what happens to old horses when they die?

[Silvercat]

A bit of a gruesome question but read on, and you might forgive me for asking it.

I recently had to have my old horse who was 35 years old put down, it was a really sad time as we had owned him for 18 years and we miss him really badly. He had suddenly stopped eating and looked unhappy so it was time.
We had always planned to have him buried in the field but when the time came, due to financial constraints and other considerations we had to get the "knacker man" in to shoot him and then take the carcase away.
In the event the knacker man was a lovely bloke , very courteous and professional, Pascoe did not know a thing, all he had was love until the very end.
As we could not afford a digger to bury him my last sight was the lorry going up the road .
Since then the field is empty and I bitterly regret letting the old horse go out of our hands. Its preyed on my mind a bit about what they do with the carcases? Do they incinerate them? would he have been chopped up for pet food (unlikely as he was so old and thin). Id like to think he was cremated but can anyone tell me for sure??

[shivvy]

Hi Silvercat. I am more of a doggy person but I understand your pain. My first dog (family dog) that died was brought home and buried at the family home. My second dog died in an accident and wasn't found for a couple of days. He had ended up at an animal charity and we were told that he was in bad shape so we agreed to them destroying his body. Our last girl went in a planned way so I thought that I wanted to take control and to have her cremated and her ashes returned to us. However it was only when the ashes returned that I realised that our pets live on in our memories and photos - not in where their corpses are. Over 2 years have passed since Keela died and we have since got a new pup but I'm still not too sure what to do with her ashes.
I suppose my point is that in my experience it is not the body which is important after they go. That was only their shell - the memories are far more important. To plant a tree to remember Pascoe is a great idea. It will change and grow and develop just like a pet friend does.
I promise that the pain eases and that it is the bravest thing you can do to decide to put a pet to sleep.
Take care.

[ruthann58]

silvercat you will sense him but when you least expect it at the moment you are waiting for it to happen the morning it happened to me we were getting ready for a funeral my husbands cousin had died very suddenly at the age of 40 whom we were all close to and our minds were on that i had been up the stable that morning and as you say empty

[ruthann58]

silvercat you will sense him but when you least expect it at the moment you are waiting for it to happen the morning it happened to me we were getting ready for a funeral my husbands cousin had died very suddenly at the age of 40 whom we were all close to and our minds were on that i had been up the stable that morning and as you say empty ruthxx

[priya20]

your house can not be cremated because all horses get either made into leather or burried.i used to be a vet specialty in dogs,bunnys,horses and,tigers.

[priya20]

hi silvercat, im priya20 and i posted a different one but it had errors so this is the actual one your horse can not be cremated because all horses get either made into leather or burried.i used to be a vet specialty in dogs,bunnys,horses and,tigers.