What you wish you had done when euthanizing a beloved horse

[StarPattern]

I haven’t had to euthanize a horse yet, but have had to euthanize and say goodbye to other pets. I’ve cremated them all, and have their urns at home with me. It makes me feel more comfortable, knowing that they are with me, wherever I live.

When it comes time to say goodbye to my mares, I plan to have them cremated as well, unless I happen to be on a farm where I intend to stay. If that’s the case, they will be buried in their field, with a nice stone marker to mark where they lay. I plan to clip some tail hair and make a tassel from it, to hang from their halter. The halter will be arranged in a shadow box to hang on my wall.

So sorry for your loss.

[fordtraktor]

If you plan/hope to do a horse cremation, research it ahead of time. Cremation is simply not an option in my area, you have to go three hours north or south to find a business that offers it. Most pet cremation businesses do not have crematories large enough to handle a horse. I researched it for a boarder and it was just not going to be realistic because they wouldn’t come this far to do a pickup.

On the other hand, in some areas of the country it is routine and normal. You are lucky!

[Laurierace]

[QUOTE=fordtraktor;8327973]
If you plan/hope to do a horse cremation, research it ahead of time. Cremation is simply not an option in my area, you have to go three hours north or south to find a business that offers it. Most pet cremation businesses do not have crematories large enough to handle a horse. I researched it for a boarder and it was just not going to be realistic because they wouldn’t come this far to do a pickup.

On the other hand, in some areas of the country it is routine and normal. You are lucky![/QUOTE]

I had my horse cremated two weeks ago and something I would not do it again. It turned out to be way more expensive than I thought it would be since I had gotten a quote at the horse expo years ago and carried their info around just in case but was not the person who handled the arrangements in the time of need as a friend handled that for me. It was stupid expensive in my opinion and I never even would have taken their info if they had told me that price at the time. Granted the quote was five years ago so I assumed it had gone up some but not more than doubled.

[mvp]

[QUOTE=Laurierace;8327710]
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.[/QUOTE]

Yeah, I didn’t want to see that hunk missing, either.

[fordtraktor]

I am sorry for your loss, Laurierace. I hadn’t heard about your fellow.

Yes, even here in the Midwest it costs more to cremate a horse than it does to cremate a person (for a low-end cremation without a service). And that wasn’t counting how to get one transported three hours each way. Not a cheap option.

[Laurierace]

Thank you. I don’t even know how much it cost, hubby won’t tell me but I know it was at least $1200 which ironically enough was the exact amount of his adoption fee almost 12 years ago so in my mind we paid a total of $2400 for him which was the bargain of the century.

[SevenDogs]

I’m very sorry! For me, I have always stayed with my horse until he/she is gone. My vet is also great and handled the process extremely well and my horses were all ready to go at ages 27, 34 and 36.

I also suggest making arrangements for the remains ahead of time because, for me, the clock stops when they are gone and waiting becomes interminable. I also have brought buddies over to see that the horse is gone. My very wise mare was the first one I ever did this with. She sniffed the body, paused, and peacefully began grazing, which told me that she understood. It may have been easier since she had seen him start to shut down from old age (we just helped him along).

One thing I do is find something to donate the next month’s board payment to. Usually, it is a rescue or horse welfare organization but I also have donated to events. Do something that makes you happy.

Lastly, if you feel your horse around you afterward, honor the feeling. Two of mine are always with me and the third comes and goes.

[fordtraktor]

I was quoted around that ballpark last winter at the places I contacted. I was pretty shocked, but I have some friends in the business and they said it was because it takes a long time for a horse because they are so big, and the cost of running the crematory itself for a long time is quite expensive. Also they do them one at a time (as they should to be respectful of your animal’s remains) so it keeps the crematory locked up for half a day per horse at least. Anyway, just wanted to explain part of the cost, I’m sure a good bit of it is profit but at least some of it is explainable.

[JenJ]

You have done very well already… the important things for me were being there to hold and hug the horse`s head as the needle goes in, and planning the burial. It sounds like you are able to bury at home. I euthanized at the farm, then shipped to a pet cemetery for burial… it was awful, but anything else would have been worse.
lots of tears and lots of alcohol for an act of love and final act of kindness.

[fordtraktor]

Be really careful when hugging their heads. That can be lovely but I give them a hug and then step back and to the side and get a firm hold on the rope. Very occasionally, it is rare but it happens, one will fight the drugs and the will lunge forward and/or flip over. If you are hugging their head you might not be in a good place to get out of the way as this happens very suddenly, I’ve seen it. I hate to be all safety practical but it’s horses and they are still dangerous animals, even our most beloved ones. As the drug takes effect my vet usually takes the rope and helps the horses down a little, just pushes back a little so they settle down gently. Mine does a sedative first so they are quite woozy already. Most of the time everything goes very smoothly and this works very well. Your vet will probably give you a little talk about what he or she wants you to do.

[Ambitious_Kate]

Aiee, so sad to read this at work, people, I’m not supposed to be crying at work. Anyway, its nice people have shared their stories.

[omare]

I was always grateful to a young vet that told me to go ahead and keep talking to my favorite horse in the world after he was down until his heart stopped and let him know I was there-She stroked him with me. I think you try so hard to be disciplined and strong at such times it took a professional to let me be real. I have remembered and used her wisdom every time since.

[Clair2014]

OP - I think you’ve received a lot of wonderful advice on this thread. The only thing I have to add is that sometimes, if you have enough advance notice, it’s really nice to have a gathering of friends and/or family at the barn to say goodbye. I’ve done this several times and it’s very healing and comforting. The horses seem to enjoy the extra attention and there’s something very special about sitting with your horse reminicing with all the people you love.

Best wishes in this difficult time.

[JenJ]

[QUOTE=fordtraktor;8328301]
Be really careful when hugging their heads. That can be lovely but I give them a hug and then step back and to the side and get a firm hold on the rope. Very occasionally, it is rare but it happens, one will fight the drugs and the will lunge forward and/or flip over. If you are hugging their head you might not be in a good place to get out of the way as this happens very suddenly, I’ve seen it. I hate to be all safety practical but it’s horses and they are still dangerous animals, even our most beloved ones. As the drug takes effect my vet usually takes the rope and helps the horses down a little, just pushes back a little so they settle down gently. Mine does a sedative first so they are quite woozy already. Most of the time everything goes very smoothly and this works very well. Your vet will probably give you a little talk about what he or she wants you to do.[/QUOTE]

Yes, my vet made it very clear that she had to watch my horse and couldn`t watch out for my safety at the same time, so I had to be ready to move and move fast if necessary. While the memory of that day nearly 20 years ago is still very / terribly vivid, I had forgotten that caution.

[SevenDogs]

I believe it was in Jimmy Wofford’s list of things that make a real horseman or woman: You have held the rope of your horse, while being humanely euthanized.

Truer words were never spoken…

[OTTBs]

Originally Posted by 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.

[QUOTE=mvp;8328064]
Yeah, I didn’t want to see that hunk missing, either.[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=fordtraktor;8328089]Yes, even here in the Midwest it costs more to cremate a horse than it does to cremate a person (for a low-end cremation without a service). And that wasn’t counting how to get one transported three hours each way. Not a cheap option.[/QUOTE]I imagine it varies widely by crematory. I think it was $500 two years ago in Iowa for my boy, but I think $1000 was what I’d heard it would cost in Illinois.

I took some tail and mane hair, I didn’t want to see a huge missing chunk either! His white tail had some black and brown hairs in it, and I took sections that had all three colors–it was important to me to remember his tricolored tail. I still haven’t made anything with the hair…

I know everyone says not to watch your horse being hauled away, but I did–I’d watched a couple of friends’ horses being moved previously in preparation for the Someday. I really didn’t find it traumatic; I felt like someone needed to watch and see that the body was handled as respectfully as possible. (Doesn’t sound like an issue for the OP.)

[cayuse]

So sorry that you are having to go through this. It’s tough. I lost one in June and I really wish I had not seen him after he was PTS as I can’t remember him any other way. I thought I would be OK, but I wasn’t. But that is just me and everyone handles things differently. My vets were wonderful and took some tail and pulled his shoes for me and I am glad they thought of that.
Please remember to be kind to yourself too, during this time.

[GraceLikeRain]

[QUOTE=SevenDogs;8328841]
I believe it was in Jimmy Wofford’s list of things that make a real horseman or woman: You have held the rope of your horse, while being humanely euthanized.

Truer words were never spoken…[/QUOTE]

Everyone processes grief and loss differently. No one should pass judgments about your character by how your choose to handle the final moments in the life of a beloved animal.

OP: I didn’t have the opportunity to be with my guy in his final moments. The decision was not within my control but even if I could go back, I don’t know if I would want to be there. Everyone processes those final moments differently. There is no right way.

I do wish I had a lock of his tail but he was a state away. I do have some mane that I kept the first time I trimmed his bridle path. I want to do one of those hair pots eventually.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/55016219/horsehair-pottery-vase-large

[ivy62]

We only gad a matter of hours. Pasture accident, broken leg… He was the horse of a lifetime… he was a true schoolmaster and teacher. When he was gone a local artist took the body. He buries it then digs it up a year later and puts the skeleton together on stands for vet schools and museums. Tyler is still teaching. We took pictures and hugged him. we have tail hair too… One of the hardest things I have done… Hugs

[up-at-5]

We lost our beloved pony of 20 years on August 13th. It was a long battle, fighting her COPD with various inhalers and other meds. The time came when we could no longer keep her comfortable, so I made the call to our vet. That call was the worst, I could barely blubber out the words that we needed to finally put her down. I still can’t wrap my head around her passing, even after a month it seems surreal. I spent 2 years with Fling always on my mind, worrying that she would have a flair up. I have her inhaler mask in the barn medicine cabinet and I can’t bring myself to move it.
I wouldn’t do anything differently when it came time to euth. With her suffering also came relief for me that she was no longer struggling to breathe. My daughter and I were with her 'till she dropped, then it was just me, by her ear, telling her how much we loved her and how much we would miss her. I cut off her forelock(we used to joke that her bushy forelock would hide her pinned ears as she raced around the show ring).
After the vet declared she was dead, all I could do was say over and over "oh f#ck, oh f#ck…
It still seems like just yesterday, and oh man, do I miss her.