Healthy Horses Being Put Down: Advice Please?!

What does gut shot mean?

Back to the original subject on rehoming, older horses. My concern is that once the horse is out of my hands I have no control over what happens to it. Sure the person I gave her to might take care of her for a while but what if they got tired of her or couldn't afford to feed or take care of her. I cannot bear the thought that one of my old girls not get fed enough or not taken care of. I would rather put her down properly than worry that some person is starving her. I am blessed enough to have enough land so I do it on my own property. The vet and I take a walk with the horse. She walks with her head in the feed bucket all the way. I am busy crying my heart out. We get to the right spot in the woods. The vet does it and it is over in seconds. Quick, painless. She is gone in mid chew. She gets to lie out under the stars instead of being stuffed in a dark hole. Sure the coyotes and other carnivores come but that is nature. That is the way it is supposed to be.

Just what it sounds like where the animal was shot in the abdomen area rather than a head or lung shot.

Does that change the meat? Or taste?

Poor plan.

"Fines range from $500 (for “any” violation) to $25,000 (for a“knowing” violation) under ESA and up to $5000 for any violation of the Eagle Act."

You can be fined big time if endangered or protected species die from eating the carcass.

http://www.fws.gov/mountain-prairie/poison.pdf

If any part of the gut, bladder or gall bladder is damaged while the animal is alive, the contents mix with the blood and are carried throughout the meat. It ruins the taste of the meat. We have been serious hunters for a lifetime and we eat what we hunt. So, we are really picky how game animals are shot and how the meat is handled. We have never hunted for the heck of it.

Back to the original subject (sorry), there are always going to be unwanted horses. Until we have very well-managed processing plants here in the US, a quick bullet far better than being neglected, starved to death or being shipped thousands of miles to Mexico or Canada. Feed is too high to keep endlessly feeding horses that have no good use or it is for most people.

I agree with Celeste. This is why we shoot any animal that needs to be put down. If a Vet uses chemicals to put a horse down, the carcass becomes 'hazardous waste'. It cannot be buried where it can contaminate water supplies; it cannot be picked up by rendering plants; it cannot go into most landfills; it should not be left in the open where any animals can eat the poisoned meat.

And, if you think every horse that is euthanized goes down quickly and easily, you have not seen one go wrong. It is a nightmare that I hope I never see again.

The ones I have assisted with went quick and easy. That is the goal which ever way it is done. My vet gives an agent that puts the horse to sleep like the stuff they give you in surgery, then he gives an agent that stops the heart. There is no poison to contaminate anything.

I've only ever had horses shot - they have always gone straight down instantly but you have to have it done by someone who knows what they're doing
If moose is like venison then yuk from me too - always seems way too greasy
Wild waterfowl mostly taste like whatever they feed on - fish - and they smell awful when they're cooking.

Anesthesia IS poisonous, G8td. I don't know who's been telling you otherwise. It's chemicals that are used to KILL an animal, for crying out loud!

If you use them and leave the animal out for wildlife to eat, you're contaminating and killing a hell of lot more than just your horse.

If you want 'nature to take its course', then shoot the horse in the head and don't pump it full of chemicals and kill off the indigenous wildlife along with it.

Even if YOU didn't know it, your vet sure as hell should have known better!