Saying Goodbye to a Beloved Horse

and a certain way of handling. Now 18 Kydan still needs and wants to work he grows bored easily when hes not ridden and entertains himself with rambunctious play in the paddock that sometimes yields selfinflicted injuries. But his ability to be ridden is complicated by a hoof condition
Two years ago Kydan got his first abscess in the front right foot said Little. No big deal I thought lots of horses get abscesses at some point. But it was a very big deal. The farrier showed me the cause of the abscess. It was not environmentally caused. It was conformation. Both front feet are flat but that foot is the worst. Over the years it has become flatter despite the continuous efforts of a very good farrier. Fibres inside the sole were tearing causing a pocket. The pocket got infected and there was his first abscess. Fibres continued to tear. Bruising and blood at the white line were showing up on his sole every time he was being shod. Each shoeing we hoped for a better outcome but were disappointed to find no change or that the sole was worse.
In addition two veterinarians found that Kydan was suffering from a rapidly progressing case of arthritis of the navicular bone. 
Neither supplements nor cortisone helped says Little. Kydan was on bute phenylbutazone for over a year daily. He is now on Previcox daily. He has arthritis in his hocks also. 
Unfortunately when it comes to managing Kydans growing level of discomfort Little is out of viable options.
There comes a time when if there is no hope of improving the older horses quality of life professional advice must include the option of euthanasia. The absoluteness of the word spoken aloud is always a shock a truth Little can attest to.
When I have trauma in my life I survive by boxing it up sealing the lid putting it on the shelf and trying not to have to deal with it she says candidly. My coach asked What options have you considered for Kydan? She was the first to actually put into words what others were likely thinking. Her question started my reality check. I had to get the box off the shelf deal with the contents and start the process of finding out what options best suit Kydan.
To cope with the prospect of euthanizing a beloved horse an owner should spend time preplanning