How did they put the horse Mending Fences down? Did they shoot him?

Question

How did they put the horse Mending Fences down? Did they shoot him?

Answer 1

Benjamin:

Shooting horses is a hard thing to do humanely. The horses' brain is walnut sized, thus a mortal shot is very hard. Racetracks are staffed with equine ambulances and vets to administer the barbiturate that sends the horse to sleep.

In situations where a vet uses a gun it is a "captive" or bolt shot, retracted back into the gun to keep it from hitting others. Airlines that transport horses carry bolt killers just in case their half ton cargo needs attention fast without destroying  the aircraft. Average  people and horsemen have no skill in shooting horses,as most cops and sheriffs can agree.Its a sad thing to see a beautiful animal destroyed,and I think we all shed a tear for Mending Fences.

Answer 2

They euthanized him right on the track. They don't shoot horses anymore!

Answer 3

Shot with an overdose of a narcotic. That was one hideous injury and it is surprising that more horse and jockeys weren't also injured.

Answer 4

No- he was given a dose of euthanasia solution, which all equine vets carry on their trucks. This solution is made up of 2 drugs-an anesthetic to stop the pain and induce sleep, and a barbituate or heavy tranquilizer to stop the heart and breathing. The public would have been prevented from seeing what was happening by a canvas screen or tarp, which would sheild the horse from view.

Answer 5

No they do not shoot horses anymore. They euthanize them humanely. They just put them to sleep. It is peaceful and painless.

Answer 6

No.  they injected him with a lethal dose of barbiturate, which is painless for the horse and much less traumatic for the handlers than a gun shot.

UC Davis gives this information about equine euthanasia on their website:  

http://www.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/vetext/INF...

In the absence of a vet to administer barbiturates to a horse, a gunshot would be a humane method of euthanizing a horse.  One of my friends came terribly, terribly close to having to euthanize her horse this way when the mare colicked on a Sunday night and was in agonizing pain.  The mare was literally banging her head bloody against the side of her stall, she was in such pain;  my friend said it was obvious that euthanasia was going to be the outcome, no matter what, and she was having trouble getting a vet to come out.  She said she had progressed to the point of going in to her house to load the gun when the vet finally showed up.  Within minutes he'd put her mare out of pain.  

At racetracks, they have a vet ready to administer barbiturates on track whenever racing is going on.  Typically the decision is only postponed long enough to get permission from the owner or the owner's agent.