Saying Goodbye to Jasper

This is one of the hardest blogs I’ve ever had to write, but I feel it’s important to share this experience. I hope it connects with those who have been through something similar and offers insight to those who haven’t. On Sunday, August 11th, we lost a beloved member of our horse family, Jasper. It happened suddenly, and we are still trying to understand what occurred.

Jasper, our spirited quarter horse, started the day like any other. In the morning, we removed his rug, and he was his usual cheeky self, giving me a playful nudge. I went out for coffee and returned to see him at the end of the paddock, munching on grass. We exchanged a glance, and he resumed g

razing while I headed to the house to start my day.

As I settled in to watch the footy, my partner noticed the horses running and looked out to find Jasper lying down—a sight that fills any horse owner's heart with fear. I ran to him and found him on the ground, sweating but alert. There was no thrashing, just a strange pool of blood around his ear and a scratch on his nose.

As a bodyworker and acupuncturist, I immediately applied emergency points for colic and stress. His breathing steadied, and the sweating stopped. Thoughts raced through my mind: heart attack, exhaustion, colic. We gave him electrolytes, which he took willingly, and he even munched on a carrot and some hay.

We called our local vet, shocked when they initially asked us to bring him to the clinic when we told them he was down. Before they even contacted a vet, we had to pay a fee of $500. It wasn’t the vet’s fault—just a frustrating policy. When the vet arrived, we ran through various checks. His temperature was low, reflexes were weak, lactic acid levels were alarmingly high, and his eyes reacted sporadically. Then, I noticed a heated bulge around C7 and C8 on his neck, a clear sign of neurological distress or injury.

Together, we made the kindest decision to end his suffering. I had never euthanized a horse before, but our vet was compassionate and explained everything. It took just one syringe for him to gain his wings.

Whether you are a horse owner or a healer, questions remain: Why did this happen? What could I have done differently? As our vet reminded us, sometimes there are no answers. Accidents happen, and they hurt deeply.

But I don’t want to leave this on a sad note. Jasper left this world with an amazing sunset, surrounded by his herd who formed a half-circle around him as he took his last breath. His spirit will always be with us, and we are grateful for the time we shared with him.