When Silence Speaks Loudest: One Horse’s Service, A Life Cut Short

Hank

Introduction

When Anna first reached out for help, I never imagined it would become the moment where I had to face that painful truth: you cannot save all the horses.

I’ve learned a lot through this experience—about the therapy horse arena, about how decisions get made, and about what those decisions cost. I also learned how many people in the community loved this horse. And I feel it’s important to share.

I want to be clear from the start: I do believe therapy programs are useful, and the program Hank belonged to has done amazing things for people in our community. Horses bring joy in so many ways aside from being ridden. However, in Hank’s case, the program fell short.

This is Hank’s story.

For years, Hank was part of an EAGALA-model therapy program, where the work is ground-based—no riding required. The EAGALA model recognizes that a horse’s value isn’t in how rideable he is, but in his presence, his behavior, and his emotional connection. Yet on Saturday, Hank was euthanized.

Anna Riding Hank

Did Anyone Try to Help?

The community has asked this question, and the answer is yes—it began with Anna. Anna, a former equine specialist for the program, shared a special bond with Hank and immediately stepped forward. She reached out to Horse & Halo desperate for help, determined to offer Hank options. With the support of caring community members, she researched his brands, contacted former owners, and quickly secured multiple safe retirement homes.

She also sent a respectful email to leadership—including the CEO, Director of Operations, and Equine Program Manager—sharing information that Hank’s reason for euthanasia was not life-threatening. In addition to her email, Anna had a phone conversation with the Director of Operations, again carrying forward a prior owner’s request—that Hank not be euthanized, but instead given a chance at rehoming.

Anna & Hank

No email. No phone call. Just silence.

At the same time, Horse & Halo reached out to the Equine Director in hopes of better understanding the decision and possibly offering resources. Again, silence.

That lack of engagement left many in the community wondering if every option had truly been explored—or if this outcome was, in fact, unavoidable.

No one was willing to listen. No one wanted to reconsider. Everyone was steadfast.

And I can’t help but ask: was this really for the horse? Or was it for the pocketbook? For convenience? For what? Because there were many options for Hank other than euthanasia.

The Value of Listening

Silence leaves space for doubt. Without dialogue, even the hardest decisions can feel like they were simply managed away.

The Weight Therapy Horses Carry

Like so many therapy horses, Hank carried a weight few people could see. He stood through sessions—sometimes up to four a day, five days a week—holding space for people’s stories, emotions, and healing. Outside the program, he was still ridden as recently as last Thursday. How do horses manage? Horses don’t just endure pressure alone; they instinctively reach for presence.

Emotional Support from Herd Mates

Hank and His Bestie

Research—and lived experience—show us that horses manage stress not by shutting it out, but by leaning into connection. Studies on social buffering demonstrate that the presence of a companion—whether another horse or even a calm human—helps horses regulate stress and recover more quickly.

In Hank’s case, this may have been his relationship with a fellow therapy horse, Ruby. Was she his trusted partner—the one he leaned on for comfort and grounding? Could his so-called “herd bound” behavior considered problematic have simply been instinctive self-care, a natural way to reduce stress and seek stability?

When horses show us who they need, it’s never a problem to be managed away—it’s a truth to be honored. Recognizing these behaviors matters. It allows us to advocate more effectively, to intervene earlier, and to create or seek out environments that truly support horses’ wellbeing.

When a Therapy Horse Might Need Retirement

Research and welfare guidelines highlight several warning signs that a therapy horse may no longer be suited for program work. These signs don’t mean a horse has failed—they mean the horse’s needs have changed, and it’s time to adapt with compassion.

• Herd-Bound Behavior
  Horses are deeply social. When they show anxiety if separated from a companion—pacing, calling, spooking, or refusing to work—it signals emotional stress. Studies confirm that separation distress can compromise both welfare and safety in therapy settings (McDonnell, 2021; Mad Barn, 2024).

• Weight Loss / Special Feeding Needs
  Horses known as “hard keepers” may struggle to maintain weight even with good care. They often require specialized diets such as pelletted mash. Research on equine geriatrics notes that dental decline and metabolic changes make weight maintenance harder, often requiring retirement from heavy workloads (Ralston, 2018).

• Stallion-Like or Stud-Like Behaviors
  Some geldings can still display stallion-like behaviors—protectiveness, reactivity, or heightened stress in herd dynamics. Welfare assessment protocols identify persistent stress or aggressive behaviors as indicators for reducing workload or retiring a horse (AWIN Welfare Assessment Protocol, 2015).

• Declining Willingness or Physical Condition
  Warning signs include resistance, lack of energy, arthritis, dental issues, or chronic soreness. A 2021 survey of equine-assisted programs found behavioral concerns (44%), physical unsoundness (33%), and age (11%) were the most common reasons for retirement (Merkies et al., 2021).

It is alleged that Hank exhibited some of these behaviors over the past twelve months if so perhaps the cry for retirement went unheard—just as our plea did when we reached out.

Ethical retirement is not about return on investment. It’s about recognizing when a horse has already given enough, and making sure his final chapter reflects care, not convenience.

To Hank

To Hank—Shooter, Mr. Magoo—thank you for all you gave to this program. Healing didn’t come through riding, but through relationship. You mirrored emotions honestly, showing people the truth they couldn’t always say out loud. You walked away when boundaries were needed, and you returned when connection was safe again. You stood quietly while tears fell, and you shifted gently to invite laughter when it was most needed.

These are the gifts therapy horses give—gifts no human can replicate. Hank, you carried the weight of countless stories and breakthroughs, and you did so with grace.

For every life you touched, your impact will be remembered.

For Ruby

And to Ruby—Hank’s trusted companion—your place in his story matters. Horses form deep bonds, and Hank’s comfort in having you nearby is part of what carried him through his work.

We also know that herd mates feel absence. Research shows that horses often display stress or behavioral changes after the loss of a close partner. Ruby’s continued care and wellbeing will matter in the days ahead.

To the Community

Thank you for speaking up and asking questions. Your voices matter.

A therapy horse’s retirement future should rest on compassionate consideration of all they have given. They invest themselves in humans—session after session, year after year—without asking anything in return.

Could it be that when Hank’s usefulness was questioned—when he required more costly care and displayed behaviors that were simply labeled “unwanted”—his value was diminished. If so, this is where Hank was cheated: of a retirement, of an opportunity in a new environment, of a new way of life.

Horses are not disposable. Their value cannot be reduced to utility or cost-efficiency. The question is not whether they give enough—it’s whether we are willing to give back when their time of service is done.

References

• AWIN Welfare Assessment Protocol. (2015). Assessment protocol for horses. Animal Welfare Indicators.

• Mad Barn. (2024). Buddy Sour in Horses: Causes and Solutions. Retrieved from https://madbarn.com

• McDonnell, S. (2021). Equine behavior and separation anxiety. University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine.

• Merkies, K., Ready, C., Farkas, L., & Riva, J. (2021). Retirement of therapy horses: Reasons and welfare considerations in equine-assisted programs. Animals, 11(12), 3556.

• Ralston, S. L. (2018). Nutritional considerations for the geriatric horse. Equine Veterinary Journal, 50(5), 569–575.