04/30/2026
For those who don’t know, I also do animal communication. A few years ago I honestly thought it was complete BS. I was skeptical of anything that couldn’t be explained physically or scientifically. But after years of working hands-on with horses through bodywork, nervous system work, energy work, and sitting with animals in some of their hardest moments, I’ve had experiences that changed how I view a lot of things.
One of those things is euthanasia.
This is a part two of my previous post talking about what passing feels like for animals
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I think euthanasia has become deeply stigmatized in the horse world.
People are terrified of making the choice “too soon.” Terrified of judgment. Terrified that choosing euthanasia means they failed their horse somehow.
But the truth is we cannot predict the future. Ever.
We cannot guarantee another treatment will work.
We cannot guarantee another surgery will help.
We cannot guarantee another month will feel good for that horse to live through.
Sometimes people keep fighting because there is genuine hope. But sometimes people keep fighting because they are terrified to let go.
And those are two VERY different things.
One thing I’ve noticed over the years is that horses often understand when they are tired long before humans are willing to admit it. I offer rainbow bridge sessions and it has become very clear over the last few years they know once you make that choice and choose a date.
Especially horses living with chronic pain, neurological disease, severe anxiety, or conditions that slowly steal away their quality of life.
There are moments where something shifts in them.
Almost like they stop fighting so hard to stay here.
I think one of the hardest parts of euthanasia is that the humans are the ones left carrying the grief after.
The shock.
The anger.
The guilt.
The bargaining.
The depression.
The endless replaying of decisions.
“What if I waited longer?”
“What if I tried one more thing?”
“What if someone else could have fixed them?”
And that last question is one I think we need to talk about more honestly in the horse world.
Because sometimes people sell horses they do not have the heart to euthanize.
Again, this is uncomfortable to talk about.
But if a horse is deeply suffering, dangerous because of pain, deteriorating, or no longer capable of comfortably existing, selling them does not always save them.
Sometimes it only transfers the suffering somewhere else. To someone else, and the horse may suffer longer because of it. While ultimately the result may ends up the same.
And once a horse leaves your hands, you cannot guarantee where they end up.
You cannot guarantee they will stay in a good home.
You cannot guarantee someone will listen to their limitations.
You cannot guarantee they won’t be passed around, neglected, pushed through pain, or end up terrified and confused in situations they cannot handle.
I think part of ethical horsemanship is asking ourselves these hard questions.
Are we making decisions for the horse?
Or are we making decisions because we cannot bear the grief ourselves?
I do think there are situations where giving an animal a peaceful, dignified ending is kinder than sending them into an uncertain future simply because we are afraid to let go.
Because death is not always the worst outcome.
There are far worse things than death
From the experiences I’ve had around death and animal communication, animals do not seem to fear death the way humans do.
What comes through over and over feels like relief.
setting down something unbearably heavy.
And I think we need to start having more compassionate and honest conversations around euthanasia instead of treating it like failure.
Because sometimes humane euthanasia is not cruelty.
It is mercy.
And sometimes it is the final act of love we can offer them.
If you are struggling with this choice know that there are thousands of others who have made it, and through all the emotions that come after.
Art by Zoie Hopkinson
Inspired by Dionne_ong
