It all happened too quickly

GotToChange

My friend and I have three horses between us. Officially, one is mine and he has two but we love and care for them equally.

Of the three, it would be expected that mine (aged 27) would be first to go. His stable companions are 12 and 18 and in good health.

After their bucket feed tonight we had a cup of tea and noticed that T1 (their names all start with T) was restless. He has been known to be colicky so we had some concern. This was around 7:00pm.

He was put to sleep at 11:00pm. I hope that we and the vet did every thing possible for him.




Goodnight Toby; you beautiful beautiful boy.

puppy999

OMG I am sooo sorry this his so sad .......RIP T1
My boy is 28 I hav had him since he was a baby it will break my heart when somethin happens to him
so I know how you must be feeling .........

lisawood78

Another star at the bridge, so sorry for your loss
LW78

EmptyPockets

Really sorry for your loss. Rest in Peace Toby x

GotToChange

Thank you ^^^. It seems worse this morning than last night....
I cannot yet bring myself to read Rainbow Bridge.

He has been in my friend's family for 15+ years - as a youngster, given to my friend's mother - who died quite suddenly 5 years ago. My friend had taken him on anyway as a bit tricky to ride; had been known to buck off his rider and come home alone across the fields.

So very pretty - a rich dark bay with the thickest tail you have ever seen and yet a puny forelock and a big white diamond on his forehead that would almost glow in the dark.

He and his best mate were so synchronised that they sometimes appeared to be one horse.

This has happened at the tail end of a really really really rotten year for my friend, bit by bit he has lost nearly everything; and now this. I don't know how to help.
I don't know how to stop wanting to turn back the clock; I know the saying is "Rather a week to early than a day too late" - it just doesn't feel that way.

GotToChange

http://s906.photobucket.com/albums/ac270/TheOldGrey/Toby%2017%20Dec%202010/

In memory

BitterAndTwisted

When I saw the thread title and your name as the originator I though the sad news was about your beautiful boy.

I'm so sorry for your sad loss GotToChange

GotToChange

Thank you B&T.

It is somehow worse (even though having my very own PTS will be dreadful) - as it was so swift and sudden; and this particular horse has never seemed to age and had no real problems. I also am finding it so hard to be the shoulder that my friend needs, which is putting a strain on our friendship, which - due to the rotten events lately - was already falling apart.

In the cold light of day, I am remembering the vet to have been overly dramatic (although without a doubt, business-like). In the course of the first visit, she gave a complete overview of the "options" such as they could be; when she came back as it seemed that the three strong painkillers hadn't relieved the pain, she listened for gut sounds, put the stetherscope to his side and without even a sigh or a shake of the head, said, "This a dying horse".

BitterAndTwisted

Please try not to be critical of the vet's bedside manner, especially in front of your friend. A person with a heart of solid stone couldn't avoid being heartbroken about having to end a beautiful animal's life like that. A lot of human doctors behave in the same way: they have to or they'd be wrecks and wouldn't be able to help their patients properly. I don't doubt that a lot of vets go home and have a quiet sob for their patients and their bereft owners. My sister's a nurse and I know that she does, often.

Try to be strong for your friend in his terrible grief. Something like this could strengthen bonds of friendship rather than weaken them.

Sagz_2

RIP Toby xxx

Thoughts are with you and your friend GTC xxx

bouncydog1

So sorry to hear of your loss. Please don't go over what if's and maybe's - at the time you took the best advice you had and you would feel even worse if your horse's life had been prolonged and he was in pain.

Try to remember him as he was in his prime and help your friend in that way.

BD1 x