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 Buttered Noodles Snacker
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Location: NC | I don't mean to be morbid but the other post got me thinking. I have always assumed if one of my beloved horses died I would bury them on my property. Well I only own 5 acres, so now I wonder would I have to worry about water contamination and my well. This may be a very silly question but something I honestly wonder about. Hopefully I don't have to do this anytime soon but last year my mom had 3 sudden horse deaths to deal with and it got me thinking about it. |
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 Expert
Posts: 5293
| HOw deep is your well? My well is 1100 foot deep, so a 8 foot hole, even over the top of the well with a horse probably won't cause any harm. We have 25 acres and just have a hill we bury them on, its a long ways away from the well but I wouldnt worry about water contamination unless your well is less than 200 ft deep or so. |
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What Name?
Posts: 1994
 
| I've always wondered if you could have a horse cremated. . . But I guess that would probably smell aweful. As human remains are cremated after the organs are removed, soo.... |
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 Thick and Wavy
Posts: 6102
Location: Nebraska | some places won't let you bury a horse on your land. You have to check with your county. I know a friend of mine is cremating hers because she is not allowed to bury it on her land. |
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Expert
Posts: 1611
| americanpride08 - 2015-04-09 1:58 PM
I've always wondered if you could have a horse cremated. . . But I guess that would probably smell aweful. As human remains are cremated after the organs are removed, soo....
Yes but it is very expensive....you must pay for them to be hauled to a crematorium |
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What Name?
Posts: 1994
| astreakinchic - 2015-04-09 1:10 PM americanpride08 - 2015-04-09 1:58 PM I've always wondered if you could have a horse cremated. . . But I guess that would probably smell aweful. As human remains are cremated after the organs are removed, soo.... Yes but it is very expensive....you must pay for them to be hauled to a crematorium
Yea... I guess an old roman style pier fire would be a bit barbaric... =/ I've never had to burry a horse. Both the horses I've ridden all my life are still alive. the first is with a friend adn is 21, and my current gelding hasnt hit 3 yet.
I imagine the legistics of this is very rough when morning the loss of a beloved companion. |
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"Heck's Coming With Me"
Posts: 10797
Location: Kansas | We buried one on our property but luckily there was a shelter belt between us and our neighbors or they may have taken exception. One neighbor had seen a horse buried across the road in a pasture and called the county. They had to dig it back up.
I thought ours was buried deep enough but foxes kept burrowing down to chew on him. We had to keep filling in the holes and they finally quit. |
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Expert
Posts: 5293
| I was quoted right at $4 per POUND to cremate a horse. That horse was right at 1300 pounds. |
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What Name?
Posts: 1994
| FLITASTIC - 2015-04-09 1:36 PM I was quoted right at $4 per POUND to cremate a horse. That horse was right at 1300 pounds.
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The Advice Guru
Posts: 6419
| HorsesNHarleys - 2015-04-09 12:09 PM
I don't mean to be morbid but the other post got me thinking. I have always assumed if one of my beloved horses died I would bury them on my property. Well I only own 5 acres, so now I wonder would I have to worry about water contamination and my well. This may be a very silly question but something I honestly wonder about. Hopefully I don't have to do this anytime soon but last year my mom had 3 sudden horse deaths to deal with and it got me thinking about it.
I would check with your county to see if if is even legal for you to burry a horse on the property
When our horses pass, we burry them 12 feet under, but we also have all the equipment to do it properly |
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  Warmblood with Wings
Posts: 27846
Location: Florida.. | To cremate a horse they have to cut it up to fit in burner.. I asked the one I had my my 2 dogs and a cat done at near UF.. I called about my mare before because she was very sick and thats what I was told..also when you bury it has to be a certain depth.. mine had to be 15 feet at least.. and my farm was 54 acreas so I dont know .. |
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Location: Texas | There is a Quarter Horse racing ranch not far from me, and they have always burned the horses once they put them down in a hole. Otherwise there would be 80+ holes where horses have been buried over the years. |
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 Playing the Waiting Game
Posts: 2304
| brlracerchick - 2015-04-09 1:00 PM some places won't let you bury a horse on your land. You have to check with your county. I know a friend of mine is cremating hers because she is not allowed to bury it on her land.
Don't ask Don't tell... I only have 5 acres and I'd bury one if he died... Thankfully so far they are both hanging in there... They may be digging a hole for me soon ... But the horses are doing great... |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 600
Location: Oklahoma & Texas | When I found myself in this position a few years back having to put down one of my best horses I'd had 15 years it wasn't even a question...we have 25 acres and I knew I wanted her buried on our place under a huge mesquite tree..my vet told me to call a guy who was a local plumber but he ran a backhoe service..called him..i was so upset on the phone could hardly tell him what I needed but he got the jist of it..he was so kind he called all the people your suppose to call before you dig and had them out there within an hour..talk about connected lol I look back and realize I couldn't have arranged that myself that fast by any means..but i sure didn't want to not bury her right away and he understood that. Anyway he took care of everything even had me go into the house when it was time to put her in the hole so I wouldn't have that memory..such a thoughtful guy..anyway ...if you need one buried call someone with a backhoe like a plumber...i never asked for permission to bury her from the county or anything but there was no time and the proper people were notified to make sure we didn't dig through any underground pipelines or gas lines... |
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Expert
Posts: 1586
Location: west of East Texas | Growing up we had 5 acres and we were just barely outside the city limits. The best and most expedient way was to burn them. We buried only one. Now I live in the country with plenty of space. I've buried one and took one to the far woods and let nature do it's thing. I'm not sure I would go the burying route again. I just don't see the point when I have already ordered my family to have me cremeated and ashes spread in a strong wind. |
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 Ima Fickle Fan
Posts: 3547
Location: Texas | Like others have said, the laws regulating burial of large animals varies by counties. It depends on the water table, county codes, and what the animal died of. I know in Texas, animals that die of "natural causes" can be left to decompose where they died. I used quotes, because the cause of death could be anthrax, but would be considered "natural" if you didn't know. If burial is an option, I'd check into the specifics of burying one.
Another concern many counties have is animals put down with an overdose of barbituates. There is concern about the barbituates leeching into ground water.
Cremation is doable, but highly expensive. The cheapest option is having one taken to a rendering plant, if there is even one close by. (Only about 200 or so rendering plants left.)
Finally, some dumps take horses and large animals. I know your main question was burying a horse, but if that is not possible (unless you don't tell and do it anyway) those are other options.
Edited by aggiejudger 2015-04-10 9:09 AM
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What Name?
Posts: 1994
| So now I'm curious. I've heard of people doing this to their smaller house hold pets. Anyone ever thought about having one taxidermied ( sP??)
I personally think it would weird me out, not to mention it'd be expensive...
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 Chatty Kathy
Posts: 6635
Location: In Ky following Barrel Races & Walker hounds. | americanpride08 - 2015-04-10 9:37 AM
So now I'm curious. I've heard of people doing this to their smaller house hold pets. Anyone ever thought about having one taxidermied ( sP??)
I personally think it would weird me out, not to mention it'd be expensive...
There is a museum in the Horse park that has a bunch of things like this, I think it is the International Museum of the Horse, and a farming museum in Mississippi had a taxidermied mule. Pretty neat to see. I would love to see Phar Lap.
https://kyhorsepark.com/content/does-whole-horse-get-buried I remember hearing this at the horse park as a kid, I dont think I could ever cut one up to do it this way but I found it interesting. |
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 Party Girl
Posts: 12293
Location: Buffalo, Wyoming | americanpride08 - 2015-04-10 8:37 AM So now I'm curious. I've heard of people doing this to their smaller house hold pets. Anyone ever thought about having one taxidermied ( sP??)
I personally think it would weird me out, not to mention it'd be expensive...
My grandpa always threatend to do this with our old stud. Put him in a glass box on the front yard. Thank goodness he never went through with it and Old Tink is buried on the property. I don't think I could look at the horse if this were done to them. |
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Expert
Posts: 5293
| Its funny here in CA, I can bury my 1300 pound horse, but NOT a human. Weird. |
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