Re: euthanasia

[Nancy DuPont <htrails@earthlink.net>]

Last summer we were on the Tahoe Rim Trail, California. Rough country, far
from help.  There were six of us, 4 being teenage girls.  My four year old
gelding whom I love dearly was ridden by a trainer's daughter and I felt
confident it was safe.  
Dumb luck!  She tied with a proper slip knot to a tree. A TINY bit too
long. long enough to get his leg around it and all hell broke loose. He
struggled more and ended up with the rope between his legs pulled tight to
the halter ring.  The head was between his front legs bent double and his
neck looked about to snap.  
Through all this we were, of course running for the knife. No one had a
knife. (First time ever! Not one in six had a knife) The knot was tight,
all looked lost.
The girls, all four jumped on the branch (looked too big to move) and
pulled with super human effort to reduce the slack while one untied the
knot with her fingers by now scraped and  bleeding.  All of a sudden the
rope slacked and the horse, who was frozen in that position, finally slowly
got up and was ok.

The horse did not suffer from this later but had he broken his neck, a gun
to shoot him would have been the least we could have done to put him out of
his misery.  

We all carry pocket knifes even if we are going to the bathroom now.  She
ties with shorter leads, and we all understand what horse sense is.  There
is so much for even the experienced to not just learn, but practice.

At 11:09 AM 2/7/99 EST, you wrote:
>In a message dated 2/7/99 12:20:55 AM Pacific Standard Time,
>mmieske@netonecom.net writes:
>
><< if I was faced personally with the choice of shoot
> him now or wait 2 hours for the vet... I would feel obligated to shoot
> him, even if I had to do it myself.  If the vet is available, that is my
> first choice but if not... well, sometimes we do what we have to do. >>
>
>Yes, we do.  And this type of sad scenario is something EVERYONE should think
>about if they ride or travel (or live) in remote areas.  I know it isn't
>pleasant to plan for the worst case scenario, but it is no different than
>having a contingency plan for your horses in the event that YOU should die.
>If you truly care about your horses, you WILL think about those sorts of
>situations, and reconcile yourself in advance to do what you have to do.  If
>you have already thought your way through disaster, you will be far more
>efficient and supportive to your horse should you ever have the misfortune to
>find yourself in such circumstances.
>
>Heidi
>
>
>