Euthanasia....what you need to know if you love your horse.

I had contacted the organizer of the euthanasia clinic a while back regarding Snookie, and she contacted me last night, ironically, to let me know of an upcoming clinic near me.  I let her know what was going on, and sent her a link to Snookies video.  She was unable to leave a comment, so she emailed me and asked me to share this. 

"This is part of being a good horse owner. The horse owner is a guardian, we fence them in and feed them well and care for them so we can love them longer . With our love and care they live longer so we also have to be prepared for doing what is right for the horse and not what we want.
There is nothing and I mean nothing sadder about horses than the regret someone has when they go to see their friend and the horse has been down all night struggling and paddling in the dirt or mud to get up and died alone.

What you are doing is giving her a send off to heaven with love surrounded by friends it is a gentle end which is what every horse owner should want for the noblest animals on earth."

Deb Stewart

Back in the Saddle Project

Thank You Deb.  While she is not in some horribly injured state, that would have obviously made this decision easier for me, to see her struggling was killing me.  As it is, it took me 9mos to make this decision.  And for every day I put it off, is just another day of selfishness.  Being too weak and not having the courage is just another way to strip her of another ounce of dignity.  I could not, and would not, want her to suffer a tragedy, waiting for me to get home and find her, and put her out of her misery.  It has taken everything I have to see this through, and in a few minutes it will be all over.  Deb put in words, my hopes, fears, and love.

A quote from BLACK BEAUTY

The horse was an old worn out chestnut, with an ill kept coat and bones that showed plainly through it. The knees knuckled over, and the forelegs were very unsteady.There was a hopeless look in the dull eye that I could not help noticing, and then, as I was thinking where had I seen that horse before, she looked full at me and said,  "Black Beauty, is that really you?"

 

It was Ginger! But how changed! The beautifully arched and glossy neck was now straight and lank and fallen in; the clean straight legs and delicate fetlocks were swelled. The face, once so full of spirit and life, was now full of suffering.

 

..."I wish the end was come, I wish I was dead. I have seen dead horses, and I am sure they do not suffer pain. I wish I may drop down dead and not be sent off to the knackers."

 

I was very much troubled, and I put my nose up to hers, but I could say nothing to comfort her. I think she was pleased to see me, for she said, "You are the only friend I ever had."

 

Just then her driver came up, and with a tug at her mouth, backed her out of the line and drove off, leaving me very sad indeed.

 

A short time after this, a cart with a dead horse in it passed our cab stand. The head hung out of the cart tail... It was a chestnut horse with a long thin neck. I saw a white streak down the forehead. I believed it was Ginger; I hoped it was, for then her troubles would be over.

 

Oh! If men were more merciful, they would shoot us before we came to such misery.

Savvy On

Michelle