where do old horses go to die?

Question

sad question: where do horses go when they are old and no longer useful? this applies to race horses, tourist horses (calesa) and others. i hope they are not eaten, but given due respect in their final days.

Answer 1

Most of the time, old horses are normally euthanized or sent to a rendering plant to be turned into glue or leather. THEY ARE NOT SENT TO ZOOS TO BE FED TO ANIMALS THERE- THAT IS UTTER NONSENSE !!! Nor are most older, euthanized horses used for dog or pet food, because the drugs used to do this ARE POISONOUS TO PEOPLE AND OTHER ANIMALS, which means that any meat from an animal that has died this way is NOT SAFE FOR CONSUMPTION, AND CANNOT BE USED FOR PET FOOD !!!! Sorry to shout, but I get SO SICK of the responses to questions like this which automatically say that euthanized animals like horses end up as dog food, when I KNOW that's NOT TRUE !!! The US and most other countries have LAWS which prohibit euthanized animals from being used this way, for the safety of both people and their pets.

On another point, yes, horses are also sold for slaughter ( or they were until recently, and still are when they can be shipped to Canada or Mexico to processed) until it became illegal here in the US. That's were most of the overbred, inbred, often injured ex-racehorses usually ended up until recently. Now, those horses are sent overseas or out of the country for slaughter, because it can't be done here. I think that sooner or later, some of the countries these animals are sent to are going to start charging high fees for this service, which in turn will force our people here to rethink the slaughter ban.

Sadly, a lot of older horses are also simply abandoned and left to fend for themselves, and as a result, quite a few of them die of disease or starvation, or as a result of conditions such as founder, which can kill a horse easily. Banning the slaughter plants hasn't stopped this problem- it has only made it worse. When one adds in the fact that lots of people can't afford the cost of euthanasia and disposal of dead horses, the picture looks even more grim. Sure, we might all wish horses were treated decently in their declining years, but it doesn't happen much.

Food for thought- I hope this answers your question.

Answer 2

it all depends on who owns them and what the owners decide. some live the rest of their days as "pasture pets" and die naturally or are euthanized by a vet depending on their health situations. others are sold cheaply at auctions where they can be bought by anyone, most of the older or sick horses that go through these auctions are bought by dog food or glue companies. i don't know of anyone near me eating horse meat but i do know that in some places that does happen. sometimes it's hard to hear but it's what happens.

Answer 3

Horses that don't have someone willing to care for them or humanely destroy them in their old age are usually sent to auction where they are purchased by meat buyers. Horse slaughter was recently shut down in the US, but now the horses are being shipped to Canada and Mexico.

Answer 4

Actually, Horsemeat is still being sold to zoos as food for the carnivoirs. Some zoos have been converting to cow meat but only a few still use horsemeat.

Answer 5

Typically they are put out to pasture to live out the last days as comfortable as possible.

Answer 6

there are farms where they are treated good tillthey die used to be glue factories would slatter them and use them for dog meat. i think that is all i know.

Answer 7

they go inside the owners house take a piss the lay down in their bed and die.

Answer 8

well it is quite simple. you take them out back and shoot them! then you dig a hole and throw them in it.