We were so lucky to have a very busy but happy and rewarding time at the end of 2024, with so much support for our work and the events we held.
This has such a great effect on team morale and we are all having a well-earned (partial) break, ready to fire up again soon.
However, in amongst all of the celebrations, we sadly faced some really tough decisions too – and its now time for an update.
At Here4Horses, we believe that delayed euthanasia presents a significant horse welfare problem in the UK and we must all regard humane, timely intervention, to be the supreme act of kindness we can bestow on any animal in our care.
The relationship we enjoy with horses is unmatched and these animals are often as precious to us as our friends and family. It’s then not surprising that the greatest test for all of us, is to understand when the time is right – and name the day.
As professionals, we face the same turmoil as anyone else.
Gorgeous boy Gizmo had been struggling with ever deteriorating eyesight and although appearing well in himself, he had caused several ‘near miss’ episodes, running into people when spooked. This came to a head with what could have been a very serious accident and whilst exploring the options, we decided that unfortunately, the time had come.
We then had his field pal Totty – a mare owned by our dear friend, the late Claire Robinson, who had been under review for many months. Having managed her Cushings Disease very well (she was in her mid twenties), we were in no doubt that Totty was chronically sleep deprived. This undoubtedly affected her behaviour. She often appeared down in spirit and was occasionally ungainly on her feet.
Then finally and perhaps the toughest one to call, was lovely Rocky. Chronic joint pain can be a serious cause of suffering in horses – and humans. Rocky arrived with a congenital issue with a hind fetlock. We had managed this with weight loss and pain meds throughout his time with us and he was happily ‘field sound’. Over time however, we realised he was lying down less, clearly having some issues with getting back up. This is something all horse owners should monitor.
We discussed with our Vet Nicola and decided that all three should go together.
It is always a struggle, every time these decisions need to be made and we must remember it’s hard for Vets too, especially if they know your animals well. It was a sad day indeed but with careful planning it went so well and we can honestly say they all had a good end.
Now, weeks later, there is no denying it’s still weird without them but we know we did the right thing.
RIP Rocky, Totty and Gizmo – it was a privilege knowing you all.
If you are perhaps facing difficult decisions and would appreciate friendly help or advice, then please contact us via our website and an experienced member of the team will be in touch.
If you kindly sponsored one of our two boys we will be in touch soon. We are considering the possibility of a sponsorship ‘in memoriam’ as a possible option.
