Saying Goodbye to Duke: Compassion, Care, and Conversations About End-of-Life for Horses
- Hannah Waen
- Feb 4
- 2 min read
Recently, we had to say goodbye to our beloved Duke.
It was one of the hardest decisions we had ever had to make. And like most end-of-life choices, it wasn’t a single moment or event that led us there, but a gradual, thoughtful process rooted in deep care for his quality of life, daily comfort, and long-term well-being.
With guidance from our veterinarian, and the hard-earned wisdom that comes from having faced similar decisions before, we chose what we believed was the most compassionate path for him.
Letting go of an animal who had been part of your life, your work, and your heart was never easy. Horses, especially, held such a unique place in our lives. They were partners, teachers, and companions. They carried stories, memories, and relationships that went far beyond words.
Duke was all of that to us.
Why We Talked About This Openly
One of the things we had learned over the years was that end-of-life care for horses was rarely discussed openly, yet so many people were quietly navigating it. Volunteers, caregivers, families, barn owners, and animal lovers often found themselves facing difficult questions without enough support or shared knowledge:
How did you truly assess quality of life?
What signs indicated that comfort was declining?
How did you balance emotional attachment with ethical responsibility?
And how did you know when “the right time” was?
There were no perfect answers, but there were compassionate frameworks, professional guidance, and community conversations that made these moments feel less isolating.
That was why we wanted to help demystify equine hospice and end-of-life decisions by creating space for learning, reflection, and honest dialogue.
Community Vet Talk: Quality of Life & End-of-Life Care
In honor of Duke, and in service to our entire community, we hosted a special community vet talk focused on quality of life and end-of-life care for horses. We were grateful to be joined by Dr. Haley Casbeer of Petaluma Equine, who shared professional insight into compassionate decision-making for aging horses and herd members.
This conversation was designed for:
Volunteer caregivers
Participant families
Horse owners and barn managers
Anyone who loved animals and wanted to be better prepared
Dr. Casbeer walked through key considerations, answered common questions, and helped normalize the emotional and ethical complexity of these moments.
Watch the Recording
You can watch the full recording of this conversation here:
Holding Space for Grief and Gratitude
Saying goodbye to Duke reminded us that caring for an aging herd wasn’t only about logistics or medical decisions. It was about presence. It was about listening. It was about honoring the life that was lived, not just the moment it ended.
We carried immense gratitude for the years Duke spent with us, for the lessons he taught, and for the quiet ways he shaped our community.
And we hoped that by sharing our story, and opening this conversation, we could help others feel less alone when they faced similar crossroads.
Because end-of-life care wasn’t just about loss. It was also about love, responsibility, and the deep privilege of having shared the journey at all.
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