Reaching the End of Your Horse’s Life

In This Chapter

• Understanding euthanasia
• Choosing to bury, cremate, or render your horse
• Grieving for your equine companion

In the old days, horses were just commodities, easily bought and sold and often worked into the ground. People didn’t spend much time thinking about what would happen when the horse became old and couldn’t work anymore.

These days, many horses are more like members of the family than just tools to get a job done. Caring horse owners make provisions for their senior horses so that they can retire (see Chapter Helping Your Horse Age Gracefully for details), and for horses who are ill and can’t be cured. These people often choose to give these horses a dignified end as a thank-you for years of service and companionship.

When a horse is too old or too ill to be able to go on without horrific suffering, the kindest thing a caring owner can do is help that horse have a swift, pain-free end to her life. This is done with euthanasia, administered by a veterinarian. Although giving the order to put a horse down is always a difficult one, it’s a selfless act when done with the horse’s best interest at heart.

In this chapter, we take a look at euthanasia, and we give you guidance on when to choose this option for your horse. We also provide information on what to do with your horse’s remains and how to cope with grief from losing your equine friend.

Facing the Process of Euthanasia

The technical term for putting a horse “to sleep” is euthanasia. Although other methods of ending a horse’s life are still used in certain parts of the country — like shooting a horse in the head or sending it off to slaughter — we maintain that euthanasia administered by a qualified veterinarian is the most humane way to put a horse down. In the following sections, we give you a few guidelines for deciding when euthanasia is the right option for your horse, and we look at the basic process.

Remember

Sometimes owners choose to be present during the euthanasia to be with their horse during her transition to the “other side.” We don’t know how much this helps the horse during the process, but being present can help some owners deal with their grief by saying goodbye. For other owners, it’s a traumatic experience. When euthanasia is administered to a horse who’s standing, the horse falls over or collapses during the process. This can be upsetting to some owners, who may opt not to be present during the euthanasia.

Deciding when it’s time to put down your horse

Knowing when it’s time to put a horse down can be tricky. Most people are reluctant to give the go-ahead to a veterinarian to give a horse the necessary injection. People feel like they’re “playing God,” and are loath to make this decision. No doubt about it, this is one of the hardest decisions you’ll ever make. Fortunately, your veterinarian can help you figure out when the time is right. Veterinarians are trained in euthanasia in vet school and, unfortunately, have plenty of opportunity to practice it in their day-to-day work. Although the vast majority of equine veterinarians would rather do anything else than put a horse down, it’s part of their job and one that they understand very well.

Remember

Keeping the following elements in mind while discussing the situation with your vet can help you make this very difficult decision:

- Quality of life. Think about the horse’s quality of life. Is the horse suffering? Is her life filled with pain? Does she have more bad or marginal days than good days? Will her disease continue to worsen as time goes on? Having your horse euthanized is more humane than letting her suffer if the condition is painful and incurable.

- Pain. Consider how much pain the horse is experiencing. Does walking cause the horse pain? Is the horse’s pain so bad that medication can no longer control it?

 - Mobility. Horses are very mobile creatures. Walking, trotting, and galloping are all essentials to equine happiness. Old horses can get so stiff and sore that doing anything other than walking can be difficult. But can the horse do at least that? Is even a slow walk painful for the horse?

- Ability to stand. Because they’re prey animals, horses are meant to stand most of the time so that they can make a quick getaway if danger presents itself. When a horse gets to the point in life where she can no longer stand, she’s suffering not only mentally but also physically. A horse who’s forced to lie down because she’s unable to stand is a horse who’s ready to be euthanized.

- Your finances. It may be difficult to consider, but is keeping the horse alive costing more than your pocketbook can stand? Does the horse stand little chance of recovering, and just keeping her alive is costing more than you can spare? One of the most painful aspects of deciding on euthanasia comes with having to consider the cost of continued vet care. However, if your horse is very old or if her condition is incurable, and throwing more money at the situation isn’t going to help her but will undoubtedly hurt you, don’t feel guilty about making finances a part of your decision.

Human beings have a hard time letting go of what they love. Sometimes, because of this, owners hold on too long to their horses. Coauthor Dr. Kate has seen this time and again — owners who let horses suffer too long before making the decision to give them a peaceful rest with dignity. She says:

I will say that I personally have never heard an owner say, “I put him to sleep too soon,” but all too often owners lament, “I should never have let her suffer this long . . . I should have done this sooner.” I will always speak for those who cannot speak because this is my job and honors the oath I took — that I will alleviate suffering. I’m sure that I practice more euthanasias than most veterinarians because of my ER experience and my alternative practice. Often, owners come to me when all other avenues of treatment have been exhausted, so whether Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine (TCVM) can help their horse or not, I’m the last veterinarian they experience. It’s a huge and humbling responsibility.

Remember

Having memories of your horse feeling good at the end is best. Don’t let the last memory you have of her be one of pain or suffering, if at all possible. Trust your veterinarian to help you understand that some problems won’t get better, and that everything ages and dies. What a blessing that you can help your horses and give them the gift of euthanasia when it’s time.

Understanding how euthanasia works

When a veterinarian administers euthanasia to a horse, he or she uses a barbiturate drug. Euthanasia drugs are injected in large quantities into a horse’s bloodstream, stopping brain function almost instantly. The horse doesn’t feel any pain during this process; essentially, she feels as if she’s just going to sleep. She loses consciousness (similar to being anesthetized for surgery) and then stops breathing. Soon afterward, the heartbeat ceases. The entire process takes only a few minutes.

Tip

In many cases, veterinarians may administer a sedative to the horse before administering the euthanasia drug to help make an excited horse more relaxed. A relaxed horse may accept the euthanasia drug more easily and is less likely to fight the sensation that comes with the final injection. Sedation prior to the final injection also may allow your veterinarian to help the horse lie down safely and quietly, which is much less stressful for both owner and horse. Ask your veterinarian whether sedation can help to ensure that your horse isn’t distressed during the process.

Taking Care of Your Horse’s Remains

Because horses are such large animals, disposing of their remains can be rather tricky. Unlike a cat or a dog, even transporting the body requires considerable work and planning. Local laws can also determine what you’re allowed to do with your horse after he passes. You have a few options for your horse’s remains after euthanasia, as you find out in the following sections.

Remember

Plan ahead and decide what you want to do before your horse is put down. Emotions can be raw right after the horse’s passing, and making a decision may be difficult at that time. In addition, coauthor Dr. Kate strongly recommends to her clients that they not be present when their horse’s remains are removed. Ask a friend to securely cover the horse with a blanket or tarp and let him or her handle the removal.

Burial

If you’re fortunate enough to have your own expanse of land and live in a county where it’s legal to bury a horse on your own property, your first option for your horse’s remains may be burial.

In order to bury your horse on your own land, you need to rent a backhoe (if you don’t have one yourself). A backhoe can not only dig a grave deep enough for your horse’s remains (the hole must be six feet deep or more depending on the legal requirements in your area), but can also transport your horse’s body from where it lies elsewhere on your property. The backhoe can also fill the grave with dirt, covering the body thoroughly.

Remember

If your horse will be buried on your property, let someone else put him in the grave and cover his body with dirt. Watching the process of moving such a large body can be unpleasant, and as a grieving owner, you don’t need to see it.

If you don’t have your own property and don’t know anyone who will permit you to bury your horse on their land, consider having your horse buried at a pet cemetery. Keep in mind that this option costs a few thousand dollars, including the money that you pay to have your horse’s body taken to the cemetery. The plus side is that you always have a place where you can go to visit your horse. Most pet cemeteries are bucolic places, and many owners find great solace in knowing that their beloved equine is buried in such a place.

Cremation

If you don’t have your own land, a less expensive alternative to burial at a pet cemetery is cremation. More and more pet cemeteries are starting to offer cremation services for horses. Although this method of disposing of your horse’s remains is still costly (usually between $1,000 and $2,000), it’s cheaper than burial.

If you have your horse cremated, you can keep his ashes with you at your home, or scatter them on your property. If you choose to keep them, you can purchase an urn or memorial box for the ashes. You can purchase urns and boxes on the Internet, or through the pet cemetery that does the cremation.

Remember

If you want to scatter your horse’s ashes, be sure to inform the pet cemetery of this before you have your horse cremated. The crematorium handles your horse’s remains differently if the ashes are to be scattered than if they’ll remain in an urn or box.

Rendering

The least expensive way to handle your horse’s body is to have it rendered. For a relatively small fee of usually just a few hundred dollars, a livestock remains transport company or the rendering company comes to pick up your horse’s body and takes it to a rendering plant.

For most horse owners — especially those who don’t have their own property for burial and have limited funds — this is the best option. The horse’s body will be used to make fertilizer or other organic materials.

Tip

Not all counties have rendering plants that accept horse carcasses. Discuss disposal of your horse’s body with your veterinarian when the time comes. He or she can tell you whether rendering is an option where you live.

Grieving for Your Horse

Losing a horse you love is one of the most painful things you’ll ever endure. Both of your coauthors have gone through this loss and speak with experience.

In order to get past the pain and anguish of losing your horse, you must experience grief. Some people think that grief is appropriate only when you lose a beloved human. But if you love your horse, you’re entitled to grieve as if you had lost a human in your life. In fact, you need to grieve in order to heal.

Surveying the stages of grief

Psychologists have discovered that grief has various aspects to it. These aspects are sometimes called “stages of grief,” but they don’t always come in any particular order, and in fact can come and go alternatively.

Remember

The following emotions are normal and part of the process of grieving the loss of your horse. Allow yourself to feel them, and try not to judge yourself. You may feel at times like you’re losing your mind, but in reality, you’re experiencing what all people experience when they lose someone they care about. Here are the different aspects of grief:

- Denial. You have trouble believing that your horse is dying or has died. The situation feels unreal.

- Anger. You feel enraged that this has happened to you and your horse.

- Guilt. You irrationally feel like your horse’s death is somehow your fault.

- Depression. You have trouble caring about things you normally enjoy.

- Numbness. You have moments when you can’t feel anything at all.

- Anguish. You have waves of intense emotional pain, and sometimes you can’t stop crying.

- Acceptance. You start to feel a sense of acceptance about your loss.

Be aware that you may even experience some of these aspects to grief before your horse dies, if you know that the end is coming.

Tip

The amount of time that it takes to finally reach acceptance — and stay there — varies from person to person. If you find that you’re unable to accept what’s happened, or if you just need support as you grieve your horse, contact one of the support group hotlines listed in this book’s appendix. For additional information about grieving, check out Grieving For Dummies, by Greg Harvey, PhD (Wiley).

Remembering and honoring your horse

Tip

After your horse has passed, you may want to do something to acknowledge her passing. Although holding a funeral for a horse is rare, people do other things that help them find closure. Here are some ideas that may help:

- Lay flowers in your horse’s stall.

- If your horse has been buried, lay a marker on her grave.

- If your horse has been cremated, scatter her ashes in a place that means something to you — perhaps a favorite place she liked to trail ride, or in her pasture.

- Write a letter to your horse telling her how you feel about her.

- Create an album of photos and keepsakes.

- Donate to a charitable cause in your horse’s name, plant a tree or flowers, or help another animal in need.

When coauthor Audrey’s blind Appaloosa mare Rosie died, Audrey donated the board she was about to pay that month to a horse rescue, in Rosie’s name. The rescue put a plaque with Rosie’s name in its memorial garden.

Friends may like making donations for you, too. Receiving a note in the mail from a charitable organization saying that a donation has been made in your horse’s honor is touching. After Rosie died, one of Audrey’s friends donated money to help find a cure for the disease that caused Rosie to lose her eyesight.

Coauthor Dr. Kate was fortunate enough to be able to bury her sweet old mare, Glo, in a pasture on her Texas farm, beneath a grove of trees in Glo’s favorite spot. Dr. Kate planted daffodils there that will naturalize and spread every year (horses and deer won’t eat daffodils). The flowers remind Dr. Kate of how Glo brought so much joy into her life. Dr. Kate further honors Glo by always wearing at shows the first buckle she ever won in cutting, on Glo, even though Dr. Kate has won lots of fancier, more impressive buckles since.

The bottom line is that you should do whatever works best for you to help you remember and honor your horse. Acts such as these help you grieve and enable you to accept what’s happened to your horse. In time, you’ll find that you’re able to open your heart to love another horse.

by Audrey Pavia with Kate Gentry-Running,DVM,CVA