down or not? head and heart fighting!

Unfortunatley, I cannot affor to retire and keep a horse if I want to have a second riding horse. My children are getting to an age where I can start to have a life again and do more riding - I want to hunt, hack, pleasure rides, small SJ/XC etc.
Head says he is never going to be sound enough to manage what I want to do. Heart says he is a gutsy horse, very gritty, is not hobbling and certainly loving life, bute hime, give him some time and see how he goes.
Meanwhile, I have nothing to ride, cannot afford to keep another horse and am flailing back and forth on what is best for me and the horse

I HAVE READ THE POST - SHE CANT AFFORD TO KEEP A HORSE IF SHE WANTS ANOTHER RIDING HORSE - SHE HAS NOTHING TO RIDE - POOR HER!
 
My heart goes out to you, last week I had to take the decision to have my beloved gelding PTS, he was only 10, and I miss him so very much. He had developed arthritis in his neck which resulted in High Grade Wobblers due to impingement on the spinal cord.

I had taken him to the vet for X rays(which revealed the condition) and I asked the vets to be completely honest with me as to whether he should be PTS, they said try him on steroid pills first, so we did, they didn't work.

Although my horse looked well in himself and hadn't dropped weight, I had to look at the bigger picture, winter is coming, he will struggle in the mud, he definitely was in pain and he was NOT going to get better. It was the hardest thing I have ever had to do, but that is purely on a selfish level, as I wanted him to continue to be in my life. He was PTS by our vet at home and according to my OH, who held him for the injection, he dropped to the floor before the third syringe had emptied, and he now us no longer in pain.

A friend said something very wise to me, "better a month too early, than a day too late".

Good luck in whatever you decide.
 
I think for your long term peace of mind you need to know you have done all you could for your horse. Give him the chance to come right he deserves it.

Its hard when this happens I currently have a field ornament who I don't know yet if he will be able to come back to full work. I personally couldn't live with myself if I didn't even try. I think you should follow your heart.
 
'Family life is no reason to put a horse down',
I am afraid your family especailly children have to come first for most mothers.
Three weeks ago I had my daughters TB PTS, he had not had a very good summer and was getting less mobile in the field. Although I miss him I was there when he died and know he went quickly with no stress, he had lethal injection.
I could have kept him going for longer but the options diminish the longer it goes on. Animals live in the moment whilist we try and foresee the future and my daughter and I had worried about him for the last two years. If you decide to let him go try not to beat your self up he has obviously has had the best of care.
 
rachmacypixie111 said:
Does anyone agree with anything I have said?

If PTS is an option - why isnt re-home, even as a companion an option?
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In my opinion it would be very irresponsible of this owner to rehome this horse with a chronic and possibly painful condition. It would be much fairer to ensure he is never in pain again by being put to sleep.

Loans go wrong all the time and I have personal experience of a lame horse I rehomed being starved. Rescuing him was an emotional nightmare, not to mention the cost.

You have a starry eyed view of rehoming old and infirm horses, sorry.
 
cptrayes said:
In my opinion it would be very irresponsible of this owner to rehome this horse with a chronic and possibly painful condition. It would be much fairer to ensure he is never in pain again by being put to sleep.

Loans go wrong all the time and I have personal experience of a lame horse I rehomed being starved. Rescuing him was an emotional nightmare, not to mention the cost.

You have a starry eyed view of rehoming old and infirm horses, sorry.
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I absolutely and completely agree with everything you have said.
 
amymay said:
I absolutely and completely agree with everything you have said.
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Ditto, and on top of this one of the reason these sort of horses shouldn't be rehomed is that they may end up with a rachpixie type person who obviously doesn't have a clue about horse welfare and would try and keep the animal alive (under the very best of intensions I'm sure) yet add to the suffering.

OP, horrid decision to have to make, but IMO a brave and correct one. Let him go in dignity and then when you feel ready find something else.
 
cptrayes said:
In my opinion it would be very irresponsible of this owner to rehome this horse with a chronic and possibly painful condition. It would be much fairer to ensure he is never in pain again by being put to sleep.

Loans go wrong all the time and I have personal experience of a lame horse I rehomed being starved. Rescuing him was an emotional nightmare, not to mention the cost.

You have a starry eyed view of rehoming old and infirm horses, sorry.
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Agree too.
 
Gosh, what a hard decision to make :( I really hope you can find the right choice for you and your horse.
I know some people are selfish and do PTS just because they can't compete anymore (It happened at my yard, a woman put her horse down because it couldn't jump anymore, but it could still go on fantastic hacks) but I really don't think this is the case here.

I'm sending you good vibes!
 
cptrayes said:
In my opinion it would be very irresponsible of this owner to rehome this horse with a chronic and possibly painful condition. It would be much fairer to ensure he is never in pain again by being put to sleep.

Loans go wrong all the time and I have personal experience of a lame horse I rehomed being starved. Rescuing him was an emotional nightmare, not to mention the cost.

You have a starry eyed view of rehoming old and infirm horses, sorry.
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Absolutley agree with this. My mare came to me looking like a toast rack as they dealer thought he could treat a TB the same way he did his cobs (chucked out for the winter with no extra feed, hay etc...) There is absolutley no way i would let her go to someone else as a non-ridden companion in case she ended up in the same state agan. I'd rather have her PTS at home with me knowing she was cared for, even if she may have gone on to live longer as a companion, than sell/loan her and to see her in that state again. I could live with myself knowing she was looked after before the end, i'd never forgive myself if she was neglected when i could have done something. I've heard too many horror stories about this kind of thing happening.
 
Blaise said:
Absolutley agree with this. My mare came to me looking like a toast rack as they dealer thought he could treat a TB the same way he did his cobs (chucked out for the winter with no extra feed, hay etc...) There is absolutley no way i would let her go to someone else as a non-ridden companion in case she ended up in the same state agan. I'd rather have her PTS at home with me knowing she was cared for, even if she may have gone on to live longer as a companion, than sell/loan her and to see her in that state again. I could live with myself knowing she was looked after before the end, i'd never forgive myself if she was neglected when i could have done something. I've heard too many horror stories about this kind of thing happening.
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Exactly, there is no compassion in prolonging suffering and keeping a horse alive when it is not in its best interests to do so, it is often kept going for the owner rather than the horse. Death is a blessed release for some horses.
 
I completely understand the awful position that the OP is in, have been there.

However, I would ask her to consider the pressures she is under in respect of her next horse. If time precludes bringing a horse back into work, then as sure as hell time will be an issue getting a horse fit to hunt and maintaining fitness.

I am bringing an unfit horse back up at the mo, doubt will we hunt until 2012!
 
Terrible situation to be in and probably not the best worded post. I feel for you OP.

Only you know your horse and if he is in pain, if he is in pain or needs long term pain relief then I can understand the pts option, tough decision but I wouldn't bring the thought of another horse into the equation, it will only make you feel guilty and like you are losing one for the other.

Good luck and speak to your vets again xx
 
OP, when you are reading some of the more critical posts just remember that if you had posted that the horse was 35, had severe cushings with constant laminitis, couldn't hold weight & had suffered several colics in the last 6 months there would still be someone slagging off a PTS decision.
 
Having a horse PTS is never an easy decision and being emotionally involved obviously clouds judgement as you are always looking for the "miracle cure" as you love the animal and want what's best for it.

I have seen many people struggle on with lame/old horses for 1,2,3 years too long in my opinion as they don't want to "let go" and the goal posts move as to what you deem acceptable for the horse to do - e.g "well he's only taking an hour to walk to the field now and this is better than before." One friend's horse was in such pain with a chronically displaced pelvis that the vet wanted to PTS immediately but she kept him another week as she couldn't face it and was histerical when the time came though the horse practically collapsed as he was led out of his stable. I still don't know how bad he needed to be suffering before she got a grip of herself.

I live on my partner's farm and for him it's easy as if the animal can no longer do the job it's required (whatever animal it is) then it goes and ideally re homing your horse to somewhere he can rest would be ideal and you could get one to ride but how likely is this in the current market?? Not very I'm sure.

You have to be happy with your decision, whatever it is as there will always be those who disagree with you but they are not in your shoes. I had an 8 year old hunter PTS as he developed navicular which deteriorated so quickly he went from hobbling around the field to standing at the gate with his head down. This was before the surgery was more popular and the vet's words were, "you can bute him up to prolong his useful life." My answer? "Sorry, that's not good enough for my horse, buted up for life at the expense of his internal organs so I can ride him and not have someone report me to RSPCA when he can't walk round the field without tripping up."

I personally think his lameness has been only short term and you should continue to try to get to the bottom of it but only you will know when the time comes if you have exhausted all avenues and can make the decision that's best for your horse and you at that time and sod everyone else.
 
hello all, once again thanks for your comment - well, nearly all of them, - could have done without the swearing!!

I have a smiley face this evening. The thermal imaging reprt has come back. There is a lot going on allover him but it looks like he has something acute going on in both hocks which is making him not able to felx them, theresore he cannot use his back or carry a rider properly which has resulted in over using his fronts to compensate, resulting in tendonitis resulting in compensating with his hinds resulting in suspensory damage ......Is there any way of attaching the document - it is facinating to look at and read.

Am waiting for my vet to come back from holidays next week to look at the report but in the meantime I am throwing everything at him - adequin, back masage, magnet rug, magnet boots on front and on hocks, bute, careful shoeing - you name it I am throwing it at him. I will then re-assess with my vet and hope she will look at injecting the hocks. Funnily enough, he has had his hocks x-rayed and they came back clear but from the thermal image it is easy to see there is a lot of heat in that area!!

Anyway - I know we are not out of the woods yet but I am feeling a lot more positive that we have a chance to get him right. :D

I have to add that although most of the posts have been very helpful some have bee very judgemental about me when you know nothing about me - I also own a mare who was diagnosed 18 months ago with srthritus in the neck and it was decided it was not safe to ride her again - I know if I 're-homed' her, as she is a beautiful mare with lovely movements, someone might bute her and work her. I knew this was not right for her so kept her, have bred her and have just sold her beautiful foal. I still have the mare and if it comes to it I will PTS rather than find her a companion home because unfortunatley I cannot trust other people not to do the best by her.

I also lost a 5 yr old horse 18 months ago - with a fractured and rotated navicular bone. Intermittant lameness. Again every concept was looked at, Newmarket vets contacted but there was no other option.

My list could go on, so I suppose what I am saying is, when peopl put posts on requesting comments, please read carefully and when answering try to be constructive and keep emotion at bay - some replies certainly made me very upset and I am sure that is not the intention of the writer.

I have to say I am now the biggest fan of Thermal Imaging - it is the dogs. I would always use this before any visit to the vets for investigations, for under £200 that is reclaimable on the insurance, they would have knows exactly where to look and to explore without my poor horse spending 4 days at the vets, being nerve blocked, x-rayed and scanned.

If anyone kinows how I can attach the report please let me know. :)
 
Interesting :)

The hocks aren't warm to the touch though are they? As I don't think magnets are supposed to be put on areas where there is heat already. What route do you think the vets will take, do you think they will ultrasounds before they look into treatment?
 
Well that gives you much more to work with, and I always think you feel better knowing exactly what the problem is and how to deal with it. :)


I do hope that he comes right for you, but if not at least you know you have tried your best.
 
Beany1800 said:
hello all, once again thanks for your comment - well, nearly all of them, - could have done without the swearing!!

I have a smiley face this evening. The thermal imaging reprt has come back. There is a lot going on allover him but it looks like he has something acute going on in both hocks which is making him not able to felx them, theresore he cannot use his back or carry a rider properly which has resulted in over using his fronts to compensate, resulting in tendonitis resulting in compensating with his hinds resulting in suspensory damage ......Is there any way of attaching the document - it is facinating to look at and read.

Am waiting for my vet to come back from holidays next week to look at the report but in the meantime I am throwing everything at him - adequin, back masage, magnet rug, magnet boots on front and on hocks, bute, careful shoeing - you name it I am throwing it at him. I will then re-assess with my vet and hope she will look at injecting the hocks. Funnily enough, he has had his hocks x-rayed and they came back clear but from the thermal image it is easy to see there is a lot of heat in that area!!

Anyway - I know we are not out of the woods yet but I am feeling a lot more positive that we have a chance to get him right. :D

I have to add that although most of the posts have been very helpful some have bee very judgemental about me when you know nothing about me - I also own a mare who was diagnosed 18 months ago with srthritus in the neck and it was decided it was not safe to ride her again - I know if I 're-homed' her, as she is a beautiful mare with lovely movements, someone might bute her and work her. I knew this was not right for her so kept her, have bred her and have just sold her beautiful foal. I still have the mare and if it comes to it I will PTS rather than find her a companion home because unfortunatley I cannot trust other people not to do the best by her.

I also lost a 5 yr old horse 18 months ago - with a fractured and rotated navicular bone. Intermittant lameness. Again every concept was looked at, Newmarket vets contacted but there was no other option.

My list could go on, so I suppose what I am saying is, when peopl put posts on requesting comments, please read carefully and when answering try to be constructive and keep emotion at bay - some replies certainly made me very upset and I am sure that is not the intention of the writer.

I have to say I am now the biggest fan of Thermal Imaging - it is the dogs. I would always use this before any visit to the vets for investigations, for under £200 that is reclaimable on the insurance, they would have knows exactly where to look and to explore without my poor horse spending 4 days at the vets, being nerve blocked, x-rayed and scanned.

If anyone kinows how I can attach the report please let me know. :)
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Good for you and if you do have to have him PTS as sad as it is it is you decession to make, no one elses. Would you mind sending more info on the Thermal Imaging, I have heard about it but not sure how widespread they are.
 
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