Trailer Tales

For many people, trailering horses is a harrowing experience. From a vet tech's point of view, it's just another part of the job. Getting horses on and off of trailers is a daily occurrence at an equine hospital. Some horses are more than willing, but most are not. We have plenty of horses at the hospital, and with the chill in the air and the excitement of being someplace new, you're just adding to the difficulty that comes with trailers.

Today, we had a very unique experience with a trailer. Seeing what I see with trailers, I would advise people not to load horses unless they're standing in the immediate vicinity (within ten feet, really, close enough to scramble back) or they're a few minutes from pulling out. Some people don't really take this under advisement, and while this incident is rare, these things happen.

A client brought in two Paso Fino horses to be examined. When the mare was done with her tests, the client loaded her on to the trailer and brought her gelding out. Her gelding needed X-Rays and an Ultrasound, both of which would take about an hour combined. Myself, the client, and our head doctor were in X-Ray doing the ultrasound when our receptionist came in.

"We need you." was all she said to our doctor, and they both left. The receptionist returned a moment later, and explained to the client what was going on.

Her mare was halfway out of her trailer, but not through the loading end. Through the window. I immediately tied the gelding up and we all scrambled outside to try and help. The mare was hanging out of the window and thrashing, which made it difficult for our other doctor to get to her and sedate her. After much ado, we managed to sedate her enough to begin the process of getting her out. And that's when the client began with something that burned my ears to hear.

In order to save her trailer, she was pushing us to euthanize the mare. I fully realize that trailers are incredibly expensive, and that people work very hard to own them. But at the same time, I believe an inanimate object - of any kind - is worth far less than a living, breathing animal.

The mare was sedated enough to slide back to the inside (with much pulling and pushing), but the client's response lingered in my mind. Kill a horse for a trailer, when you're the irresponsible one for leaving her there?

There are some things in this business that will always linger with me, and the sight of a dead horse/the sight of euthanizing a horse will be one of those things. I understand the need for it, and I've had patients that I've ached to euthanize in order to end their suffering. But this mare was healthy except for this predicament. I'll never understand this client's compulsion to kill her horse for her trailer.

I urge you all to please practice responsible trailering. Use common sense and don't leave your animals unattended in a trailer.