Yesterday after a long haul with vets and several weeks of medicating, my old 23 year old rope horse that won me a lot of money and took my grandkids to High School and college Nat. finals, and taught them to rope had a heart attack and his pain got so bad I had to shoot him as no vets were available..We burried him on the place next to his pen..He was an own son of Docs Oak and the best horse I have ever owned. He will be missed as he was a people horse.

I am sorry to hear that Sir. I know that pain of loss. It's probably hard to understand if you not a horse person.
Best regards,

Sorry for your loss. I like the Doc's Oak horses. Usually pretty good minded.

Daniel,
Much the same as your post that I just read, it was the result of a week or 10 days being diagnosed as Pigeon Fever. I got suspecious and went to another vet some miles away but that I know well and he put the horse on the ultra sound and his body cavity was full of fluid, he drained off 10 gallons..It was Plureal Pnewmonia, and with a lot of treatment and a tube in his side he came around, then suddenly had a heart attack and couldn't get up and it got so bad I had to do it..

Of note I might add that if you have ever observed a horse put down at the vet from start to finish, in so many cases a bullet to the brain is so much more humane, certainly quicker.

They are not like a dog and putting them to sleep doesn't seem to make any difference before you give them a lethal shot, they do suffer with intravenous shots it seems to me..I have only seen a few put down at the vets, but it was enough to make me think twice about it. I have talked to several vets about this subject and they were in agreement with my thinking, but advised as vets they would be foolish to tell a client that they should shoot thier own horse and I suppose thats right..I don't know, and mostly I have lived a long way from a vet and time is critical at the last minute to stop the suffering you have to do what you feel is best...Its a s---tsandwich anyway you go.

I am not a horse person, a dog person myself, but I know what you did was hard. I have put down my own dogs, my animals, my responsibility.


God played a cruel joke on us when he made dogs and horses lives so much shorter than ours.

I sure hope there are dogs and horses in heaven.

.

So very sorry to hear about the loss of a loved one.

JTEX
I am going to take my little beagle to the grave with me.Just think a boy and his dog in a better place.Is'nt love grand?

Ray,
I too think horses suffer with the lethal IV shot. I will never willing do another one that way. I am confident they do not with a perfect shot. When one keeps old loyal 4 legged friends into their old age, these choices come and it's up to us to serve them like they have served us. I look out the window and can see three graves. Another lies just out of view. Two died of the killer Colic or complications of disease while in their prime. The other two were old friends. One of them has a brother in a deep grave in SW Colorado done with the needle back in 1985 I think. Never again.
Best to you Ray.

Recently lost a couple pets to a bobcat but seems to be small potatoes in comparison to such a member of your family. My sincere condolences.

I agree with your actions. I had to put down a friend of 17 years the same way. He was a good horse, a friend and I it was my responsibility to end his suffering. We saw a lot of good country together. My condolences.

Your kindness is truly appreciated..

For us who live with horses and/or pets, we just have to realize that we live longer than they do, and keep in mind that these animals were the lucky ones, they had care, feed, shelter that many animals do not..

I'm down to one heel horse, and he is 13 and I suspect by the time he gets too old to rope off of, I'll be too old to rope anyway.

My old horse was a 5 year old going on 23 years, not a bump on his legs and never a sick day, not one. I roped 40 steers one day on him last year in a Round Robin and he was as good on the last one as the first one, and we won a second...His death was so unexpected and came on too sudden, I was sure he would last until he was 30, my last one did, and I gave him to my cousin for his 10 year old boy and he taught the kid to rope and last until he was 37.

Worst thing about a working horse is they get better with age, but their true prime is short lived most of the time.

Sorry about your horse Ray.

Also agree with the piss poor way of putting down an animal with an IV. My poor old mule of 35 yrs suffered for half an hour with 2 IV's.

It's just a way for the vet to make money. I'm braining the next one, if I'm still around when the time comes.

Your right, its the only way to go, a 22 in the top of the head and its over..We took the back hoe and buried the old boy next to his pen in his pasture...

Regards.

Atkinson,

I read here that you just shoot them with a .22 and ride off!

Ray, sorry for your loss.

Over the years and especially since I moved to the country I have had to put a few animals down.

I also use a gun, as I think it is the quickest and less painful and less stressful for the animal.

quote:

Originally posted by Savage_99:
Atkinson,

I read here that you just shoot them with a .22 and ride off!

Grow up !!!!

quote:

Atkinson,

I read here that you just shoot them with a .22 and ride off!

Dickhead!


.

“When the debate is lost, slander becomes the tool of the loser."
Socrates

quote:

Originally posted by Savage_99:
“When the debate is lost, slander becomes the tool of the loser."
Socrates

Debate ?? You're kidding ? Right ?

My post is in reference to Atkinsons posts where he told how he shot deer with a .22LR and then rode off to let them die!

He did this as poaching, out of season to get paid for the meat!

Look it up here!

Sorry to hear of your loss....
We lost a Quarter Horse mare last year. As steady a companion as you could ask for always willing, always up for the task.....
Best to the Atkinson Family

quote:

Originally posted by Savage_99:
My post is in reference to Atkinsons posts where he told how he shot deer with a .22LR and then rode off to let them die!

He did this as poaching, out of season to get paid for the meat!

Look it up here!

Somewhat irrelevant to this thread, don't you think ?

Ray,
10 years ago, next month, I had to have my horse put down. At first the vet thought it was colic but by evening ( and second call out for the vet) he said it had to be a twisted gut. The next morning my pony got the dying quivers. I've never seen an animal sweat and shiver as much as he did. I couldn't stand to see it so I called the vet again and told him what was happening. He said it was time to put him down.
I told him that I would take care of it. He then proceeded to tell me about a time where a friend of his shot his horse. He said the horse must have heard the hammer fall at the last second and moved just a tad.
The vet said that his friend couldn't look him in the eye without going to tears after that happened. It must have been a really bad scene.
After I heard that I figured the vet's way was best. My pony went quickly and peacefully.
I cried like a baby afterwards.
Not knocking what you had to do at all.
Just saying I couldn't do it and live with myself if something went wrong.
My hat is off to you for what you had to do and sorry for your loss.

I feel for you and completely agree with your actions. We bred & raised paints growing up. Never easy letting go of a good one.

Condolences on your loss. Admiration of your courage. Been there and don't want to go back.

I won't bother with a response to Sav 99, but to those who have posted here I have to tell you that Sav 99 is a total mental case, taking everything out of text and lies when the truth sounds better..He is our local flamer, and is at odds with most everyone on this forum constantly..