Helping Zeb
When you’re a shelter or adoption center trying to care for animals that have arrived with illnesses compounded by abuse and neglect, sometimes there comes a time when it is clear that the animal is not going to recover and it is more humane to put them down. This is a sad moment for everyone involved, because there’s been so much time and love devoted to helping the animal heal. Everyone is sad, including the other animals at the center.
Bunny had been unwell for a long time and it was clear that she was suffering so much that it was more humane to let her go than try to continue to fight her illness. It was a sad day for the staff and also the horses. Those in paddocks near Bunny were restless, pacing and whinnying to each other after Bunny had been removed from the field. Even horses that were in areas outside of direct view were upset. This included Jed.
On this day, I’d come with a videographer to film some Jin Shin Jyutsu holds on horses for an upcoming class. We’d chosen Zeb to be one of our stars because he always just stood there, allowing us to work on him as long as we liked. Today was different. As we did our first round of filming with a pony named Butterscotch, Zeb came up to us on the other side of the fence, agitated, whinnying and pacing. He wasn’t his usual self. It wasn’t a usual day because of Bunny.
After finishing with Butterscotch, we headed into Zeb’s paddock to work with him. He was receptive as usual but was definitely upset. The plan was to demonstrate the Total Body Harmonizer, which helps with breathing, digestion, the spine, and the limbs. On a large horse like Zeb, the hold is divided into two steps because it is difficult to hold the neck and the rump area at the same time. Instead, we first hold the side of the neck near the shoulder with the back at the base of the ribcage, then move to the same spot at the back with the rump. It’s an easy sequence that most horses enjoy.
Zeb loved the first step at the neck and back. His eyes relaxed and he stretched his neck down, breathing deep exhales. His eyes softened and his ears turned back as if listening with curiosity. When I moved to the second step, it was completely different. He came to attention, turned to look back with ears tensed and moved his back end away from my hand. He did not want this second step. It’s not unusual for animals to show you their strong preference, so I went back to what he did enjoy at the neck and back. This time, he blew out air in a big sigh and dropped his head with his eyes closed. There was a deep feeling of letting go.
It took me a moment to realize what was happening. We often use the neck and back hold for animals who have experienced trauma. Zeb was definitely traumatized by what happened earlier in the morning with Bunny. As I held, I let him know that Bunny was put down because of an illness that was causing her to suffer. I told him I knew that it upset him and the other horses and I was sorry that it had to happen. He pressed his body against my hands and I felt his body melt into my touch. When we finished, I walked back and let myself out the gate.
Zeb followed, which he usually doesn’t do and pressed his head against me. I think that he would have liked an even longer Jin Shin Jyutsu treatment. After that day, whenever I see him, he’s friendlier than he was in the past. His preferences for holds have changed, but we both haven’t forgotten how Jin Shin Jyutsu helped him the day Bunny died.