Actually Halo was no longer ours, though we bred and raised her. She was a beautiful bay filly, but she did not fit in my breeding program. Even so, I kept her for years because she was so beautiful and had a sweet personality. The family that is taking care of our farm for us fell in love with her, so I worked a deal. Their son mowed my lawn and worked off the value of the filly. I was pleased that she would still be here and have a family that would love her and give her the love and attention I can not.
The loved that horse and trained her - he was the first to put a saddle on her and the first to climb on her back. He was beginning to train her to rope. The young man had grown up showing three day eventing and wanted to have a horse for Western style riding and Halo was perfect for that. He is a talented rider and was doing a great job training her.
Friday night Halo colicked. They got the vet out and he tried to treat her but finally in the middle of the night they trailered her to the vet's office so he could put her on IVs and continuous medication. At 5 AM they thought she was getting better and headed home for some sleep - they only made it a few miles before they got a call and had to turn around and go back. At 7 AM they and the vet thought there was not much choice and the son made the decision to give her relief from the agony she had been in for so many hours.
While surgery is a possibility for horse with colic, it usually is not practical. Few towns have clinics that can do the surgery - here it is a three hour drive to one of the veterinary schools with the facilities. And by the time you are sure that the horse needs it, usually the horse is so stressed, it is too late. Recovery is about 50%. For survivors a useful life without future complications is dubious. And it costs thousands of dollars.
I think they did the right thing. We've shared tears and will all miss her. Their big regret is that they could not bring her home to be buried where she had always lived.
Halo was four years old, but I will always how she looked the day she was born: