what do you do when your horse has died?I have always wondered where you send them and what do you do with them?..can you give me your answers and what you think?
My neighbors 28 year old gelding Whisper just died about 3 weeks ago. They called a rendering plant to come pick him up. I think it is the cheapest way to dispose of such a huge carcass. Gross but I bet cremation is expensive as with hiring a backhoe probably is also.
Usually your vet will get you in touch with a cremation place. If you have mortality insurance on your horse you can use that to transport/pay for the service. Some horses are sent to a Necropsy, to ensure it wasn't a health/disease related death. Otherwise, you can use your tractor and dig a hole in the ground. I know that's what my trainer has done. There was a gravestone by the creek for one of her elder show horses.
I work at a horse barn where many older retired horses come to live out their days in the pasture. Last year, we had two pass away. One was a 36 year old Morgan (yes, 36!) who died of natural causes. The other was a 29 year old Tennessee Walker mare who had fallen in the pasture and fractured her rear leg getting back up. First, you need to see if you are allowed to bury horses in your area. Some places you can, and others you can't. If you know any farm excavators or anyone with a backhoe, ask them to dig a hole large enough for the horse. It is customary to have the horse's head facing the east. I honestly can not remember why, some spiritual reason though. You can also call a livestock disposal service. They will pick up large carcasses, however, it can be expensive. I have a friend who paid over $600 to have a horse picked up. Lastly, I live in Indiana and there is a large exotic cat rescue center not too far from where I live, they save tigers, lions, leopards, and other big cats from black market sellers and back yard breeders. I know it sounds awful, but those cats gotta eat something. They will pick up dead horses who died of natural causes. They will also pick up live, old horses and put them down themselves (I would never send a horse that was still alive... never.) However, they will not pick up horses that have been euthanized. It is free since they are doing us a favor and we are doing them a favor. However, this is only and option if you have a similar rescue center near you. I would bury your horses if you are able and have the acreage, and if the horse was not diseased. If the horse was sick, I would definitely use a livestock disposal service. This way, disease is not spread and you can avoid breaking laws, if your area has laws against burying livestock. And I am just like you, I want my horses to live forever! Hope this helps.
It depends on where you live - in some areas you can bury the horse. You need a backhoe because the hole must be enormous. You also can have the body disposed of professionally. What I have done is pay someone to pick up the body and take it to a rendering plant so they can use the body for animal feed. I know that sounds gruesome and I hate to think of it because I'm a horse lover, but I try to be realistic. If I have a 1,200 pound horse, the muscle and bone can be used. So once the veterinarian euthanizes the horse, I call the rendering company. There are companies that make livestock carcasses into compost and companies that literally cook the carcass to sterilize it so it can be put into a landfill. For me, the most responsible thing is to make some use of the remains. It's a sad affair all around. But I see it as the same thing I plan for my body - I plan to be an organ donor. They can use anything that is useful from me. I won't need it! And I've seen so many people die because they needed an organ - most people don't think of it when a loved one dies. They should.
The body of a horse who has died can go to a renderer, be buried or be creamated. If your horse has died at an equine vet school teaching hospital, you can donate his body to help new vet students learn about horses. When any of the horses at my farm had to be euthanized, I worked together with my vet who coordinated the euthanization with the guy from the rendering place. When one of my clients wanted her horse creamated, she contacted them and then a time was arranged with them and my vet.
