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Equine Euthanasia An Adult Responsibility

© Lori Hall-McNary

Equine Euthanasia An Adult Responsibility by Lori Hall-McNary

How do you know if you're doing the right thing by putting your horse down? Extensive leg injury or inoperable sand impaction makes the decision of euthanasia easier. You must make a fast decision to avoid needless suffering of your equine friend. But what about the aged horse?

Glancing out the kitchen window, I watched my six-year-old son's pony walk stiffly on stubby arthritic legs to his water bucket. The thirty something pony was having another bad day. Phenylbutazone (Bute) didn't help anymore, nor did a daily dosage of Yucca. "I don't want to be the adult," I thought as I dialed my veterinarian.

Quality of life is one of the top reasons for equine euthanasia. Our domesticated horses no longer run in a herd where nature selects the strongest to survive, our aged horse looks to us as herd leader to make that nature's choice.

How do you decide? Consult with your veterinarian, your horse trainer, your trusted horse friends. Delta Society www.um.com/deltasociety/dsn.300.htm has a network of support hotlines you can call to help you with the emotional decision.

Journal your horse's condition. Although I was in denial for weeks about my son's pony's steady decline, I did have notes in my day planner describing the joint disease and how it affected the pony's daily existence.

Decide a head of time what you will do with the carcass. Can you bury your horse on your property? Check with your town's local zoning codes for large animal disposal. You will need to rent or borrow a backhoe. You may want to donate the body to your local veterinarian school or have the horse cremated. Your vet can direct you to the proper people once you decide.

Prepare your family before your horse is put down. Let each person say good-bye in his or her own way. My six-year-old had said good-bye to his pony earlier that morning, but unexpectedly ran up the hill shortly after the lethal dose was administered. I asked him if he needed to say good-bye again, my son shook his head and ran off. His father found him standing on the dirt bank over looking the arena. He told our son it was okay--cowboys were allowed to cry.

Coping:

A support group of family and friends will help with the grieving process.

Share antidotes and antics of your equine friend.

Make a scrap book together with your child and let them talk about their happiest moments with their equine buddy.

The copyright of the article Equine Euthanasia An Adult Responsibility in Horse Management is owned by Lori Hall-McNary. Permission to republish Equine Euthanasia An Adult Responsibility in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.