long ride

[jodywy]

The palomino
Had to put a bullet in his head this morning then dug a grave and buried him this morning after 33 years on this ranch.
When he was a 3 year old I had him down in Laramie while I was at college one year. I used him as my main horse for a couple years out of college on couple different riding jobs. He taught all my kids to ride. He is the last horse on this ranch that came out of some Texas Quarter horses my Granddad had brought out of Texas,some had Registration numbers below 2500.

 

[Dawana]

Sorry to hear that, I have a mare that is 30 this year and she lives with the cows now...it will hurt when she leaves me, but all i do now is make sure she stays fat and enjoys the time she has left. I will say this I have not done this with many I have owned.

You have the memories to keep with you...

(Easttxgal)

 

[Justin]

if you "put a bullet in his head", you're tougher than i am. i would have had to have the vet put him down.

 

[jodywy]

if you "put a bullet in his head", you're tougher than i am. i would have had to have the vet put him down.

would have taken the vet too long to get here

 

[leanin' H]

Having had to do it both ways, i sure feel for you Jody. It is never fun and stays with ya a while. Be glad ya had her for such a long time.

 

[Dylan Biggs]

Jodywy, ouch, that hurts! A sad day for sure.

Good on you for doing what needed to be done.

I have have a senoir equine here also, 29 this year and having trouble holding his condition. Have had him since he was 3 also.

Like Justin a call to vet is about all I can handle.

 

[Anonymous]

Damn, that's tough Jody. It never used to bother me to have to put one down. Friends would have me do it and I never really give it a lot of thought. Last year though I had a 4 year old that I raised and he was coming along better than any I had ever started. He got hurt and nothing would help. When I put him down I bawled like a little baby. I don't care what it costs I'm not going to ever put another one down. I am sorry that you had to go thru that.

 

[Faster horses]

We had two old campaigners here that had been together since
they were 4 and 5 years old. Great horses, both of them. One
had heart problems when he was about 26 and we had him put down.
The other one was fine. A couple of years later
we left for Miles City. We weren't gone all that long; and
we checked on him before we left because we kept him around close to
feed him extra good. He was just fine. When we got home, he was
laying in the corral dead. It was a shock. But a relief that it was
taken out of our hands...hard to lose those good old friends.

 

[Big Muddy rancher]

It is hard to lose those good old friends but we are charged with caring for them and some times that requires us to do the hard jobs.

 

[gcreekrch]

I do know what you're feeling Jody. I've had to put down a couple of good old horses myself in the last few years.

It doesn't get easier but is better than the alternatives.

 

[greybeard]

Like Dave says, never good but better than the alternative. Just 2 old friends with no stranger around making both uncomfortable in a bad situation.
Boyd Anderson wrote a nice little piece in the Grainews about his mother giving him a pail of oats and a rifle and sending him off to put down his first horse. About as real as the day is long.

 

[Faster horses]

I've always thought it took a better man to do the 'right thing' when
the time comes as to let them suffer or starve.

 

[Blkbuckaroo]

Sorry to hear it.Don't think i'd want to shoot my horse.