Retired Young Horse Mean To Other Horses (Update #38)

[RedHorses]

It’s okay to euthanize when you can’t keep a neurological horse comfortable.

I euthanized mine last fall because I knew he would be unhappy and uncomfortable in the cold. I also felt the risk of him falling was high enough that I wasn’t willing to risk it.

There’s no timeline, or age, or minimum amount of money spent before euthanasia is permitted. Just because the horse is doing all the horse things like eating, rolling, etc and isn’t limping, doesn’t mean the horse is comfortable or pain free. You don’t have to wait until they’re limping or incapable of getting up. If you, the person who loves him and knows him best, can see that he’s not comfortable and you can’t help… it’s time. You’re not giving up on him, you’re freeing him from his pain.

Don’t wait until the person who casually looks at him as they walk by his paddock can see it.

[OverandOnward]

I just went through this with my dog. I made the agonizing decision that I had done enough – maybe more than enough. He could no longer walk comfortably. He was rapidly losing comfort at any part of his day. The good parts of his day were shrinking fast, and I didn’t want him to feel more misery, with his awareness of his decline. That was also the criteria several years ago for my horse at the time, who was experiencing chronic illness.

Remember that there is no value in the total count of days, or of years. There is no value in stretching his time, just to stretch it.

You can’t fix the basic issue: aging to the end of life. It’s ok to say goodbye, having given him some time he enjoys, and sparing him a continually more uncomfortable decline.

That’s my takeaway, but I’m not there and don’t know the horse. Many of the comments made upthread almost a year ago, about when it is time to let go, still apply.

All the best to you and your horse, whatever your decision.

[skip99]

Are you certain the excessive tripping in shoes is due to the neck or is it poor hoof balance? This group does have great insights into hoof balance if you want to post pictures. Not faulting you at all for considering euthanasia, if it was my horse I’d just want to be sure he couldn’t live in properly balanced front shoes before making the call.

[Giddyin]

He gets blanketed during cold rain/snow then blanketed at 25 degrees or under when it’s dry out unless he’s shivering then he will get something put on. He hates being blanketed because of the pressure on his neck, he tolerates high neck wugs the best. I try to leave him without one as much as possible. Uncomfortable from cold or pissy from blanket there really isn’t any winning, I do my best to make the right call as to which one each day. We are on the northern end of New England so it’s common to be around 20-25 degrees fahrenheit or less for several weeks.

[Giddyin]

Unfortunately yes, he was an excessive tripper (think 10-15 trips during ride then tripping walking to and from the field) and almost went down once while I was riding at the very beginning of 2022, in hand had gone down on his knees multiple times. I had only owned him a few months and he tripped a lot the whole time and everyone thought he was fine but I knew something was wrong. Which is what led to his neurological exam and neck X Rays when we found his deformity.

I pulled his shoes May 2022 and within about 2 weeks 95% of the tripping stopped and he was done by the same farrier, he will excessively trip with hoof boots or even diaper and vet wrap on his hooves. He gets really insecure going over anything that requires him to think about where he’s putting his feet, like hand walking over poles or even running in the paddock he will go back to a walk to think about it then continue on running.

[stargzng386]

Have you tried osphos for the foot discomfort? I have a retired 7 year old that I almost had euthanized last summer. His main issue is horrible fused hocks but he has foot pain as well. Osphos really did make a massive difference in his comfort and I held off euth and he’s doing fantastic now.

[sascha]

@Giddyin

He gets really insecure going over anything that requires him to think about where he’s putting his feet, like hand walking over poles or even running in the paddock he will go back to a walk to think about it then continue on running.

This is a very large clue that euthanizing now would not be too soon.

I’m so sorry I’ve been there and it’s hard no matter how right you know your decision is.

[showy]

@Giddyin

He gets really insecure going over anything that requires him to think about where he’s putting his feet

I’m sorry this is happening. My belief is that youre putting anyone (yourself, farrier, vet, barn help) in a potentially dangerous situation if he stumbles or even gets to the point where he falls.

My barn had a boarder horse that was only 6 with really bad shivers (and likely other neuro issues but owner did not investigate). When he almost fell over walking up and down the hill from turnout, the BO said she would not put her help in that situation. Owner pulled him and I’m not sure what happened.

Horses have no concept of the future. I would let him go while he’s happy and comfortable.