Jessica Jahiel's HORSE-SENSE Newsletter Archives

Horse Burial

From: Kathy

Dear Jessica,

I thoroughly enjoy reading the Horse Sense articles. I read and print each one and save them in a three ring binder for future reference. Thanks, I have learned a lot with your practical and down to earth advice and suggestions. One thing I have learned is that you always say there is no such thing as a stupid question so here goes.

The Background: Our 22 year old Morgan gelding was diagnosed about 4 years ago as having emphysema. He has been doing pretty well until last summer when the heat and humidity was very hard on him. We expected improvement when the cooler weather came and he did seem better. Recently he has taken a turn for the worst. His breathing was very distressed and he stopped eating his hay. We immediately called our vet. He said he couldn't stop breathing long enough to eat. We love our horse and were not going to let him starve to death or wait until his organs shut down and we asked the vet if he thought it was time to say goodbye. He suggested heavy doses of Prednisone and Equi-hist twice a day in his grain. He said if he wasn't at least 70% better in 10 days, then we probably should have him put down. The good news is that he is much improved but I don't know for how long. I fear for his life when the heat and humidity return.

The question: We want to bury the horse on our small property when the time comes but we have no place except in the corner of the pasture. Horses seem to be sensitive creatures. Will they know that a horse is buried there? Will they know that it is their lifelong friend? We were wondering if burying him there would make the other 3 horses not want to use that area of the pasture or not want to go in there at all. Our pasture space is limited and we can't afford to lose much of it. Are there any reasons, healthwise or otherwise, why we should not bury him in the pasture? Also, how deep do you bury a horse? Is there anything else we should know? I have seen several articles about knowing when it is time to put down an older or ill horse but none of them give any practical information about options for dealing with the horse's body.

Thank you in advance for your help.

Sincerely, Kathy Remus

P.S. May I ask what is the correct pronounciation of your last name?

Hi Kathy! I'm sorry to hear about your Morgan, but you and your vet seem to have a good death planned for this horse, and I'm glad to hear that. Sometimes people shirk their responsibilities to their horses just when they need to act -- I'm happy to know that you will be looking after your horse all the way to the end of his life. He's a lucky horse to have such caring owners.

Disposing of a dead horse is not always easy, and the legal options vary according to where you live. Your local veterinarian will be able to advise you about this, and if he/she doesn't know whether pasture burial is legal, call your county extension agent. Sometimes you are required to have the body hauled elsewhere, either to a rendering plant or to a place where it can legally be buried -- and these are things you must find out NOW before you actually need to know them.

If you are in a rural area, you should be able to make arrangements with a local contractor, or a neighbor with a backhoe. In suburban areas, you simply aren't permitted to bury horses. If your horse trailers easily, you might consider taking him to the nearest veterinary hospital, having him put down there, and letting them dispose of the body.

Similarly, you should talk with your own veterinarian about the method he will use, so that you won't have to ask about it on the day. An overdose of barbiturates is often ideal -- it's easy to administer and provides a very fast, painless death without frightening the horse, but every veterinarian has a preferred method, and I'm sure that yours is no exception.

I've seen horses turned out in pastures where other horses were buried, and they didn't seem to have any idea that the dirt-mound in the corner meant anything in particular. Often they wouldn't walk on it at first, but that probably had more to do with color and texture (clay instead of grass) than with sentiment. If it's legal to bury your horse in your pasture, then you should feel free to do it if that's what you want to do.

But if you can't, remember that it doesn't matter so much where your horse is buried, really -- what matters is that you provided him with a good quality of life up to the very end.

- Jessica

(oh, yes, and my last name is pronounced Jah-YELL)

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