Had To Dig My First Horse Grave With My BX24

[tcreeley]

A few years back we lost our 15 year old saddlebred to colic (vet put him down) and within a year our 28 year old Morgan (had him since he was 2). -Colic again and Vet put down. We finally figured out it was the hay off a field that the farmer had fertilized with sludge.

The saddlebred -Apple- was sobering - just lay there - couldn't get up. It was a mercy killing. Tiger the Morgan was a fighter, all night long jumping and trying to roll but I wouldn't let him. He couldn't pass anything- twisted a gut. We got the vet back in the morning. During the winter we found him cast in the barn when we got home from work, and got him over and up. Filled him with mineral oil and finally he passed the crap out. Poor guy - 5 degrees above O, week before Xmas, 7:30 PM and we are holding an IV bag while he stands and shivers. The pony too, they all had the runs and we thought it was the grain. Was the beautiful hay from the sludge field. -I've never since bought any hay from a field that had sludge. Turned it down Sunday- good looking hay but our local sludge guy once used that field.

Like losing a member of the family. I dug the holes - mini backhoe and rented backhoe. Covered with two feet of dirt. Big hole to make room for their legs.

-When my father died I found myself at his gravesite being the only one who could reasonably handle a shovel (everyone helped of course)- and digging a hole for his ashes (some oversight or something). I kept thinking of my horses as I dug his grave. There used to be an old family gravesite on the edge of the farm I grew up on - three stones - three sizes beside a brook.

 

[timswi]

Very sorry for your loss. I had to do the same thing for you 13 yr old Husky/Shepherd. January, midnight and pouring down rain. Dug the hole by 4way flasher. Not fun in many ways.

Had to bury the cat too, smaller hole, but not easier to do....i feel your pain.

I love dogs and cats, but also "hate" them because I know I'll have to face the day sooner or later. Had to put our Great Dane down last fall. He was in the hospital, so I paid them to handle the duties. Couldn't bear to bring a lifeless dog home. God knows what that would have done to the wife (and me).

Have to look into the lights you referenced.

 

[Digdug5240]

Sorry to hear about your loss.

 

[thavil]

A few years back we lost our 15 year old saddlebred to colic (vet put him down) and within a year our 28 year old Morgan (had him since he was 2). -Colic again and Vet put down. We finally figured out it was the hay off a field that the farmer had fertilized with sludge.

The saddlebred -Apple- was sobering - just lay there - couldn't get up. It was a mercy killing. Tiger the Morgan was a fighter, all night long jumping and trying to roll but I wouldn't let him. He couldn't pass anything- twisted a gut. We got the vet back in the morning. During the winter we found him cast in the barn when we got home from work, and got him over and up. Filled him with mineral oil and finally he passed the crap out. Poor guy - 5 degrees above O, week before Xmas, 7:30 PM and we are holding an IV bag while he stands and shivers. The pony too, they all had the runs and we thought it was the grain. Was the beautiful hay from the sludge field. -I've never since bought any hay from a field that had sludge. Turned it down Sunday- good looking hay but our local sludge guy once used that field.

Like losing a member of the family. I dug the holes - mini backhoe and rented backhoe. Covered with two feet of dirt. Big hole to make room for their legs.

-When my father died I found myself at his gravesite being the only one who could reasonably handle a shovel (everyone helped of course)- and digging a hole for his ashes (some oversight or something). I kept thinking of my horses as I dug his grave. There used to be an old family gravesite on the edge of the farm I grew up on - three stones - three sizes beside a brook.

To be honest, I've never heard of fertilizing with sludge. My wife is the horse person and I'm just the hired help to do the manual labor. I do whatever she says to the farm. I'm not sure if anyone around here uses sludge but it's something to start asking when we buy hay from now on.

Sorry to hear about your loses, it's not easy. Ends up, we have since talked to the original owner of the horse and she has coliced twice before. She had a known issue (except we didn't know about it) where her ovaries enlarge when she's around male horses. Her last farm, she was only with mares but we had her with two geldings and one other mare. I guess her ovaries enlarged so much, it cut off all flow.

Very sorry for your loss. I had to do the same thing for you 13 yr old Husky/Shepherd. January, midnight and pouring down rain. Dug the hole by 4way flasher. Not fun in many ways.

Had to bury the cat too, smaller hole, but not easier to do....i feel your pain.

I love dogs and cats, but also "hate" them because I know I'll have to face the day sooner or later. Had to put our Great Dane down last fall. He was in the hospital, so I paid them to handle the duties. Couldn't bear to bring a lifeless dog home. God knows what that would have done to the wife (and me).

Have to look into the lights you referenced.

Thanks Tim for sharing your story. I received my lights yesterday from BXpanded but haven't put them on yet. Looking in the box, it appears to be a nice setup.

Sorry to hear about your loss.

Thank you!