You may remember my story of rescuing the mare Pretty from the ice where she’d fallen down on her side. We were so happy to save her; so hopeful she’d survive and thrive, and be fat and glossy by spring.
It wasn’t to be.
This morning she was found down again – flat on her side in the indoor ring where she’d been turned out overnight. Despite a warm blanket, she was shivering. Kelley, Pretty 's owner, despite being bedridden at home with the flu, arrived before the vet, struggling with her grief. We who’d saved the mare just two weeks ago comforted Kelley as best we could, and helped her come to the hard decision. She’d rescued Pretty from misery; now it was time to give her the last gift of kindness.
The vet, Anne Marie, was gentle but honest with Kelley. There was no hope; only release now or a prolongation of Pretty’s suffering. Kelley held Pretty’s face, stroking it and speaking softly to her, as Anne Marie gave the lethal injection. The mare took one agonal breath and then relaxed into death.
Sadly, it’s not a surprise that Pretty didn’t make it despite our hopes and Kelley’s best efforts. She’d been close to death when Kelley rescued the mare from her former owner. In the few months Pretty was at our barn she’d put on some weight but was still terribly gaunt. Her hind legs were horrifying – whether from neurological damage or extreme malnutrition, or what, I don’t know, but her hock joints (the major joint in the hind leg, for you nonhorsey folks) were straight to the point of almost bending backwards, her badly swollen ankle joints dipped nearly to the ground, and she walked with her hind legs awkwardly straddled out.
Had she made it to spring, I doubt Pretty would have ever recovered enough to be ridable, but she would have been cherished as a dear companion for the rest of her days, no matter how short or long that was. The drain on her vitality of an early, harsh winter was just enough extra burden to push her body beyond its slender limits.
Looking down at her as she lay waiting for the end, her body covered with blankets in a futile attempt to keep her warm, I could see in her face what a beautiful horse she must have been when she was young and healthy. Through all of her suffering, she never lost the sweet, gentle, loving disposition that won our hearts. She will be missed indeed.
I’m very sorry to hear about this, ETF. You were so bouyant in the previous thread, in helping save Pretty’s life, and it’s a sad turn of events for all. I hope her owner understands the gift she gave, for CARING for this poor animal when others had neglected her. We were all hoping Pretty would thrive but unfortunately, your OP is all too true at times.
Thanks, SS and all others who’ve offered sympathy. It was terribly hard for Kelley to stop trying to save Pretty. She did a lot of crying while we waited for the vet and she tried to assimilate the wretched truth of what must be done. The vet was quietly compassionate, and didn’t hurry Kelley at all to say yes or no. Yes, Kelley does understand that, as futile as it seems now, she did give the poor mare the precious gift of a kind and loving home in her last few months of life. That gave her the strength to make the right decision. That, and having understanding friends supporting her through it.
I just hope I can be as strong when the time comes for my senior horse. He’s 21, in great shape for an old man – but I know some day, too soon, I’ll have to be ready to give him the final gift. It helps, in a way, to have seen how easy and peaceful Pretty’s exit was.