I put my 28 y.o Paint gelding down on 7/20/2022. He had a lump on the front of his left knee when I bought him at age 7. It wasn’t a problem until our former BO locked him in a field for the month of April 2020, claiming the governor ordered it. Owners were prohibited from going on the property at all. We had been on pasure board for 19 years. Our vet also retired after 50 years in practice. He kept a close eye on that knee. The flexion was declining slowly but he was still sound. When I got him back on May 1, he wasn’t particulalry interested in getting back to riding. He had several bouts of lameness, the first ever. He came back sound for a few months, but in October didn’t. The BO wasn’t taking care of him and he lost a lot of weight. He was also retiring as the CEO/alpha so the gedlings’ herd dynamics were changing.
I really loved our new vet. Our original vet got me into a good barn, close to home with the best BO who got him back to normal weight with his unique personality blooming. I took him to an excellent lameness specialist and the vet started doing x-rays every few months and sent them to the farrier. His feet were perfect. We did a short Century ride on 6/21/2021. I had retired him from riding but started long lining which I really loved.
The agreement I made with the vet is that she would tell me when it was time to let him go. He had Osphos and Adequan, and a couple of joint injections of steroids. He did well for over a year but was clearly getting worse. When she told me on 7/12/22 it was time I was sure she was jumping the gun. She wasn’t. I had someone lead him so I could watch more carefully from the side and behind. She was right, of course. He was his usual bundle of energy and getting much stronger on a shot of Osphos in May. But his knee was losing the abiltiy to control that knee. He was losing what was left of the flexion. It looked like he had stumbled a few times because both knees were dirty. One day he wouldn’t walk away from the barn to hand graze. He had declined rapidly in a few days. I had picked 7/20 and scheduled for the late aftenoon so a couple of people could come after work. He was well-known in the area because of his history of therapeutic and traditional lessons at our original barn. I sent out an email and about 2 dozen people came. The vet made it easier, with 3 shots - light sedation, a second to put him down, and the final one, I had huge hugs from many friends that insulated me from the worst moments. I had him composted and I’m planting a tree in my yard.
I had to let him go. It is very tempting to take advantage of the amazing progress in treatment options. I didnt’ know what the signs of depression are in horses. I thought he was dozing in that field. He wasn’t. You will see the difference if you know what it looks like. I could have started something to keep the knee functioning but he still would have been lame. He wasn’t showing signs of pain. He could put full weight on it when standing, but favored it.
It wasn’t the money. I didn’t want to make him into an old man. He was still a bundle of energy, the center of entertainment in the barn, handsome as ever. He could get up and down without a problem. He enjoyed his daily nap. His teeth were still good. He helped a severely shy young friend emerge from hiding behind mom to loving horses and wanting to learn to ride. They bonded and he has a beautiful photo hanging where everyone at home can see it. I’m using the board money to pay for his lessons.
Our retired vet wrote a wonderful book on euthansia. Well worth it. I thought I had figured out all the choices until I read the essay on composting.
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