Without starting a riot ...(Euthanasia)

I have been down the bullett route twice, and it is my preferred method.

I've seen horses done by injection - and the bullet seemed quicker and less stressful ultimately.

Your local hunt ISH is the Glamorgan - and it was their huntsman who dispatched Amy in a very professional manner.

Your vet recently dispatched a friends horse via a bullett and again did it very professionally.

He would also be highly professional at administering the injection.
 
Oh ISHY I really do feel for you, I can't tell you how much. Reading these posts, I am almost in tears, its an awful, heart wrenching decision to make. The only horse I know of being PTS was by injection, owner said he just fell asleep peacefully. However, I feel I cannot advise you because I have never had to make the choice, and weighing up the choices now by reading this post, I just feel such sadness. Whichever you choose will be in Sol's best interests, and you truely are making a choice of which is kindest, such a loving thing to do. We're all here for you, every step of the way
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PM me if you need. xx
 
Both methods are totally humane - there are horror stories with both but I think these tend to be grossly exaggerated, they always seem to have happened to someone else's horse. Yes, there is a risk with any veterinary procedure that something may not go to plan but by forward planning you can reduce the risk.

My boy was PTS by injection and I have seen many go the same way when I was working at an equine vets. All went quietly and quickly. The injection is not recommended if the horse is severely ill or in shock as the blood pressure may not carry the drug around the system quickly enough.

If I was going for shooting I would go for the hunt or knackerman. Vets generally don't like shooting and don't do it very often but huntsmen and knackermen do it regularly. It is instant, the horse drops immediately and often bleeds heavily from the bullet hole and nose.

Both methods generally have some involuntary moving afterwards but due to nerve reflexes not due to the horse being in pain. Whichever method is used it is essential that the location used is totally quiet as it is generally excitement of the horse that can cause things to go wrong.
 
My boy was PTS by injection. He was already lying down in the field when the vet arrived, he had a sedative first then the injection, he took four deep sighs and was gone. My vet explained everything that he may or may not do so that I was prepared.
My boy was old and it was his time, so I think the injection just helped him on his way. I could see how a younger, healthier horse might put up some resitance, but no matter what way you decide, the amount of time it takes will be short compared to what they have already been through, and it's not the horse that will remember it's the owner.
ISHY: I think you are very wise to get as much information as you can, as it will help you to deal with that day when it comes x x
 
I have no experience of the injection as I have always used the local hunt, who I have found to be quiet, sympathetic and efficient - and as a bonus they take the carcass away straight away too.
 
Tiggy was PTS by injection. She was at the AHT at Newmarket. They were lovely. Tigs had a walk in the paddock, as many carrots and apples as she wanted. An injection in her neck to sedate her, a quiet walk to another room. I wasn't with her for that last bit, but they said she was beyond knowing whether I was there or not.

Afterwards I went and sat with her. I can't remember how long it was for, but I talked to her and felt she was still there. It was quiet and peaceful and made it right. We sat and shared our dreams, her eye was open just a little bit and I knew she wasn't there, but I felt close; her body was still and quiet and warm to my touch.

For me I couldn't cope with the 'bang', with the harshness (or so I perceive it). If we have to ever do it again I would choose the same method.
 
At the end of the day I will enlist the most appropriate method. I always said that I wanted Sid shot when the time came however this choice was removed and was euthanased via injection and I must admit it was very straight forward and clean and he was gone in minutes.
 
My friend's elderly pony was pts by injection 4 weeks ago. She said he just lay down and was gone. We all went in to sit with him within a few minutes and there were no reflexes or agonal breathing. I know people say that problems with bullets are a bit like phantom hitchhiker tales - a friend of a friend, but I have two friends who were both holding horses to be shot and it went wrong. I agree with an earlier comment that many vets don't shoot any more, and unfortunately practice does make perfect, so in that situation I'd use a knackerman or the hunt.
 
When i had my TB PTS in September, i wasnt keen on the injection - and the vet said it was fine to do it by the gun. I couldnt bear the thought of seeing it done, so wasnt there (i left 2 mins before vet arrived). TO this day, i do wish i had stayed but, my memories are happy ones - especially one of his famous kisses on the lips - will never 4get that. I

n the end he had to be sedated before he was shot as he kept running away from the vet (he wasnt keen since she operated on him and gave him lots of injections). The vet said it went smoothly and that did help put my mind at ease.

However, since then a friends horse had to be PTS at a 10 mile EGB ride after shattering his tibia, and i was called to go and be with her. It was horrific to see him lying in the car park, and getting taken away to the Crem, and in a way made me feel better about not being there for mine and at least i had control over teh situation.
 
my mare was PTS using the injection and it was very calm this way and i was able to stay with her till the end, she sat down on back end then laid down and was gone, i have never seen a horse shot but if done correctly is very quick and may be a better option for a horse that is frightened of needles as the injection would be for a headshy horse
 
I really am sorry that you are having to deal with this. I lost my boy last year after 17.5 years at the grand old age of 31. I went down to feed him in the morning and found him in the stable with a very bad case of colic. He got up when he saw me and I managed to get him walking in the school while I phoned the vet. To cut a long and sad story short, I had to let him go but god bless him he made the decision for me, there really was no other option. My vet gave him the injection and I have to say I couldn't of asked for him to go any quieter. Even though I asked the vet several times if I should take him out to the school for it to be done she assured me it would be fine. He had been given strong painkillers so was very calm and quiet and when the vet gave him the injection he leaned against the wall and then slipped to the ground. For a big horse it was actually quite graceful. I stayed with him the whole time and I am so glad I did. While I was waiting for him to be collected I just sat and spoke to him and for me that actually helped but obviously everyone is different. It literally took two minutes for the man to get him out of the stable and into the horsebox with no fuss (and no damage to the stables whatsoever). It is the hardest thing I have ever had to do but I took comfort in the fact he was no longer in any pain.

As with anything there are good and bad experiences but I can only speak from my own experience. Once again I'm so sorry that you are now faced with this decision.

xx
 
i had harry put down by injection a month ago , i fed him biggest load of mints he,d ever seen , led him to the sandschool with my husband and the vet and my good friend the yard owner , i held him while the needle was put in ( he wasnt bothered at all just munched more polos ) then i handed his rope to the yard owner and walked out of scool and behind hedge , a few seconds later i heard harry drop to the floor , he took two bottels of euthanol to pass away which is common i beleive in horses that are basically well ( harry had a brain tumour but his heart was strong and healthy )
we waited behind hedge till vet came out then i went to say my goodbyes to him , the lorry was waiting in yard to take him away for crematiion
10 years ago i had my other elderly tb put down with same vet and yard owner in same place but this time by bullet , i would say , for the horse there was no difference , for me to be able to go back and see him lying peacefully with no marks on him and no blood , was better
tracy
 
I think the injection seem's more humain, but if the horse is young and got a strong heart it's not alway's so quick, I have sadly had to have two done one was shot which was instant dead before he hit the floor but very messey after, the other by injection but she was very sick so went very quick, I have been told it's not always like that.
 
My mare was PTS last year by injection. i had experienced both methods in the past (although not my own horses) and this did help with my decision (also being on a livery yard i wanted to make sure all other clients would be comfortable i.e no noise/mess etc.) by choosing the injection i felt that i was able to be with my girl right to the end, dont get me wrong, they do go down quite quickley (although it was the same as if she was lying down, but faster) and nothing can prepare you for it, however, i think it really is each to their own, and i completely understand why others prefer the shot method. my mare was fully sedated before the final injection, and she was gone very quickley and quietly. all i would say is that because i chose the injection, i could sit with my girl (her head in my lap) for a couple of minutes to say my last goodbye - i wouldnt have missed that moment for anything. i think any decision you make of this sort you are very brave regardless of method - my decision was under similar but not the same circumstances and i take my hat off to anyone else that has to go through the decision making that goes into this.
 
Duggan was pts via injection 4 weeks ago, he was already down on the floor and had been given strong painkillers so I guess it went easier than it can be.
The vet did a good job, Dug just glazed over and was gone. I am grateful he went this way as I had chance to say my goodbyes and to be with him all the way.
God I miss him.
 
I had my mare of 24 PTS after 20 years together. I spoke with my vet at length about the best way forward. She was totally needle phobic, so injection was out of the question as we did not want to freak her out at the very end.
So it had to be a gun.
The vet gave us a sedative to give her one hour before. We filled her full of her favourite treats, polos, mars bars & Swiss buns. She was very dopey & sleepy. The vet took her from me, led her in to the field, giving her an apple on the way. He then held out anther apple, i looked away, her the shot & her falling. I then went over & sat with her & stroked her neck & talked to her until she went cold. There was a little blood, but not a distressing amount. She gave a little sigh. But little movement.
The only problem i had was the fact that the noise of the shot & her falling stayed with me for several months.
But having been with friends when they have had their horses PTS with injection & have come to the conclusion there is no easy way
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I do feel for you having to be facing the decision, but it is the kindest things we can do for our best friends.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do.
 
My old mare was pts by injection. I was absolutely amazed at just how little there was in the syringe to to the job, but it really was instant and peaceful. No grunting, or fighting, or anything else you hear that "could" happen. She just sighed went down and that was it. It was very, very peaceful.

She had melanomas and was by that time (at 22) absolutely riddled with them. Sadly what you see on the outside isn't any kind of indication as to what was probably happening on the inside. She was relatively happy within herself but was beginining to show the signs of deterorating quite rapidly. I think if the horse is in a non-stressful quiet environment then I would do it again. However if it was a terrible accident then I'd chose the bullet.
 
My personal choice is for horse to be shot. It is very quick, usualy little blood. The horse may twitch for some minutes afterwards which does distress some people, but the horse is dead instantly and this is just nerves dying off within the limbs. There is usually no need to sedate first.
 
i prefer shot a few people i know have it done like this and if you have the people ready to take away after is very quick and the horse doesn't know anything.
 
Both have pro's and cons.
Having your horse/pony shot is quick, and is the only way the animal can be used by a hunt afterwards. The pro is when done by someone with experience (and the huntsman is usually the best person for the job) its over before the horse ever realised what was happening. The flip side is its traumatic to watch for the owner who may already be in pieces over what is the hardest decision to make to start with.
Euthenasia by injection is a bit easier on the owner (we used this method with our old pony) but traumatic if the horse suffers with "vet" related anxieties. you cannot have the animal enter any food chain with this method, so cremation is the only option for disposal.
 
I had my mare pts last October and spent a very long time debating both methods. In the end, the experiences people shared on here swung it and I went for the gun, by the knackerman (for the experience). I felt I owed it to her to go with what was quickest, and although in the end I broke down and my YO had to hold her leadrope, that was more to do with the fact I'd had her 20 years. I turned away and there was a dull crack - admittedly the sound has stayed with me - but she was gone in an instant. There wasn't even any blood, just a mark under her forelock. I will do the same for my other when her time comes, it was absolutely the best thing for her.
 
Having used both methods in the past, I definitely think that 'shot' is preferable. We have used both the local hunt and the local knackerman ( or woman in our case). One huge advantage as far as the owner is concerned is that the body can removed straightaway. The horse does not need to be sedated as they have absolutely no idea what is going on, they usually just react as they would to any visitor. In fact the mare who had had to stand in the adjoining stable until her best friend could be moved to let her out was very pleased to see the knacker who came for her two years later. She went down as they all have with her mouth full of feed. Our local knacker actually brought a bucket of food for our last two, although we had our own bucket ready, we thought this was a nice touch. Whenever possible we have it done in the yard to make it easy to winch the body onto the van. We have had to have two shot in the stable and the first (TBx) was winched out with no damage to the doors etc, but the Clydex did damage the door. Years ago we had a gelding shot and there was a huge amount of blood left behind which fortunately the farmer whose land he was on dealt with. Now our horses are at home we have to deal with any aftermath but there has only been a small amount of blood to wash away. We have been advised to go in the house until the deed has been done but this is because our local knacker firm had a problem with one customer who threw herself in hysterics onto the body as it was being winched onto the van - not recommended! We have had one very ill pony injected and I would not repeat this experience, it was not pleasant for any-one involved. On two occasions our equine vets have preferred not to do the job themselves and have rung the knacker to come out in an emergency, rather than injecting.
I'm sorry that you are having to make this decision, it is always particularly difficult with a young horse, you just have to console yourself with the thought that at least you are putting an end to the pain for the horse and that you did all you could.
 
When I lived in England all horses I owned who had to be put down were shot. It's instant, little blood and horse can be taken away by the knackers. The bang can give you a fright the first time you are holding the horse to be put down.

Over here in North America it is not common (don't even know if it is legal in all of the Provinces/States) for vets to carry guns so I have to admit I was concerned when my first horse had to be put down here and the vet told me it would be lethal injection. However I needn't have worried as every time since the first time, all has gone perfectly.

I have no choice now but to be honest if I did it wouldn't bother me which way they went as both ways have gone like clockwork for all of my horses.
 
If the horse is shot by someone from the hunt and then goes to the kennels, that is my preferred choice of an end.
 
I had my haflinger mare Euthanised on 24th january 2009 ,she had a cyst on her small intestine ,which we knew nothing about untill that day.......I went up to ride and found her lying down at the top of her paddock , she got up and came over to me ,and then started to fall , i remember holding her up by her maine and phoneing for help ,we walked her for what seemed like hours to ease her colic attack !

the vet took a long time to arrive and he was more adament that we wait and see if the colic passed, but i knew it wasent going to , (you just know) so I called him again and again almost begging him to hurry up because by his time my mare was rolling in hand and there was nothing we could do to stop her ,she would try so hard to please you and do as you asked ,it was heart breaking ,and i was deperate to help her .

when the vet arrived my mare was down and breathing so heavily she was in alot of pain ,he did an examanation and said she was not going to make it ,I cant tell you how i felt at that minuite in time ,because i felt so numb,he said he needed permission to put her to sleep, I gave her to my husband and I was sobbing and said to him please stay with her , i just couldent I was in shock and I couldent beleive I would never see her again , I went over to my car and sat there crying and crying ,he gave her a pain injection and then Euthanised her , she fell to the ground with a soft thud ,and that was the end , she was at peace , it was quick and I have to say very easy on the ears and eyes , I dont think I could stand hearing a gun shot ,I would always use Euthansia ......

Every one has had different experiences and prefer different ways ,but on that day I found it was not as bad as I had thought it would be ,I stayed there for a while with my mare ,and lay with her ,just me and her in our final time together and I was happy in a way that she out of the pain , but I cant express how much I miss her .

I have her ashes , and a piece of her tail ,and lots of blown up pic's of her on my wall , she was a special pony and only lived to see 7
 
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