I originally posted this in the Horse forum:

A friend has asked me to put down her horse. It's going blind. The horse is special to her and she wants it done at home without stressing out the horse with travel etc.

I've never killed a horse. I'm looking for suggestions on the quickest, most humane way of doing it.

Do I shoot it in the X between the ears and eyes or behind the ear or what. I'd really like for this horse to just fall in the hole and not move again.

I'll likely use a 45/70 or 30/30.

Thanks

We had a neighbor that had a vet. come out to there place and he gave it a shot, just like the ones they give dog's and cats. Bummer for sure !

I would use the 30-30. More economical. I use the X method myself and make sure the round enters perpendicular to the flatpart of the skull. Typically this is less bloody than behind the ear, and the horse doesn't shake or kick. Usually he will topple over with his legs very straight but vibrating before going soft. Hope it all goes well for your friend and the horse.

On a side note you might want to walk the horse alive to its final resting spot. Owners sometimes get more emotional when they see the horse being dragged behind a tractor there.

Dear Two Tone:

I've had to shoot dogs and cats on the farm, but I would not want to shoot one of our horses.

All of the horses that my wife and I have had to put down, we used a veterinarian. Thats my recommendation. You don't want to do this yourself.

Call the remainder/bone fertilizer guys first though, so they know when to pick up the horse after you put him/her down.

Sincerely,

Chris Bemis

My shooting buddy had to have his wifes horse put down a while back. I would be very weary of using a rifle as they are generally quite intelligent and can see stuff coming.

In this instance the guy used a .32 humane killer pistol. Walker the horse to the ramp on the baco of the truck and dropped him there and then. He said it has to be quick and accurate as if it spooks then you're in a load f trouble. Also best to drop it where you need it as moving it about can be both difficult and traumatic for the owners.

I don't envy you the job but wish you the best of luck with it.

Rgds,,
FB

I agree with Yale. Have the vet come out and do it. If they are too cheap to have it done properly, then, shame on them. They do not deserve to own any animals.

If you must shoot it, I would suggest a shotgun to the brain with some kind of 3 1/2" mag loads.

Please ask them to have some respect for the animals and put it down with lethal injection.

I have had to put horses down. A 22 short between the eyes does the job efficently.
But is is traumatic emotionally. Call the vet even if you have to bay the bill. They are a bitch to move-do it where you are going to leave them.
Sorry about the loss. Been there too many times.
Judge Sharpe

As a veterinarian, I have done it both ways. The most asthetic is an injection. If cost is that much of an option, shooting is certainly effective as long as you hit the right spot. The only times that I "shoot" a horse is if it is either a safety issue or the animal cannot be touched and restrained. Otherwise I do not give the option. If necessary, either caliber will suffice. I generally use a 44 lever gun with 240gr SJHP( I thought a cowboy gun was appropriate). Pretty much bang....lights out. Its just not pretty.

Just have a vet do it. It's a bummer to have to shoot a pet of any kind.

My family has a horse farm and they give the horses shots all of the time such as antibiotics or sedatives if they are a pain to work on(trim hooves, shoe, etc) I don't know if it's legal there, but if it is, you may be able to get the proper drugs yourself from a vet to put him down humanely.

Good Luck

Reloader

I agree with all who responded with calling the veterinarian out and euthanizing with an injection. If the owner is going to be present it is a much easier memory to live with than to see your beloved pet shot in the head. Sure it is going to cost, but so did shoes, feed bills, tack, etc.

I worked in veterinary medicine for 14 years and have been with each pet I personally have ever had to put down. Holding them and being able to talk to them as they gently slip away was my final tribute to their loyal life. One cannot do that as your pet is being shot in the head.

I guess the answer should be, what is your friend willing to live with as that final memory for the rest of her life. Only she can make that decision.

Whatever is decided, I do hope all goes well. Putting a pet down is never an easy task, regardless of how it is done.

Kindest regards,
Mary

wait till he dozes off and hit him from afar w/ a rifle. a head or neck shot will do fine.

you can hasten his departure w/ a whiskey soaked apple or two.

It's not so much a cost issue regarding the Vet. It's because burying a horse on your own property is illegal here and a Vet would be put in a compromising position if he knew the horse was 'staying'. Many vets here don't use the more humane barbituate injection either, as far as I know. The 'other' drug appears to cause suffering. She's not sure what her Vet uses though.

She's determined to bury the horse at home and I don't blame her. It's not going to cause any problems.

It will be shot right next to the hole. As for it seeing me coming with the gun, it will be pretty much blind when this event takes place so that shouldn't be a problem.

So I guess its a hardcast 420 gn. 45/70 bullet right on the 'X'.

Thanks for the advice folks.

OH! This advice is so you can do something illegal?

I guess they've already checked with the vet as to the cause of the blindness. I had a goat once that went blind. An exchange student from Mexico, When it was ok to have an exchange student working on the ranch, blew salt in the goats eyes. The next day the goat could see again. He said that you use salt for goats and sugar for horses. He held the salt in the palm of his hand and blew it into the goat's eyes. Check into why the horse is blind. If it can't be cured, then load the horse and take it to the sale.

A dying horse can use up a lot of space in a hurry if it's done badly.

I had my last horse in 1988. She went out with the cows one day and didn't come back. I didn't go look for her. She hasn't come back yet.

Alan

Dear Two Tone:

If it is illegal to bury a horse in Nova Scotia, and you become an accessory party to an illegal act, then you really don't want to get involved in this.

Look, we had to put Ginger down ten years ago. She and Derby were the horses that my wife and I rode on our first date 13 years ago. I would no more have shot Ginger in the head as I would have shot my mother in the head.

As to burial, there is a good reason for it to be illegal. Think about it.

Get the remainder/bone fertilizer company out, and don't leave that horse on the property. What if your neighbor wants to sell the property some day, and a prospective buyer finds out about a dead horse buried illegally on the land. Nightmare in the making!

Don't get suckered into this.

Sincerely,

Chris Bemis

Unfortunately, ths is one of those situations where what is right and what is technically legal do not match. Legal or not, I would/will not allow my old mare to go for slaughter/rendering or anything else for that matter.

As to some of the euthanasia drugs, there were some old ones that were far worse than gunshot. But there was also one that was better than the barbiturates. It was not even a controlled substance. But it is no longer available AFAIK.

MFH

I have had to put horses down a few times and second the use of a shotgun with heavy loads.
Just don't assume that you can aim in the general direction, but make a well-aimed (but quick) shot to the forehead. It is best to study the skull of a horse beforehand so that you know exactly where the brain lies.
If you are close, the bullet (pellets) hole is small and neat.
Not an pleasant job, so all the more reason to take it seriously without allowing emotions to affect you.

This happens all the time around here. Either method (vet or shot) is effective. Why is it illegal to bury a horse? What does it hurt?

Shoot him on a downward angle, on an X that goes from ear to opposite eye. A .22 will work.

I don't care about the legality issue. That is your baby, but I must disagree with everyone on here about not putting down your animals. Pay someone else to do it if you must, but don't blame the guy who does it himself. In our area, a vet charges $100 for the call, $90 to give it the shot and $250 to haul it off. What difference does it make it the animal is shot and instantly killed or given a medicine which causes it to strangle to death.

The new "Politically Correct" horse BS is that we can't slaughter horses in the US. Old horses, in pain Niv or Arthritis, must now live forever, until he starves to death. The Libs have even made it illegal to Double-Deck horses. Horses are being turned loose because people can't get rid of the darn things. What a mess.

I'll stop there before I ruin my whole week. What a joke.....

quote:

Originally posted by MtElkHunter:
This happens all the time around here. Either method (vet or shot) is effective. Why is it illegal to bury a horse? What does it hurt?

Good question. I think the law is aimed more at preventing somebody from burying a whole bunch of animals in a mass grave in a small area. That's about all I can think of. Of course if it were buried next to a well or something that would be bad.

I'm taking what I think of as a common sense approach to this. One dead horse buried on a big piece of land is not going to hurt a thing. Animals have being dieing for millions of years after all. The legality of this does not particularly concern me in this case. If it were causing some harm in some way that would be a different story. I'm not too worried about the 'Burial Police' catching me.

There's no way he'll be leaving the property, dead or alive, and since the vet is out, she wants somebody she can trust to shoot him for her. She does not plan to be there. Her father will be there but he can't shoot him either for emotional reasons. I'm just asking those who've shot a few horses for some thoughts on the best procedure.

Let me clarify here, it's not my neighbor and it's not my horse. It's my friend's horse. I'm just doing her a favor and she is very grateful that I agreed to do it. The only say I have in this is whether or not I'll do it for her. The rest is firmly in her hands. She's quite upset about this.

The horse has Recurrent Uveitis (moon blindness). It will eventually be completely blind and have to be put down. I don't think blowing sugar into it's eyes is going to help but I'm no expert.....

Glad I don't have a horse any more.

Alan

I was raised on an Arab Horse farm. I only had 1 time I had to put one down. a yearling fell on the ice and shattered the left front leg below the knee, the hoof and foor swingning from skin. Very nasty! the vet said it would take several hours to get there -- I did not want the horse to suffer. I used a Smith and Wesson .357 magnum and put a 158 grain hollowpoint in the brain via the barrel in the ear. Death was instant.

Friend; It is kind of you to help your friend. I do understand her wanting her horse there on the land. I have chosen so myself. Your choice of bullet and gun will work fine. Lead the horse to the spot and put a bucket of grain down for it to eat. When the horse is eating head down, hit the X. Your friends horse will go down without pain.

Very bad situation, but as a horseman and spending half my life working cattle, I can handle it myself. If you can't have the vet do it, it's that simple. Don't however think the vet will be any more humane than a bullet in the head. It still doesn't feel good, but i've had to do horses, dogs, cats, cattle, you don't have to like it, it's just part of living a life with animals. In case you think I am hard and not an animal lover, I am currently showing two cutting horses, with more on the way, sharing a house with three dogs, two cockatoos, and a turtle. Growing up on a working cattle operation made me realize that birth, life, and death are the natural cycle of life, nothing more.

It is sad when you have to put down a pet. I apologize for accusing her of being cheap, I didn't realize the situation.

I would still consider the shotgun. Put a bucket of sweet feed on the ground, stand in front of the horse and shoot in the X. You will have a perfect angle, and the horse will be happy.

I suggest a shotgun because you do not need a lot of penetration and at that range, (3 yards) there is almost no chance of missing the mark. A bullet can easily miss the brain if the horse moves slightly.

My idea is to destroy as much as possible to give you a bigger margin of error. I would not like to see the horse suffer at all from a shot that is not perfect.

This can not be easy for you, and I am sure she appreciates it.

I hope it goes smoothly.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Wendell Reich:
I would still consider the shotgun. Put a bucket of sweet feed on the ground, stand in front of the horse and shoot in the X. You will have a perfect angle, and the horse will be happy.

I suggest a shotgun because you do not need a lot of penetration and at that range, (3 yards) there is almost no chance of missing the mark. A bullet can easily miss the brain if the horse moves slightly.

My idea is to destroy as much as possible ... QUOTE]

+1
My brother-in-law had several steers come back to life until he switched to a shotgun with slugs. Remember, the brain is a little higher and aim 1 inch higher than the X. Be ready for a follow up shot. Agree with the bucket of grain to get their head close to the ground.

Sometimes a local vet will have a horse skull you can look at to see the brain cavity.

You are a good friend.

the ones i've had to put down i put a slug(different calibers/at least 22-250) into the base of the ear.very humane and they never knew what hit them.it is a shame,but i just could never stand around waiting for the drugs to take effect and watch the shaking and shivers start.have a backhoe dig the hole, walk them up to the edge and give them one in the ear and then say your prayers and cover them up

I agree with Wendell on this one.

When I am putting down a cow around the farm I will quite often just use a 12 guage with bird shot. At 5 yards and less there is just a twoonie sized enterance hole and no exit. I will always load up the shotgun with extra rounds just incase something happens when the trigger is pulled and the mark is missed. But for the most part just aim for the X and you will be fine.

If the horse knows something is up and won't stand still then use the 30-30 and shoot one round into the neck/front shoulder of the animal and then the second round into the x in the head. That works well also, and is quick and humane.

But the first choice should be the 12 guage.

It is never a job that anybody looks forward to having to do, but sometimes it just has to be done.

I never killed a horse, but I've had a couple that tried to kill me. From my experience with cattle and hogs, you would have to be exceedingly incompetent to fail to instantly kill the animal with a gun of any signficance.

No need to anthropomorphize (pretend it's a human), but if I were to be "put down" myself, I'd much prefer a bullet to the brain than the slow, agonizing death of a chemical seeping through my veins.

I doubt the constabulary bothering to come after you for "improper burial of a horse", but why not have a rendering plant on call to pick up the remains? Alternatively, there's no better bear bait in the world.

quote:

why not have a rendering plant on call to pick up the remains? Alternatively, there's no better bear bait in the world.

There's no way she's allowing her horse to go to the rendering plant, Likewise bear bait. Ain't gonna happen.

Two Tone,
You have lots of good advice here. Any caliber will work. Never seen a shotgun used myself but don't doubt it at all.
Had a close friend who couldn't shoot his old rope horse when he couldn't get up one cold winter morning, called the vet who came out and gave him a shot. 2 or 3 hours later he hooked a chain on him and drug him to the ranch bone pile. The next morning the old horse was standing at the corral waiting to be fed[minus a lot of hide on one side]. I guess the drug killed by stopping the heart but dragging him across the pasture massaged it into beating again. THe old horse lived 3or4 more years more and they said they never saw him lie down again. So much for the bs that the vet method is more humane.

The short answer to your post is to take the 45/70, put the end of the barrel within 2 yards of the horse's forehead and make the humane kill. I don't know of anyone that takes comfort in such an action, as I would imagine this would be difficult.

Regarding the shotgun, I do remember my father and uncles talking about having to use them to kill some cows many years ago. They shot them in the head and it dropped them. My dad said he would shoot 2-3 times in a row just to make sure no matter what.

You've been given some good advise to use a DVM. This also removes any potential liability or animal cruelty charges that some do-gooder my decide to file against you, having shot a horse. I grew up on and around horses and would not put one down any other way than by a DVM. You will feel better afterward and not have the vision of a struggling animal in your mind's eye.

Take care you kill it and don't just stun it.

In the UK it's normal to shoot horses that need putting down so they can be used to feed the fox hounds. This isn't possible with injected horses.

I mention this to my wife frequently - it would be a shame for her horse to go to waste and likewise a shame to waste good money on a vet!

I have seen folks shoot a horse between the eyes with 22s and the poor bastard stumbled around in a circle while they tried it again and again..thats just

Have the vet come out and do it..or my vet will give me the syringe and I'll give the shot, after I tranquilize him..

If I had to shoot my horse and I have at the ranch where I was raised as it was 100 miles to town..I would use my 25-35 or .357 and shoot him behind the ear to the brain and jump backwards in case he fell over backwards and that happens a lot.

I just won't hardly do it unless its and emergency and he has to be put down in a hurry, such as a broken leg in the pasture or something like that.

my wife and I have raised horses for 30 years and it's hard to do this to a horse your wife has grown fond of. i have been called on to kill 2 of her horses in all this time and it dosen't get easy. you have got the right idea with your choice of calibers but i used the 30-30 and both went down with out a wiggle. that said it was done as a job but it was with me for a long time. i think it speaks highly of her regard for you that she asked someone she trusts. GOD BLESS

quote:

I have seen folks shoot a horse between the eyes with 22s

That is the problem, they shot the horse between the eyes. In my post I said a .22 because that is all it takes if you know what you are doing. I would agree to go with a larger caliber, but DO NOT SHOOT IT BETWEEN THE EYES!!

Dear Two Tone:

Before the owner has you or another shoot this horse in the head, she should read the article "Navigating A Dark World" by Emily Esterson starting on page 48 in the May 2008 edition of John Lyons' Perfect Horse magazine.

She should read about Valiant, a Dutch Warmblood gelding, who has moon blindness, and somehow exists in the heady realm of dressage competition as a fourth level dressage horse.

See www.myhorse.com/perfecthorse.

Someone can use this horse, if the only problem is moonblindness. Maybe its time to save the bullet.

Sincerely,

Chris Bemis

A couple of comments here.

1. I have had to help put down 3 of our horses in the last 4 years. All of them had been with my wife and I from 24-to-30+ years. They were dearly-loved members of our family, as much as the kids, if not more. It is a tough job, but there comes a point of pain (the horse's pain) when it is the only act of friendship left available.

2. One thing I believe is appropriate for an old friend, is to comfort it during the process. By that, I mean handle the horse yourself during the process. It recognizes you as a friend. It also recognizes it's stall as a sanctuary, so I suggest NOT taking it far from the stall to do the deed. Use its regular halter, and take it along a familiar route to the point desired. It will recognize something is up, so it will be alert, but it need not be scared, if you don't convey fear to it. Also, if it suffers nevicular or something which makes it painful to move, don't hurry it, or force it to go too far. A favorite "treat" goes a long way in this process.

3. Beg, borrow, rent, or hire a backhoe. With a couple of short lengths of chain, you can move the body of a dead horse very easily without dragging the horse at all. Just put the chains around the legs and over the teeth on the bucket, and then raise the bucket. I know that will work for almost any horse, as it is how I moved the body of our 19+ hand german warmblood (Holsteiner)., as well as a 15.5 hand Throughbred and a little 14.5 hand Arab.

3. USE A VET. There is no quivering, no lingering wait for the drug to take effect, etc., if the vet uses the right chemical. I do not remember the name of the drug, but with all three of our horses, they dropped, DRT, the instant he injected the drug. Died in less than 2 seconds, Never shuddered, shifted, kicked, or anything. Matter of fact, they died so fast, the first one partially fell on me before I even realized he had been injected. (And I was holding the halter and watching the shot being given...) Further, if you use the horse's regular vet, it may associate that vet with previous pain-relieving experiences, and be much less averse to the whole proceedings...again, the horse being confident it is meeting someone it knows, trusts, and need not fear.

Try to relax. That will be easier on both the horse and its owner(s). When you've lived with them every day for over a quarter-century, that will be damned difficult, but some "alone-time" later will help that, and the release of emotions can be deferred until then, with enough effort.

I do not envy you. One of man's toughest jobs in life.