Really awful question... regarding animal buriel

[bkreugar]

Quote:
I don't know , I'd have to ask dh. I WAS thinking it was a VERY large mound then but dh said IT will settle as she does. and I sure wasn't going to argue, I do remember dh saying he dug a BIG (deep and wide) hole.

I never saw it as I HATE that part and have always thought it is pretty awful to dig the hole, do the deed and push. It just strikes ME as
hard,cold, undignified. Can't quite find the word but I don't like doing it that way.

 

[EweSheep]

Anyone or anything that is above surface, it would decompose alot faster because of the flies, birds of prey, etc. and it would take less time for it to be gone. I don't know about horses but I do know that rats and cats, it took less than a month to be gone to skin and bones, nothing else.

Interesting question I must say!

 

[EweSheep]

If it helps, what you had done for your horse, was not cold and undigified. All is left is a shell of a horse that no longer living. Her spirit is now out of the body (if you believe that) and you have the memories that you can treasure forever. Now that is warm and caring and very dignified and you gave the best you can for the horse.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

A lot has to do with how deep the hole was. I definitely wouldn't take any off the top for a while for risk of exposing her.

That said, large cattle, hog and fowl operations that have large dieoffs sometimes compost in windrowscovered with straw and aerobic bacteria does the job much quicker. In a grave it's just worms and anaerobic bacteria.
That's the way I'll decompose eventually.

 

[Bec]

My horse passed away this past December, absolutely the most awful thing I have ever gone through. I had him 19 years and also had never had lost a horse before. My Dad, DH and his cousin buried him out beneath the trees. I was not here, for many reasons, but DH said the hole was so deep that he had to jump to grab a hand a be pulled out by my dad. (he was in the hole positioning my buddy just right) The spot where he is actually has a slight dip where it has sunken in a little. If the hole is plenty deep, you should be able to skim off the top and level it out without disturbing anything.

 

[bkreugar]

Quote:
I have many horses and I know SOON if it will be lifer with me. This mare I bought, sold then bought back 4 times. Last time DH said thats IT don;t sell her again. SHe was super nice mover, won everywhere we showed and took care of kids. I bought her back the last time right before I had my DD. She was Dd's babysitter.

I ALWAYS know with what I consider a lifer they get retirement when they are no longer sound, and when its time, I stay with them till its done. To me its a debt to a horse who has given you its all, this is how YOU pay them back for what THEY gave you. SHe was retired for the last 2 years and then her pain was such that everything was a struggle. I had a very hard time making dd understand letting her suffer in pain is NOT a nice thing to do to her. I could tell, and it hurt ME to see her in the pasture.Eve with bute she was very measured in her steps to water and back to roundbale. I could always tell with this mare when she hurt, and when she hurt, she would not eat well.

DD said why can't we wait till she just dies on her own?? I said because she will slowly starve to death over a long period of time and the winter will be brutal for her.

Was thinking on this in the last few days as dd's horse has a cut on her leg we've been doctorin everyday. I HOPE dd takes away from me THIS is how you take care of your animals, EVERYDAY you do what needs to be done and when they are sick/injured you handle it every day 1-2-3x a day that's what you do. If she grows up with that ethic I will be proud.

I have had a few seriuos injuries and almost everyone came back no issue. That happens when you give proper care to issues. If I have done EVERYTHING I can with whatever issue than I can sleep with a clear conscience knowing I did all I could, ad it was just beyond my control. Sorry so long!

 

[Bec]

Quote:
I don't know , I'd have to ask dh. I WAS thinking it was a VERY large mound then but dh said IT will settle as she does. and I sure wasn't going to argue, I do remember dh saying he dug a BIG (deep and wide) hole.

I never saw it as I HATE that part and have always thought it is pretty awful to dig the hole, do the deed and push. It just strikes ME as
hard,cold, undignified. Can't quite find the word but I don't like doing it that way.

But just think, she is with you, on your property and not hauled off to have who knows what

done with her body. You did the right thing, absolutely.

 

[bkreugar]

SHould read I have HAD many horse I only have 3 now.

 

[bkreugar]

Quote:
I don't know , I'd have to ask dh. I WAS thinking it was a VERY large mound then but dh said IT will settle as she does. and I sure wasn't going to argue, I do remember dh saying he dug a BIG (deep and wide) hole.

I never saw it as I HATE that part and have always thought it is pretty awful to dig the hole, do the deed and push. It just strikes ME as
hard,cold, undignified. Can't quite find the word but I don't like doing it that way.

But just think, she is with you, on your property and not hauled off to have who knows what

done with her body. You did the right thing, absolutely.

Yes THIS time it was on my property and THAT was the only thing that gave the kids comfort that she would be with us.

 

[yinepu]

I had an arab mare that we had to put down several years ago.. about a year after she was buried the area where her rib cage and lungs were had sunk in to a pit.. so I had to rearrange some of the dirt to fill that area in.. now keep in mind that's here in Texas.. and we have it very dry.. the wetter your area is the faster it will decay..
Sorry about your loss... it's hard to lose a critter that you love and have spent a lot of time with