A Horse's Final Rest
Vanessa Peterelli, Editor, Horses All Magazine
Reprinted with permission.

I'm one of those people who watches a movie and shows more apparent concern for the non-human characters than the human ones. In a drama where 100 people and 20 horses are killed in a battle scene, I'm more inclined to mourn the death of the latter. And yes, when the nightly news shows dramatic footage from a natural disaster, my thoughts turn to the poor, helpless animals left to fend for themselves.

Ah, the life of an animal lover. I know I'm not alone. About a year go, a close friend of mine was informed that the Appaloosa/Thoroughbred cross she owned over 10 years ago - a special individual who still occupies her daily thoughts - had passed away. Her anguish and despair over his loss were as real as if she'd just been out to the barn to visit him that very day.

Two other friends play doting mother - one to an aged Thoroughbred mare and the other to a likewise-distinguished Quarter Horse gelding. In my friends' eyes, these horses have more than earned a comfortable semi-retirement and a little extra attention during their golden years. Yet another made the decision to donate her older Arabian gelding to a camp for handicapped children, where he'd be able to live out his remaining years in both a purposeful and dignified manner.

Animals play a magnificent role in the lives of so many. And although all of us who allow them into our hearts realize that one day we'll have to say goodbye, nothing fully prepares us for the inevitable end. And yet some animals face senseless slaughter and abuse at the hands of humans, such as the story of an ex-racehorse who met with an unfortunate, senseless end as a result of human indifference.

Exceller, as the once-famous Thoroughbred was named, was sent to slaughter when his owner felt he'd outlived his usefulness. Despite the efforts of others to interfere and save the horse, the owner could not find it in his heart to let the healthy animal exist in another's hands. In a world where death is a looming reality and so many of us wish we could extend the lifespans of our animals, such selfish and ignorant behaviour is inexcusable.

I support the humane destruction of a suffering animal, and would never suggest it be kept alive for selfish reasons. But I shudder at the thought that one day, far, far away, I'll tire of Jack and simply pack him off to the slaughterhouse in favour of a younger, newer, more limber model. Even if he was, for example, slightly arthritic, a little less agile, and a lot more sway-backed, I would hope I'd ensure he could live out his remaining years as comfortably as possible, as long as his condition indicated that he was still able to do so.

I've spoken with horse owners who believe that a lame, aging or otherwise incapacitated horse should be sent to slaughter, end of story, if not to make a few dollars off it as a final hurrah, then to rid oneself of the inconvenience and expense of having the animal around until it dies naturally, or its eventual demise via humane euthanasia in its stable or field.

Personally, I just don't believe in discarding an animal once its served my purposes or outlived its direct usefulness to me. The time we have with animals is short enough, without the intervention of our own selfishness and greed. I realize there will be those of you with viewpoints differing from mine on this matter. I am aware that some horse owners equate slaughter with euthanasia, and would make the argument that both involve the eventual need to dispose of a body.

Unless the horse owner has the means to bury the animal, this disposal inevitably leads to use of the horse's carcass for other means (meat or other by-products). The difference, I would argue, is that I could rest assured that the animal I've cared for till its passing didn't suffer unnecessarily or experience panic and fear, was in familiar surroundings, and was cherished till the very end.

Simply put, animals are unselfish beings who rely on us and love us unconditionally in return. Can we say the same is true of humans? The least we can do for our animals is love them, do our best to care for them, and respect them as living beings for as long as they are around to share their lives with us.