Lift capabilities

[JimRB]

A horse that is having problems keeping on weight might not be that heavy depending on breed. We got an old Morgan stallion bag of bones 5 years ago. That horse costs us more to feed than the rest of the horses. 3 or more foals from that now 33 year old stallion that is missing a bunch of teeth. Proper feeding might be more than someone wants to spend on pelletized feed watered down to soften up or take the time feeding 4 times a day. Anyhow I have dug holes using the JD 870 2 wd bucket. Sloped hole deep enough. Push horse in. Cover back up. Add a little bit of dirt a few years later as things settle. Those horses were more like 1000 pounds when healthy.

 

[4570Man]

1 cubic foot (or yard) of compost doesn’t weigh 1400#. Did you to type another quantity?

Compost is pretty light. 1400 pounds per cubic yard isn’t unreasonable.

 

[jyoutz]

Compost is pretty light. 1400 pounds per cubic yard isn’t unreasonable.

I was thinking that was on the heavy side, but I suppose it depends on how much soil is mixed with the organics.

 

[LD1]

I have buried alot of horses. Mini-ex, full sized backhoe, and compact backhoe.

I have never lifted a horse. Its always been drug, pushed into the hole and dirt shoved over. I just tell people they may want to step away. Some understand its just the circle of life, others get emotional.

One guy....put the horse in the hole himself. He had a skidloader....scooped up the horse from the barn and dumped into the hole. Was no big deal to him.

I have often heard of people digging a ramp into the hole for the horse to walk into.....and have the vet euthanize once in the hole. Maybe thats an option?

Or if the excavator guy is a weekend/evening only guy.....why cant the vet put the horse down.....and dig the hole that evening where the excavator guy can lower?

 

[Mtsoxfan]

Thanks for all replies. What I was told a few weeks back, was there would be a ramp down. Horse walked down, given a shot to prevent felt pain of whatever was given to kill it. Now it seems they won't be able to get horse to walk down ramp. Excavator just dug hole. Maybe he talked owner into just pushing horse in. When I talked with owner to tell him tractor wasn't capable to lift etc. His reaction (visually) appeared to he thought horse should just be pushed in. His wife, actual owner of horse, as emotional as I saw her, would not be happy if that was done.
That's for them to settle. I'm just a neighbor willing to help anyway I can.

 

[sd455dan]

It's a working man who uses it for work. Doing it as a favor, that's how we roll around here... Vet has a schedule as well. Not idea situation.

Have done several horse burials over the years. I agree with above you very likely do not have a large enough tractor with enough FEL to move the animal. I did have to drag one by the neck once that was stuck in a barn stall. Pretty ugly scene if the horse owner is there as well. I have a plate on pallet forks that does work well to move the animal and then it works to roll the animal in from the side of the grave site. Without a plate in front of the FEL not sure you can do this even with a strong enough FEL lift. Doesn't take long for rig to set in and then things do not bend, It does help when it comes time to roll them in as the legs can be used to rotate then use the fel to gently tilt and let the animal slide off and gently into the ground.
I have never tried to get any of the horse in the actual bucket just to big.
Good Luck on whatever is chosen, this isn't fun stuff especially if it is part of the family.
My condolences to all involved and my biggest advice is Do not put the animal down inside a barn stall.
pick an area with good access from all sides.

 

[pecans]

Good Morning,,,, No doubt you have accomplished your task. Empathy. I have 130 horses here for folks. There are many options. Here are some comments for future readers. One is an Indian Burial... you need to have a large property and compatible local governance if applicable. That is a circle of rocks or trees in which the animal is placed and allowed to respectfully return to nature. (Smell will be around for some time) For FEL you need to counter balance your tractor with an equal weight on the rear. We use a LARGE 1000+ pound round bale. If you are going to use a small tractor and a slope into the hole, it would be suggested to have slick tracks placed down the slope. (castors but quality castors for the weight are very expensive) Build a matching platform that the horse can be laid upon. Push the platform slowly on the tracks/ rails first with your FEL,,,, then, depending on your design, you either need a push pole to continue, or a chain fastened in two spots equidistant from the balance point to slowly allow the platform to move to the bottom of the slope It is presumed the slope will extend to the opposite side of the hole. If you are pulling (better for the tractor and safer), you need a slope both directions or a narrow ditch the chain can drop into on the other side as the horse progresses down. You can also pull a platform directly over the hole in the way funeral homes do and use a winch of many types to lower in as final words are said. A funeral by chance may have one wide enough. There is a lot to think through. Once you have your method perfected you will do a lot of folks good in your area. --- High complements to all the safety comments by folks. Every one of them mentioned is critical to your safety and preservation of your tractor as well as respect for the participants.

 

[jdp]

I own a New Holland TC 29D. My neighbor asked me for a favor, I said I would help, if I could. Sadly, they are putting down one of their 30+ year old horses. They asked me if I would place in grave. Someone with an excavator is doing the digging prior, but can't stay around to lower horse. I'm not sure if I'm reading manual correctly, but it would seem like the lifting capabilities are 800#. Research shows the average horse is 1000# to 1200#. Yes, I know that there are wide variables to horse weight. This particular horse has been unable to gain weight despite vet recommended diet, and will not be able to survive the winter. Still, when standing next to it, seems big to a non horse knowledgeable person. I don't want to disrespect the horse by not being able to lift it, which I was going to accomplish by strapping the legs. Not sure if that is the best way either. Strap is 25'ish 7500# rating.
Any help would be appreciated.

I have done this. You have the excavator slope a nice ramp to the bottom of the hole. Then you lead the horse down the ramp. The vet puts him down right in the hole. Then you fill it in. Worked like a charm.
I rented a real small backhoe, dug the hole and ramp, returned the machine, vet put the horse down in the hole- it walked down the ramp no problem, then I pushed the dirt in with my compact B2320.

 

[Snezzy]

pelletized feed watered down to soften up

We do that "at great expense" for our ponies who are 37 and 48 years old. They still do work carrying kids. You would think a 48 would be a rack of bones, but he is plump! Timothy pellets plus beet pulp pellets. Yum yum eat'em up.

 

[John_Mc]

I suspect by now this has been taken care of, but just in case it's still under consideration:

Unless the horse can be walked into the hole and put down there, it's really best if the owners or anyone with an emotional attachment to the horse not be around for the process of putting the horse in the hole. Let them say their goodbyes, have the horse put down, then go away while the dirty work is done. There are just too many unpleasant things that can happen while moving an animal as big as a horse.

I was in my twenties when my sister's large 37 year old horse had to be put down. We had known his days were numbered. It's unusual for a horse that large to live that long. He had been seeming OK, just a little stiff and "creaky", but in good spirits and not losing weight. One day we came out to find him lying on the ground in the barnyard, unable to get up. Multiple attempts to assist him up failed.

We called the vet to put him down, and a neighbor who ran an excavating business to dig the hole and bury him. Our whole family was around for the end (my parents and the 5 of us kids, and our other horse). After he had passed and everyone said their goodbyes the neighbor on the excavator asked us to leave. Two sisters who were the real "horse people" of the family wanted to stay for the burial. Fortunately, the neighbor had done some of this before. He was unable to get his big excavator into the barnyard, and even if he could, lifting a large dead horse might not go smoothly. With his smaller excavator he would have to drag the horse out of the barnyard to the hole. It would not be a process we wanted to watch and definitely not what we wanted as our last memory of our old friend.

In retrospect, even if the horse had been put down right at the edge of the hole and then pushed in, I don't think it's something my sisters would have wanted to see.

 

[CH4Ohio]

We all get attached to our animals. But if you have livestock, sooner or later you are going to have dead stock. You just can't bury them delicately and with the same type of honor guard you provide for humans.

The most I've actually cried in the last 10 years has been when the vet is putting my dogs to sleep. Seems to get to me worse than / differently than family, for some reason.

There's no reason for people to get hurt by trying to lead a horse into a very deep sloped hole which could obviously cave in. There's no reason to risk having equipment drop into a hole and get someone hurt or create another hazard.

All the great movie cowboys put their horses out of their misery and then rode on. They knew their "friend" was not in the remains they left behind and they didn't feel guilty about not staying to bury him. The time to be gentle is prior to death. It's not disrespectful to do what needs to be done afterward. Whether you bury or dispose of otherwise, it's just one necessary unpleasant task that should be completed without ceremony so everyone can move on.

Edit -- point is, no one needs to feel guilty about getting a horse buried.

 

[CH4Ohio]

I'll also add, just cause this seems like an accident waiting to happen . . .

If you've ever been standing around or holding the lead rope on a horse that's getting put down, first thing the doc will do is tranquilize the horse so he doesn't feel any pain. When they start stumbling around and getting dizzy and then finally lay down, you need to watch that you don't get stepped on or worse. Can't imagine trying to get an old nervous horse to walk down into a hole (very unnatural thing) and then trying to stay out of the way when the horse finally lays down.

 

[FERLING]

You need to have the excavator do it if you’re going to do it in a a respectful method. Even if the tractor did pick it up which I doubt, it won’t have the reach to place the horse in the hole. Obviously you could just drag it in but I doubt that’s the option the owners are looking for.

It is dead and only those watching will know how it was placed in its grave. Don't do something stupid by adding a tractor and the operator to the grave. Just ask the owner to turn and say a prayer while you drag it in.

 

[rxk9394]

Adding another note for future reference for someone also needing to do this. As soon (and respectfully) as possible after the vet has confirmed there is no more signs of life, pull and bundle both front and back legs inward towards their belly and tie them with a rope or cheap/disposable ratchet strap as tightly as you can before rigormortis sets in. Otherwise once those legs stiffen up those make the whole process much more awkward and difficult.

 

[pmf1]

I own a New Holland TC 29D. My neighbor asked me for a favor, I said I would help, if I could. Sadly, they are putting down one of their 30+ year old horses. They asked me if I would place in grave. Someone with an excavator is doing the digging prior, but can't stay around to lower horse. I'm not sure if I'm reading manual correctly, but it would seem like the lifting capabilities are 800#. Research shows the average horse is 1000# to 1200#. Yes, I know that there are wide variables to horse weight. This particular horse has been unable to gain weight despite vet recommended diet, and will not be able to survive the winter. Still, when standing next to it, seems big to a non horse knowledgeable person. I don't want to disrespect the horse by not being able to lift it, which I was going to accomplish by strapping the legs. Not sure if that is the best way either. Strap is 25'ish 7500# rating.
Any help would be appreciated.

We've buried five horses out back. We dig the hole with a rented skid skid steer (at the end of the day) with one sloped side. Vet comes the next day and does the sad thing at the top of the slope. My wife goes inside as the next part is inevitably unpleasant. The skid steer scoops a half bucket of dirt so as not to have the blade contact the body and pushes the horse down the slope then back fills. No way a compact tractor can handle this efficiently. Not enough power.

 

[beenthere]

I’ve done a lot of horses for folks. The key is to not have them help unless they understand how you need to do it with the equipment you have. Exactly like 4570 said, even if you can lift it very few soils will support your front tires with that kind of weight next to a hole deep enough for a horse.

Just push it in the hole.

 

[lorandroehl]

I’m a Veterinarian with nearly 40 years of experience. I have put down many, many horses. Most of the time it has gone well, but as anyone who spends time around horses knows the unexpected can happen, and sometimes does. I’ve learned a few things.

1. Having the horse’s owner(s) present during the euthanasia is a very good thing IMHO. It allows them to say the final goodbye and provides closure. Early in my career I didn’t feel this way, but have seen the benefits over the years.

2. Having the horse’s owner(s) present during burial should be avoided if at all possible. Even when done with great care, moving and burying a large animal is not usually pretty. Having the burial and any unexpected unpleasantries seen by the owner(s) is usually not beneficial.

3. Safety is very important. I’ve seen horses do very unexpected things at the time of euthanasia and this can be dangerous to all involved. I have been down in the grave to euthanize a horse a number of times, but no longer do it. I’ve had a couple close calls and bad things can happen quickly when a 1000+ lb animal falls over. It’s not always smooth.

4. I think the best method is to euthanize the horse as close to the grave as possible and then roll them in. Much preferable to have the owner(s) not present at this time if at all possible.

These are just my opinions based on my experience. Everyone is different and other’s opinions are equally valid.

It’s a difficult time and avoiding accidents and avoiding making of unpleasant memories helps make it a little easier.

BTW earlier someone posted Vets have a 9-5 work day. Not in my practice. I could only hope for that kind of schedule. Animals don’t go by our clocks and calendars. If you are going to deliver high quality service to your clients early and late hours along with weekends and holidays will be the norm.

 

[Mudfarmer]

Been there, done that with my own horse. Loved that horse. I suggest dragging it to the edge of the hole with a chain. Unhook. Turn and push it in. No disrespect to that. Simply acknowledges that it was a big powerful animal.
MF

 

[Fuddyduddy1952]

Been there, done that with my own horse. Loved that horse. I suggest dragging it to the edge of the hole with a chain. Unhook. Turn and push it in. No disrespect to that. Simply acknowledges that it was a big powerful animal.
MF

That's my thought. Once something is dead it's dead. Show love while it's living. Wife & I want cremation, no funeral, obit, flowers.
Ashes scattered here.

 

[beenthere]

I’m a Veterinarian with nearly 40 years of experience. I have put down many, many horses. Most of the time it has gone well, but as anyone who spends time around horses knows the unexpected can happen, and sometimes does. I’ve learned a few things.

1. Having the horse’s owner(s) present during the euthanasia is a very good thing IMHO. It allows them to say the final goodbye and provides closure. Early in my career I didn’t feel this way, but have seen the benefits over the years.

2. Having the horse’s owner(s) present during burial should be avoided if at all possible. Even when done with great care, moving and burying a large animal is not usually pretty. Having the burial and any unexpected unpleasantries seen by the owner(s) is usually not beneficial.

3. Safety is very important. I’ve seen horses do very unexpected things at the time of euthanasia and this can be dangerous to all involved. I have been down in the grave to euthanize a horse a number of times, but no longer do it. I’ve had a couple close calls and bad things can happen quickly when a 1000+ lb animal falls over. It’s not always smooth.

4. I think the best method is to euthanize the horse as close to the grave as possible and then roll them in. Much preferable to have the owner(s) not present at this time if at all possible.

These are just my opinions based on my experience. Everyone is different and other’s opinions are equally valid.

It’s a difficult time and avoiding accidents and avoiding making of unpleasant memories helps make it a little easier.

BTW earlier someone posted Vets have a 9-5 work day. Not in my practice. I could only hope for that kind of schedule. Animals don’t go by our clocks and calendars. If you are going to deliver high quality service to your clients early and late hours along with weekends and holidays will be the norm.

Good post from a vet who knows.
Loved ones don't stand around and observe a dead person being prepped at the funeral home for display at the service, nor do they observe being shoved into the fiery furnace for cremation. So, likewise, should not witness the carcass being rolled into the grave. Leave that to the machine operator to take care of it.