The Art of Letting Go

This blog post is a conglomeration of writing I did on our Facebook Page about the process of putting down one of my beloved horses named Roy. The goal was to provide resources for those who are faced with loosing an equine partner as well as demonstrate the process and be a beautiful one and does not have to be something that is feared. I wanted to ensure it was here as well for anyone that may need this.

If you are here because you are preparing to assist your equine partner in passing on, I want to tell you how sorry I am. I also want to tell you how proud of you I am for helping your horse move through this transitional phase of life.

Roy is loved beyond measure. He was approximately 29 years old when his body began to fail him. His life here on earth was coming to an end and it was my job to walk through the journey alongside him to ensure it was ethical and pain free. This is an important part of horse ownership, of loving these creatures, healing alongside them, and caring for them.

With Roy, I had the privilege of being able to plan things in advance. I prepared a list of the individuals and companies I called to prepare for the day I would help Roy cross over.

1. Call to Dig - It is vital to call and ensure you can safely dig were you would like to burry your horse. Remember you will need to clearly outline the area with white markers of some kind (flags or paint). This can be done on an emergent basis but it is less stressful if you have time to plan. It usually takes 48-72 hours for the dig site to be checked.

2. Talk with local disposal options such as cremation, private burial cemeteries, landfills, rendering services, and equipment rental for private land burial.

3. Make a plan with a local vet. Ensure you know what vets work on emergency incase you are unable to plan the passing of your horse. For me, I wanted Roy's last day on earth to be a good one. It was important to me his death was not traumatic or catastrophic. So, I chose a day where he could still easily walk around, lie down to better ensure sedation would go over easily in order to honor his dignity.

4. Notify loved ones. Roy made a huge impact on many hearts over the years. So, part of our process was letting people know he would be pass on on so tey could come and say their fair-wells if they desired to.

It is my belief that all horse owners should have a death plan for all of your horses regardless of their health and age. That way, if you are faced with an emergency you know the following information at a minimum:

1. What vets are on call and available for equine euthanasia.

2. Do you have a back up plan if a vet is unavailable?

3. What is the overall costs for different types of disposal options.

The biggest question we usually torture ourselves with when it comes to assisting one of our animals with crossing over is: "Am I doing the right thing?" or "Is it the right time?" I want to share my personal beliefs on these questions and I understand this will be different for every individual. I would rather be early than too late when it comes to helping a loved horse cross over. I could see Roy was tired, his body was failing, his eyes were tired. I wanted to leave him with his dignity. I was confident that Roy was dying and I wanted to make sure I could make the process as seamless and comfortable as possible.

I took time to plan out how I wanted to handle Roy's actual death and the time after it was confirmed he had passed on. I decided on braiding Roy's mane and then placing placing flowers around his body and within his hair. I chose to do this because I wanted to spend time with the body that housed one of the most incredible souls I have ever met after his soul left that body. It was a way I chose to honor Roy and the vessel that carried him earth side. I took my time grieving him, I allowed his herd mates to come and visit. Then, alongside my incredible father, we laid Roy in his final resting place. The entire process was filled with peace.

Letting go is sometimes the best gift we can give to the horses we love the most.