info@lizbarclaydressagecornwall.co.uk
The thing you really don't want to think about
When you are thinking of buying a horse, there are lots of things you have to consider. One of the things to think about carefully is the one thing you never like to think about. One day your horse will probably have to be put down. Hopefully because of old age, sometimes because of an injury or a disease.
In the twenty five years I have owned horses I had to make that decision more than once. My farrier at the time, Brian Webber, gave me some great advice: You, as an owner should probably not be holding your own horse when it is put down. Your emotional state could very well worry your horse. Ask a dear and competent horse connection to do it for you.
It made sense at the time and several times I took his advice. The last one, however, my very loyal Prix St. George horse Marie, was a different matter altogether. She was not to be trusted with others and I knew it had to be me at the other end of the rope. It went as well as it possibly could….. for her. I was proud of the accomplishment, but traumatised.
It is different from a dog or a cat, somehow. That is because it’s so very big and to put it bluntly it makes a terrible thumping sound when this huge body lands on the ground. That’s what they call dead weight.
Also, for your vet it doesn’t make things any easier when confronted with your emotions. For them it is something that comes with the job but not something they enjoy doing. It is important for them, in order to do it right, to be able to concentrate and not to be distracted by your emotions.
So I do think my friend Brian was right. He had some more advice, though. He thought shooting was better than injecting. Being from Holland, it never occurred to me to have your horse shot. But I did see the point Brian tried to make about how quick it went and how slow sometimes the injection is. So I did that several times. Somehow, when it came to having to hold Marie, I could not face up to the shooting. Since that time I have held more horses when put down by injection. I honestly have never seen a horse worry and do not think there is much in it. Also, if your horse needed an operation it would go through the same initial thing.
A horse can’t think in the future so it does not know whether the injection is for getting better or in order to die.
Oh, and one more piece of advice: don’t wait too long and keep the suffering to a minimum. We owe them that, after everything they have done for us.
Add your comments
If you would like to send me a link to your blog please use the contact form. Please read our privacy policy for information abour your personal data.
Blog archive
2018December 2018 (1)October 2018 (1)August 2018 (1)May 2018 (1)April 2018 (2)March 2018 (1)2017December 2017 (1)November 2017 (2)October 2017 (2)August 2017 (2)July 2017 (1)June 2017 (1)May 2017 (1)April 2017 (1)March 2017 (2)February 2017 (1)January 2017 (1)2016December 2016 (2)November 2016 (2)October 2016 (2)September 2016 (1)August 2016 (2)July 2016 (2)June 2016 (2)May 2016 (3)March 2016 (3)February 2016 (1)January 2016 (1)2015December 2015 (1)November 2015 (1)October 2015 (1)September 2015 (1)August 2015 (2)July 2015 (3)June 2015 (1)May 2015 (1)April 2015 (2)March 2015 (2)February 2015 (3)January 2015 (1)2014December 2014 (3)November 2014 (4)October 2014 (3)September 2014 (3)August 2014 (3)June 2014 (3)May 2014 (3)Archive
Explore the archive:
2018December 2018 (1)October 2018 (1)August 2018 (1)May 2018 (1)April 2018 (2)March 2018 (1)2017December 2017 (1)November 2017 (2)October 2017 (2)August 2017 (2)July 2017 (1)June 2017 (1)May 2017 (1)April 2017 (1)March 2017 (2)February 2017 (1)January 2017 (1)2016December 2016 (2)November 2016 (2)October 2016 (2)September 2016 (1)August 2016 (2)July 2016 (2)June 2016 (2)May 2016 (3)March 2016 (3)February 2016 (1)January 2016 (1)2015December 2015 (1)November 2015 (1)October 2015 (1)September 2015 (1)August 2015 (2)July 2015 (3)June 2015 (1)May 2015 (1)April 2015 (2)March 2015 (2)February 2015 (3)January 2015 (1)2014December 2014 (3)November 2014 (4)October 2014 (3)September 2014 (3)August 2014 (3)June 2014 (3)May 2014 (3)Subscribe
Enter your email to subscribe to blog updates:
About Liz Barclay
Her love for horses together with her dedication made her into the trainer and dressage rider she is, today. She is versatile and inventive and likes a challenge; whether it is a technical training question, a confidence issue or a problem involving the management of the horse or pony.
THE FARMER, THE COAL MERCHANT, THE BAKER...
My book 'THE FARMER, THE COAL MERCHANT, THE BAKER...' with the subtitle 'A Personal Impression of the Development of the Gelderland Horse World' has been received with more enthusiasm than I possibly could have hoped for. Click here to contact me and I will send you a copy. £7.50 + postage, or click here to order from Amazon.
Comments