DEAD Horse!

[Nasty135]

Thank You all for your insights and suggestions.

I like the rendering idea, If it can be done for as little as $100 I would think this is a no -brainer ... Maybe its just the emotional equation. I will volunteer to be there for the duty if this is his desire.

Part of the story is His daughter (who the horse was for) is coming to visit from Texas this week and the Horse is bad off, so he is upset that the timing couldn't be worse! /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

The horse is 25yrs +or- and they have had it for at least 10yrs. the horses haven't been ridin in many years now just very large pets as I see it, But thats OK. The daughter went to Texas for college 8+ yrs ago and never came back and is now 28yrs old married w/children and I'm thinking just holding fond memories of the horse, It will probably be harder for Him than the daughter...


EDIT: Wife just called , spoke to some friends and says there is a rendering plant in baltimore that will do it for $150-200 tops. So I'll pass the info to the neighbor. Thanks Again /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif Maybe this will help the neighbor

 

[MikePA]

<font color="blue"> Getting a 2000 lb work horse from a 6 ft wide straight stall out a 4 ft offset to a 3 ft wide door is a challenge to say the least. Not something for someone emotionally attached to the animal to see. Lot of chains and yanking from the tractor. Plus there was another upset horse in the stall next to it. </font>
Good points. Our horse was put down away from the barn. Still in a fenced in area, but away from the other horses. Also, the vet put the horse down well before the renderer showed up. Horses can smell that vehicle and get upset.

 

[Boondox]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( For large animals.. you bury them above ground to compost. I've dragged a few cows for my dairy neighbor.. he has a spot in the woods.. then cover w/ a couple feet of dirt. )</font>

Around here we do a variation on that. Dig a shallow pit (one foot deep) big enough to hold the animal. Put a six inch deep layer of hay or grass clippings in the bottom. Place the carcass on the layer. Cover with a couple of round bales of mulch hay. No muss, no fuss. I've seen Holsteins composted that way with no smell to attract scavengers. Pete

 

[slowzuki]

The local ag college is doing studies on dead stock composting with animals mixed with sawdust and topsoil layers with lime sprinklered in. Apparently does very well and produces excellent topsoil.

 

[beenthere]

If me, I'd get it done before the daughter shows up. Just easier, IMO, for her to remember the horse of 8 yrs ago, than the one that she will see, and know something bad is in order.

If she arrives, its gone, then be sad and it's a done deal. No reconsidering, no decisions to make, its done.

But glad I don't have to make that decision.

 

[sweettractors]

<font color="blue"> I'm thinking just holding fond memories of the horse, It will probably be harder for Him than the daughter...
</font>

I just did the burial favor for the neighbor recently and it was a emotional thing for her. She wanted to have the "grave" on the farm so they could visit. She picked the place to dig and left me in charge of the rest. It was a 1 hour job for me with the Case 580B Backhoe and I did not waste any time. --Ken Sweet

Sweet Farm Equipment LLC *Used Foodplot/Pasture Renovators in Stock Today*

 

[DannyD]

From my work with the big cats I can tell you that if you have an animal refuge around with big exotics, cats, bear, gators etc, they would love to have the meat. We will get one or two horses a week sometimes. This is sort of on the order of leaving the carcass for the wild animals, but the animals served are either from neglected, abused or not wanted situations, and those that care for them appreciate the meat.

Just a thought

 

[shvl73]

The level of emotional attatchment will play an important role. When the day comes for "our" 30 year old quarter horse it will be buried here, below ground. Anything less will definitely make a bad day much, much worse. It would be difficult to reason with someones emotions.

 

[BlueRidge]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( It would be difficult to reason with someones emotions. )</font>

Yep. Very difficult sometimes, and sometimes needs to be done, but sometimes not.

I have to agree it's probably better for the daughter to have old memories untainted by the new picture of a suffering horse.

 

[Slamfire]

My sister got a bunch of stuff when the pony I sold her died. Nothing very valuable, but the guy on the truck couldn't stand to watch her cry. My Mother wouldn't let her pay me either. /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif