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[RC] re: Passing of horses - Mary Golden
Thanks to everyone for their input. Therese, you're right -- that should have read "couldn't get to its feet" --- typos and an anxious toddler!
As to the whole disposal thing and bullet thing. I do understand where everyone is coming from. I guess it comes down to what you view as responsibility. I am responsible for my horses -- and I wouldn't take on more horses than I could financially handle -- but, in the case I mentioned, what do you do about someone who cries poverty and then just goes and buys more horses? If it came down to having to put a horse down like that, I would do it -- it would be hard as hell, but I would. To have to do this to a horse is something that is reality. But, in the case that I was talking about, what I was getting at, basically (since my communcation skills are obviously lacking today!!), with all this talk of preventative treatment and responsibility, where do we draw the line between responsible and irresponsible in horseownership? Is it okay not to render routine treatments, such as floating, in geriatric horses? What about refusing treatment due to overriding at ride
s (something we have all just gone round and round about)? Wouldn't it make more sense to find out what was wrong with the horse mentioned in my previous post instead of dragging it out to the back forty? What if it had something contagious? What if, then, those exposed horses come in contact with others (which they do)? Is it okay to let a horse's hoof break off naturally instead of having a farrier out to trim?
From Elaine:
<<Now I'm going to put on a flame suit, cause I'm sure I've managed to
express this in such a way that someone (or many someones) are going to be
incensed. That is not my intention. I just really have to point out the
foolishness (TO ME!) of being willing to beggar yourself to provide an
animal with luxury and the lack of tolerance inherent in despising people
who don't have that attitude.>>
No flame suit needed ;-) I simply feel if that you choose to have animals (dog, cat, horse, cow, whatever), you should be willing to care for them. If someone doesn't have the financial means to give them proper routine care...well, then, why do they have them in the first place? I don't have any more here than I can handle financially. And when an emergency arises (like it did this fall), I will make adjustments.
I defnitely don't think "evil" of those of you who have had to put a horse down in this way. However, what I personally think the big issue is in the case I mentioned, is that absolutely no medical treatment was sought for that horse when it was in this person's care. They have no clue what was wrong with it. Never bothered to check. *That's* what bugs me the most, I guess, in hindsight.
Ugh! I think I've caused enough trouble for today -- and certainly didn't mean to!
Crawling back under my frozen little rock...
Mary Golden Northern New York
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