What you wish you had done when euthanizing a beloved horse

[All_the_Shenanigans]

Today I decided to end my welsh pony’s long battle with laminitis. He will be buried on our farm and I’ll will be with him when the vet comes to do it. We are still working out the logistics of getting a backhoe so we can bury him right away.

What I’m wondering is what people did in their last few days with their wonderful animals. We are currently trying to keep him as comfortable as possible to give him a good last few days.

Also what should I know beforehand so I can anticipate what to expect. Thanks, jingles are appreciated.

[2tempe]

Oh so sorry to hear…its a tough decision, I know.
Several weeks ago I put down my old dressage horse. He had some underlying chronic issues topped off by a nasty bout of cellulitis and it was clearly too much for him.
The last few days, he was turned out with friends, and I spent some time loving on him, grooming/bathing him and feeding treats (and crying). It was not really a lot more time than normal, as he just seemed tired and had lost some interest in human attention.
He was my first equine euthanasia, and I was worried, but lucky for me, it was as quiet and peaceful as was possible. At first he stood in the field, just gazing far away; when the drugs kicked in, he went down quietly, no struggle, nothing.

I was lucky - a friend of mine, the barn owner and two of the barn staff members were there also, and the moral support was huge.

Hugs from afar.

[subk]

So sorry. I didn’t have time with my horse of a lifetime. I found him in the barn with colic symptoms at noon and by 5 pm I let him go. When he was still well and happy I had a long talk with my vet about all the options were something to go wrong with him. While not in crisis mode I thought through what was best for him and what I wanted and layed it all there with my vet. When the time came I just followed the plan I had already mapped out when my thinking was clearer and not caught up in emotional turmoil.

The only regrets I have ever had in euthanizing any of my beloved horses or dogs was that with a couple of them I should have done it earlier. In hindsight I kept them here because it was what I wanted and what was easiest for me and not what was best for them. But honestly you can’t beat yourself up about it–the more we love them the harder it can be to let them go.

Your pony sounds like he has been well loved and that’s a far better life than most ever hope have.

[heronponie]

Last few days… take some photos, let him eat treats he couldn’t before (maybe last day only so he doesn’t have to feel the repercussions) and my favourite thing to do is just sit and listen to him chew. Watch him blink, snort, flick his ears, swish his tail. Take a lock of tail or even the whole thing if you want to. (I do that post mortem).

Bury him with something sentimental. Even if it’s just something simple. One of my horses is buried in a special blanket. Another LOVES apples and I plan to send him with a few when he goes. I find its cathartic to do little things like that to honour the memory of them.

Things to be aware of… if you haven’t been present for a euthanasia before, you should be prepared for the body to exhibit some movements or sounds after death. The vet will tell you by stethoscope when the heart has stopped beating, but the body will sometimes move/twitch after that point.

I’m very sorry for your loss- and I stand beside you in the heartbreaking decision to free your beloved horse from his pain. I hope it goes smoothly.

[quoteworthy]

Take tail hair. I had to put down a five year old homebred this June, and even though I’ve been through several euthanasias before, this was by far the most difficult. Luckily I was able to take a significant amount of hair (he had a very thick tail and I wasn’t shy about cutting it off at that point), so we had enough to get three bracelets made (me, my sister & my mom) and my dad is having horse hair pottery made. It certainly doesn’t make it any easier, but it is a beautiful reminder of him that I wear constantly now. http://www.braidedlovebywendaboyer.com

Also, this is going to sound very silly, but I let my horse “say goodbye” to his best friend/brother. They were full brothers are LOVED to play, so I brought the healthy one over to his brother’s stall to visit. He very quickly helped himself into his brother’s (large) stall and, not knowing what else to do, I let him stay in there for a few minutes. They groomed eachother and stood quietly until I separated them again. It was also a good opportunity to snap a few pictures of them together.

So very sorry for your loss, but it certainly sounds like you are making the best choice for your pony. I hope it goes as easily as it can for you.

[Laurierace]

My guy was sick a total of three hours so I didn’t have the luxury of knowingly spending the last few days with him. I have no regrets however as we had a great ride the day before. I had a photographer come out last fall and take pictures of my daughter and I with him but this year I had the rest of the family join us. I will forever be grateful that I have those. I am so sorry for your impending loss, Godspeed.

[Laurierace]

My guy was sick a total of three hours so I didn’t have the luxury of knowingly spending the last few days with him. I have no regrets however as we had a great ride the day before. I had a photographer come out last fall and take pictures of my daughter and I with him but this year I had the rest of the family join us. I will forever be grateful that I have those. I am so sorry for your impending loss, Godspeed.

[frugalannie]

My suggestion may seem silly, but I think it matters to the horse and to you. I’ve posted it before, so it may seem familiar to some.

Whenever you’re with your horse, call up mental images of the happiest times you had together, of him in his favorite pre-laminitis paddock, rolling in the sweet grass, running and playing and of your most memorable rides. You may shed tears, but they will be in honor of happiness, not bitterness and regrets. I believe that horses can sense our mindset and may even share our mental images, so send him off with all the love and contentment you can.

And be kind to yourself, too.

[FatDinah]

We took my mare to the vet clinic the night before. She has a heated stall and he loaded her up with painkillers (lots of arthritis at the end) so she had a comfortable night.
I went the next morning and fed her and groomed her really well. I decided to let that be my final sight of her rather than the actual euthanasia.

[digihorse]

I recommend not being there for the end. It will be your last view, and it is not pretty. I know it is a chicken’s way out to leave a creature you love for someone else to comfort in their last moments… but having done it once, I couldn’t do it again. A friend took over allowing me to leave and have those last visions be of my boy as he was alive.

[mvp]

I planned the snot out of my Beloved’s euthanasia, drawing on the experience of others. I don’t wish I had done anything different.

A couple of my favorite things:

He was groomed, mane pulled and clipped even for his last day. I kept him as a show horse and I didn’t want him to look bad just because he couldn’t to that job for me anymore. And it gave me some reason to spend time with him.

I went to the bulk candy/dried fruit section of a local grocery store and bought baggies of everything I thought he might like. And then I fed him treats in an incredible variety and quantity. I swear to God, that horse had is Last Supper 3 times a day for the last few days. He really brightened up!

I had a friend hang out and take a bunch of pictures, kind of documentary style. I love the candid pictures of me and my gelding. It’s the only time I look happy and like myself, as opposed to posing for a camera. And of course I love seeing all of those pictures of my horse in various lights.

I also planned a trip that began the following morning so that I had a way to absolutely not be at the barn without him. I think a week on the Other Coast was the best thing I did after euthanizing my gelding.

I hope some of these ideas help.

[bathsheba8542]

I stuffed mine with the finest quality alfalfa for the day…he was given free choice carrots and bananas. I brushed him where he liked to be brushed, and rubbed his ears for as long as he wanted. I told him often that I knew he did the best he could and that he was loved. So sorry you’re losing a beloved friend.

[fordtraktor]

I am so very sorry for your loss. It is so difficult to lose an old friend.

[fooler]

So sorry you are going through this.

I had had to put down my 36yo this past March after passed an impaction but developed an infection that didn’t respond to antibiotics plus she.just.stopped.eating.

Her spirit was strong to the end, she wanted to go out in the day time, watched all that was going on and was pleasantly surprised to have so much attention the last day.

Do as others have said, brush, love, feed, take pictures and hand walks as possible.

Make arrangements of how the body will be handled,buried or removed, as quickly as possible. That way you are not standing wondering if and when. Or worst for me, thinking of the body being out overnight which I know happens with an unexpected death or emergency situation.
Have the vet tell how they handle the procedure before it begins. I held the lead until she completed the 2nd syringe and then she took over, laying my old girl down softly as possible.
Bury your horse with what you want, she was buried with her show halter and the backhoe man covered her body with her old show cotton sheet. I should have put some carrots and cookies in for her journey.
The vet cut her tail so we can order a bracelet for me, a hat band for DH.
I took the surviving horse up to see her, it took him several days to adjust and completely accept she was gone.
Leave the stall door and paddock gates open for at least 24 hours so their spirit can leave and not be “captured”. I know it sounds weird but I did and I believe she was about for a short while before staying with those who had gone on before.

Remember all that made your relationship with you horse and know you are doing the right thing to ease his suffering. Cry and let go of the pain. It will lessen with time.
We will probably plant some sort of tree over her grave between now and spring. You may want to think about doing something for yours.

<<<<<<hugs>>>>>>

[2tempe]

Its interesting to see how people respond differently in this situation. As others have mentioned, someone told me to put things in the hole w/ my horse; hers had a sheet on, carrots, something that smelled of her, etc. Others mention tail hair.
I had planned to have something made w/ my horse’s tail hair. Picked out the place online, etc. Three times I went in his stall with scissors. Three times I came out empty handed. Couldn’t do it. Vet asked me one last time at the end and I said “no”. I took off his halter because he didn’t need it any more. Nothing buried with him. I have some awesome pictures and many memories.

Also, my vet was VERY good. Spent a few minutes explaining the process as I was a “newbie”. Asked if I was sure I wanted to be with him. Cried along with us.

[Laurierace]

I couldn’t cut the tail off either and didn’t let anyone else cut it for me until he was gone. I don’t know why that bothered me but it did and I was glad I didn’t have to see him without it.

[fordtraktor]

Yes, I cut off my last horse’s forelock after he was gone. then I made a Christmas ornament out of it (put it in one of those clear Christmas balls and glued a pretty ribbon around it). I have those for all my old horses, five of them now. They are very, very special to me.

I have my childhood pony’s tail in a Ziploc bag after she died on the colic surgery table at VT and I’ve never been able to bring myself to do anything with it besides the snip for the Christmas ornament. That was the last tail I ever cut. I do manes now, I think her loss was just too traumatic, I have to do something different. Weird how people work. If I didn’t appear to have some sort of horse tail PTSD from that, I would suggest getting the tail! You can do so many commemorative things with it.

Very sorry for your loss, it is always so difficult to lose an old friend.

[Sancudo]

Take photos if you have time. I didn’t. I had tail hair made into a ring. Buried him covered in one of two championship coolers he had won.

I wish I hadn’t seen his body after to say goodbye one more time. I’d have rather remembered him with his spirit still there.

I’m sorry.

[redalter]

There have already been some lovely suggestions here, I have nothing to add but I wish you peace and strength.

Godspeed to your good friend.

[fordtraktor]

One thing that might occur to you later is a marker – this is a nice thing to do particularly once the grass grows back. A nice big rock will do fine, or there are all sorts of options out there on the market that are not outrageously expensive and are nice. It can be a good way to ensure that in a few years you know exactly where she is. Sometimes once the grass grows back and everything, is isn’t totally clear unless you mark it. Last winter we had a lot of snow, and we thought we might have to put another horse down. It was very distressing to me not being able to tell exactly where my old horse was as I didn’t want to disturb him burying the other horse, and I worried a lot about it. Luckily the other horse pulled through. So this year I have made sure to mark it very clearly so that won’t be an issue again.

Here is a website that offers some options:

http://commerce.petpassages.com/pet-memorials/pet-grave-markers.html