What I Learned Going Through Euthanizing My Horse

11 months ago at the time of writing this, I faced one of the most challenging decisions of my life: euthanizing my beloved miniature horse, Yoshi. He was the cutest little creature, and I loved him dearly. It was my first experience putting down an animal, and the process was overwhelming. I had to learn many things as it was happening. In this article, I want to share my experience to help others recognize when it’s time to euthanize a horse, understand what the process entails, and cope with the emotional aspects in a healthy way.

Recognizing When It’s Time to Euthanize Your Horse

Deciding when to euthanize a horse is incredibly difficult. You want to have hope that they could get better, and it’s hard to tell where an animal is at, especially horses, because they tend to be stoic. Emotional ties can make it challenging to navigate. Here are some points to consider if you’re in this situation:

Is Your Horse in Pain?

Pain can drastically decrease the quality of life, whether it’s a human or a horse. This needs to be considered seriously. In my personal experience, Yoshi started dealing with pain randomly one day. We tried to cure it for several months and did everything we could, but the pain wouldn’t go away. It diminished the quality of his life significantly. He couldn’t do the normal things he liked doing. It was hard to even lead him because the pressure on the lead rope would cause him severe pain. We never knew what was wrong with him; even the vet couldn’t figure it out. Once we had tried everything to cure the pain and it didn’t work, I was faced with the decision. If I let him live, he would continue with this pain, and his quality of life would be diminished.

Is the Quality of Life Diminishing?

Consider if your horse’s quality of life is diminishing. This is especially relevant with older horses. As horses age, they start losing their teeth, can’t eat like they used to, and develop arthritis, affecting their mobility. You need to watch your horse to see if there’s a shift in their quality of life. Here are things to consider:

• Mobility: How hard is it for them to get around? If they’re barely able to walk and hobbling badly, that’s a good indicator that their quality of life has diminished.
• Appetite and Weight Loss: If they can’t eat and have lost a drastic amount of weight, that’s a significant change from their natural behavior.
• Personality Changes: Usually, if a horse’s quality of life has greatly diminished, you can tell through their personality. They may seem down, depressed, lethargic, and not really wanting to engage with you or other horses. With Yoshi, he was normally very friendly and always wanted to be around us, but towards the end, he didn’t care to be around us or the other horses.

Have You Exhausted All Options?

Have you done everything you can? For every person, this will be different, especially financially, because caring for a horse with health conditions can cost a lot of money. Do what you can, and if that doesn’t work, you need to consider the alternative. For Yoshi, we knew something was wrong, but we didn’t know what it was. For almost a year, we got tests run on him, had him adjusted by a chiropractor, got X-rays done, and tried to figure out what was wrong. We tried painkillers and different treatments, but nothing seemed to work. After that, we realized he was only getting worse, and it was time. Exhausting your options will give you peace of mind because you’ll know you did everything you could.

Can You Tell That Your Horse Is Ready to Go?

This might sound a little strange, but I feel that, just like humans, animals have ways of telling you they’re ready to go. The only way you’ll pick up on that is through a feeling and by observing them. Maybe a change in their personality or the look on their face. Every animal has a will to live and to fight and survive, especially horses, because they’re flight animals. When your horse is not fighting anymore, that’s usually a sign they’re ready to go. In Yoshi’s case, one day I walked outside, looked at him, and could tell he was done. Interestingly, when the vet came to do the euthanasia, Yoshi, who normally didn’t like the vet and would act up, stood perfectly still the entire time. It was as if he knew what was going on.

Consult Your Vet

Ask your vet for their honest opinion. Vets will be truthful with you, and they can help guide you in making the decision. In dire situations where the horse has been severely injured, the vet will communicate that euthanasia is the only real option. When it comes to an older horse or one struggling with an illness, vets are good about letting you make that decision but will tell you when they think it’s time. Make sure you ask your vet, as they can’t force you to do it; the decision has to be yours as the owner.

Understanding the Euthanasia Process

Euthanizing a horse involves planning and logistics, which can be overwhelming as you’re grieving. Horses are large animals, and you can’t just euthanize them and take them to get cremated like a smaller pet. Here’s what happened in my case with Yoshi:

Planning and Logistics

When I decided it was time to put him down, I called the vet. They were very understanding and asked which vet I preferred. They also asked if I had plans for disposing of the body. Since I didn’t, they gave me information for a local cremation service that would pick up the horse. Because Yoshi was a miniature horse, we decided to take him there ourselves after the euthanasia. You’ll want to have that information, and your vet will usually be able to provide it. Ask your vet for a cremation service or some type of service that can help.

We arranged for some friends to come out and help pick him up because a miniature horse is still around 300 pounds. You probably couldn’t do this with a normal-sized horse; they would have to come pick up the horse. We had to plan where to put him down so we could easily pull the trailer up and get him in.

The Day of Euthanasia

The vet came and walked us through the process, explaining what was going to happen. They said they’d give him a sedative first, and then a shot that would inject the serum for the euthanasia. They told us it would take about 30 seconds. They also explained that his legs might kick, but that’s just nerve reactions, not pain.

They asked if I wanted to stay or go somewhere else. I decided to stay because I felt it would be a disservice to Yoshi if I didn’t. My husband helped with the process. When you put a horse down, they will naturally fall because they can’t lay down like a dog. Since Yoshi was a miniature horse, it wasn’t as big of a deal, but my husband was there to help guide him into his fall so he didn’t face-plant. The vet administered the shot, and my husband maneuvered him to where he fell on his side. It was over in about 30 seconds.

Handling the Aftermath

Afterward, the vet asked if we needed anything else or help getting him on the trailer. We had friends coming to help. We talked a bit with the vet, who had helped us so much. We discussed whether to donate his body to science, but there was a process for that which would take time, and I didn’t want to have to hold onto the body while it got worked out. So, we took him to the crematorium. Having to figure all this out in the moment added a lot of stress to the day, so knowing what you need to do beforehand can make things easier.

Coping with the Emotional Aspects

Everyone deals with grief when it comes to loss, whether it’s a human or an animal. The reality is that everyone will have to face grief at some point. It needs to be taught and talked about because many people in grief feel so alone, and it can have negative effects.

Dealing with Grief

Afterward, certain questions will come to your mind, like “Did I do enough?” “Did I wait too long to euthanize him?” “Is he in heaven?” These are normal thoughts. One thing I’ve learned from this process is that you are a steward of your animal. You’re their caretaker. I believe that God gave animals to humans, and we are to take care of them and manage their affairs. Part of managing their affairs is choosing when it’s time to euthanize them.

Common Questions and Thoughts

• Did I do enough? If you’ve exhausted all options and made the best decision you could, then you did enough.
• Did I wait too long? Reflect on whether you recognized the signs and acted accordingly. We all do the best we can with the information we have.
• Is he in heaven? Many people wonder if animals go to heaven. I believe they do.

The Role of the Caretaker

If you’re struggling with making the decision, remember that you are the animal’s caretaker. They can’t make that decision, so you have to make it for them. Making that decision is, in the long run, what’s best for them.

Conclusion

Euthanizing a horse is a heart-wrenching decision that involves recognizing when it’s time, understanding the process, and coping with the emotional aftermath. By sharing my experience, I hope to help others navigate this difficult journey with more ease and understanding. If you have gone through this process and have any tips, please share them in the comments. If you found this article helpful, please consider sharing it with others who might benefit from it.

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