Yesterday, Khaleel, my Arabian gelding, had his 27th birthday.

This afternoon, we had him euthanized.

He had developed a degenerative condition in his hind suspensory tendons (think of them like your Achilles tendons). His condition was getting worse (and would never get better), and he was on three painkillers, without which he couldn't stand up if he lay down.

It was an agonizing decision to end his life, but the alternative was to risk that he would injure himself, and suffer a slow, painful death.

The world was a better place for his having been in it, and we were blessed by this magnificent animal for almost 14 years. The world is worse off for his having left it.

He was irreplaceable.

 

My condolences, my wife has owned several horses & used to show (dressage). I don't recall her having had one in her care for that long of a period to be there for the end.

 

 

Here are a couple of pictures of my boy:

 

My condolences, Bill. I know how much you loved that horse. I've said it before; he looked like Traveler.

 

Thanks, George.

He was the spitting image of Traveler.

 

My condolences.

 

My condolences! My Arabian mare was 25 when we had to let her go, it's never easy