# Feeding horse meat- please don't open if this offends you



## Elizabeth (Jun 4, 2002)

I am at the point where I am ready to go to the auction and buy a horse to slaughter for dog food. We tried raising our own meat for awhile but we can't keep up anymore now that we have four big dogs. We raise meat for our own consumption but the dogs need over 10 pounds of food a day and we can't keep up. I'm thinking a couple of horses a year should help a lot.

If we buy at auction we would have no way of knowing what, if any, meds the horses have had. Would we be safe if we kept the horse for 30 days before slaughtering to make sure that any medications have left the meat? Or, are there meds which take longer to get rid of?


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## rean (Nov 18, 2008)

Best person to ask, would be a butcher, they would know. Also, we had to have a horse put down, and the rendering truck would not come get it if was put down "humanely", because the chemicals would make it unfit for consumption. So we had to shoot it.


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## Skykomish (May 28, 2008)

Well that actually sounds like a good idea to me. Wonder if it is legal?? There are lots of horses that are being put down anyway, and if you give it a good last 30 days and dont make its death horrible or terrifying, it will be a good death, and there is a use for the carcass. If I had a horse trailer I'd be looking into this option. What with a dog sled team to feed.


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## GoldenMom (Jan 2, 2005)

I've VERY seriously considered doing the same thing. And wondered about the meds, etc that might be in it's system. I'm not sure I could emotionally keep it for 30 days then slaughter it, but then again why would it really be any different than a cow, etc which I have no problems with?

I wish I had more freezer space, but 90+ cornish rock chickens take up A LOT of room! Maybe I can sneak another freezer in and fill it up too!


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## Elizabeth (Jun 4, 2002)

I am sure it is legal to slaughter horses for your own use, but it is definitely illegal to butcher for re-sale. Thus, I can't ask the butcher because he doesn't know anything about slaughtering horses.

We don't have a horse trailer, either, but I figure, for one or two horses a year we can rent one when needed. If you figure a horse's weight at 1500 pounds (which is an arbitrary guess, most horses are probably a lot bigger, but for the sake of an example that is the weight I used), and figure it dresses out at 70% (which is probably low as I would use most of the carcass, including innards), that works out to 1050 pounds of bone and meat. I have no idea how much a horse costs at auction, but have heard of horses going for as low as $40. I figure I would be willing to spend up to $100- big spender that I am, lol. If I keep the horse and feed it for 30 days I might put another $100 into hay and feed (we cut our own hay). I think we can rent a trailer for $20 a day, so by the time we slaughter we would have around $220 invested, plus a little for gas to get to the auction and back, say $10. So, $230 divided by 1050 pounds comes out to less than 22 cents a pound. Of course, I'll have to buy another freezer to hold all the meat, but a $200 freezer amortized over the course of 10 years or so doesn't add up to much. $20 a year divided by 2100 pounds of meat adds another .009 cents per pound. I think I can handle that!

Now I just want to be sure that whatever horse I get is going to be a source of good healthy meat for the pups.


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## RLStewart (Sep 10, 2006)

Well as a horse person unless you buy a draft horse it probably won't weigh 1500 lbs. Most stock breeds average 1000-1200. To be sure that a horse hasn't been treated with anything you could look into buying direct. To be sure alot of people would have a meltdown if you asked if you could buy their horse for dog meat but I imagine you could find some that would be glad to see a horse that was potentially dangerous for instance be humanely slaughtered. I was just talking to a friend the other day about how with the slaughter market gone if you end up with a dangerous horse, in her case one that would rear over backwards and put her in the hospital, you don't dare send it to an auction because who knows where it might end up. I'm not sure how you would go about finding the right people but maybe a large animal vet in the area would have an idea. I personally would have a very hard butchering a horse as I've pretty much spent my whole life working with them and taking care of them but I don't have a problem with someone else doing it.


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## Maura (Jun 6, 2004)

Yes, call a large animal vet. He's going to know what kind of meds a horse might be on, and how long it would take to detox it. I would ask the owner if he's on any meds also, because the horse may be on a med to keep it alive, such as for cushings disease. Feed it good hay with a little oats and you'll have some nice meat. I would, however, do some research as you may have to feed more horsemeat than poultry or beef by weight to get the same nutrition.


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## rean (Nov 18, 2008)

You plan on re selling the meat to other dog owners? I must have misread, I thought it was for you own dogs.


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## beccachow (Nov 8, 2008)

I am on the fence here, as a horse lover. BUT, there is no answer for what to do with an unwanted horse...let it starve to death, neglected? Heck, no. Overstuff Horse Rescues with animals that are beyond saving? Heck, no. I commend you for desiring to bring an animal to an humane end. For the most part, a horse should only be on wormer and the usual shots (rabies, etc). In order to be a part of a horse auction, they must pass tests for contagious diseases. A horse that you can afford for slaughter will most likely be underweight, old, etc. Otherwise you will be paying pretty good money for a "useable" horse. So, you will "probably" need to spend a few weeks getting weight back on him anyway. Beware the signs of an ill horse; Cushing's, as mentioned here, has it's set of pretty readily identifiable symptoms (ragged, long coat) and you should steer clear of those types of animals. Read up on how to spot a healthy albeit underweight animal. Also, when the time comes, read up on how to place the bullet for the optimum pain-free, instant dispatch.

My problem was never horse slaughter per-se, it was always the WAYS in which the animals were transported and handled with disregard for their well-being.


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## Elizabeth (Jun 4, 2002)

No, definitely NOT reselling. This would be for our own four dogs.

Around here, people are giving horses away, or trying to- some of them can't even do that. One woman who lives near us has offered FOUR healthy yearlings on craigslist- so far, no takers. There have been a couple offers of horses who are not rideable due to lack of training or behavior issues. And lots of older (20 years+) horses who are not being worked which the owners are not willing or able to feed any longer. And there are always horses being offered as pasture buddies because they are lame or have other health issues which prevent them from being ridden. I think in the last week or so there have been at least a dozen free horses offered that I have seen- there may have been others which I did not see.

I'd rather spend a few dollars and buy at auction. I could not take a horse from someone who just wanted to find a good home for it and then feed it to my dogs- unless it died of old age or something.

I will check with our vet- she's busy today so I haven't tried her yet. 
I wonder what all of our Amish neighbors do with their old draft horses? I'll have to remember to ask some of them. 

I have never eaten horse meat, but an acquaintance who trains horses says that, unlike other livestock species which are raised for meat, horse meat actually improves in flavor and texture with age (age of the horse, not aging of the meat). So, a 28 year old horse might be a better bet than a 4 year old horse, at least for human consumption, but that's a whole 'nother subject.


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## beccachow (Nov 8, 2008)

Also wanted to add, an otherwise healthy animal may be labeled as "pasture companion," or the like. These would be the types with an injury or illness making them unrideable. These might be on meds like Bute. Bute is a common med given for pain control in animals. Not sure of the life of Bute in an animal for consumption.


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## Cygnet (Sep 13, 2004)

I'd ask some of the more pragmatic horse traders in your area, too -- old cowboys and the like. Let them know if they have an injured or insane horse you'd take it and put it down for them. Saves them the cost of hiring a backhoe. 

I had a TB who was insane -- he had panic attacks for no goodd reason (sometimes just when standing in his stall) and was downright dangerous to work around. Quite honestly, I wouldn't have blinked if someone had wanted him to butcher.


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## Maura (Jun 6, 2004)

I would be wary of feeding my dogs a 28 year old horse. Their bones build up toxicity, and become more brittle with age. A young horse that is lame or otherwise not a suitable pet is what I'd look for.


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## beccachow (Nov 8, 2008)

Cygnat, I had a Palomino who was insane. I am afraid it was due to abuse prior to our getting him, but it was more than I could work with. He would swing that back end on you in a heartbeat. You could be having a conversation and pick your arm up to point, and he would swing, kick out and run. I tried and tried to work him through it, but he finally kicked and connected with a friend for no reason I could see. Thankfully no one was hurt. He was on a trailer for the Horse Rescue the next day. They were blinded by his beauty and tried to place him over and over, refusing to believe me that he was NUTS. Time and time again, he came back to the Rescue. He is currently taking up space there, space that COULD have been used for a rehabilitation case. He would be a prime candidate for this issue. A quick, humane death.

Which reminds me, some of the horses are tranked for the sale, too (he was!). Check into acepromazine life in meat, and be wary of horses who are TOO well behaved in such a strange environment.


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## Otter (Jan 15, 2008)

Just put the word out with large animal vets, trainers, farriers, etc that you will take horses that are unsound mentally or physically. No questions asked, no answers given. Build a little paddock right near the road and odds are you won't even have to worry about hauling.

Maura has a good point about bones being denser in older horses, but I wouldn't worry about it too much. The bones that build the most density are the leg - tooth breaker - bones. But if you get an old timer, it might be best to just save muscle tissue, not bones or organs. Still alot of meat.

Most pasture-buddy horses that people will dump in your paddock won't be on meds and Bute is out of the system pretty quick. It would be safe to assume that any horse who is acting squirrelly or is young and in good condition is just untrainable for some reason and all you'd have to worry about is wormer and anything limping is on Bute. 

It's not fun to say it, but every trainer has known a horse who it would be far kinder to put a bullet between their eyes, either because they're beautiful and mental like beccachow's palomino and to be shuffled around is awful, because they are lame - and if a horse is limping, he's in pain, they are prey animals and will hide it if they can and no animal should suffer in pain if man can prevent it or because they are so scarred by life that they have no chance of a useful future.


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## Cygnet (Sep 13, 2004)

My crazy TB went to an experienced endurance rider who had more testosterone than good sense. I suppose if he could keep that horse aimed in the right direction -- and stay on board -- he could probably win at LD. That is, of course, as long as that the horse didn't trample a vet or spook off a cliff. 

I've never dared ask how it went. Haven't seen the guy in six or seven years. 

-- Leva



beccachow said:


> Cygnat, I had a Palomino who was insane. I am afraid it was due to abuse prior to our getting him, but it was more than I could work with. He would swing that back end on you in a heartbeat. You could be having a conversation and pick your arm up to point, and he would swing, kick out and run. I tried and tried to work him through it, but he finally kicked and connected with a friend for no reason I could see. Thankfully no one was hurt. He was on a trailer for the Horse Rescue the next day. They were blinded by his beauty and tried to place him over and over, refusing to believe me that he was NUTS. Time and time again, he came back to the Rescue. He is currently taking up space there, space that COULD have been used for a rehabilitation case. He would be a prime candidate for this issue. A quick, humane death.
> 
> Which reminds me, some of the horses are tranked for the sale, too (he was!). Check into acepromazine life in meat, and be wary of horses who are TOO well behaved in such a strange environment.


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## KSALguy (Feb 14, 2006)

in rural areas there are often Dead Animal Pic up services, for when a large animal dies on a farm or where ever and it cant be desposed of by the owners, we had a Large old Appy die on us some years ago and we called and had them come pick her up, i would do some checking in your area and see if there is a service already in place and if so see if you can have access to any of the meat they dispose of, it cant hurt to ask, 

and if there IS NOT any such service and if you have the means to do it, this would be an option, pluss the people PAY you to take the dead away, 

also there is the EVER PRESSENT road kill, contact your local police/highway department, there are 100s of dear killed on the road every year, and alot of it goes to waist, i would see if you can be notified when there is a deer hit (the highway patrole is notified or is supposed to be) and come and collect the carcass


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## bunnylover (Nov 1, 2007)

I went to a horse sale back in August and it was very sad. The cheapest horse was an unbroke 2 yr. old (though he seemed very calm and would probably have been easy to break/train) that went for $20. He didn't get a bid even at $10 and the auctioneer said he'd take him for $20. I'd say the average price was around $200. NICE horses going for crazy low prices. Very sad.


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## Mare Owner (Feb 20, 2008)

Go ahead and ask your butcher, they are in the business and may know more than you'd think about butchering different animals than what they are allowed to sell.

My husband has heard of a couple of the dog breeders in our area doing this now, so you aren't the only person considering it. It really is a smart thing to look into. A quick humane death for a horse is much better than being starved to death by a neglectful owner.

You could put an ad in the local free papers that you are looking for horses, there are lots out there these days that people are trying to give away. Some people don't have the heart to euthanize their own animal, and can't/won't pay the vet to do it, and would appreciate someone willing to take the animal off their hands. If you are only needing a couple and take the time, you can probably pick up some this way. I'd worry more about auction horses being drugged than horses picked up off the owners farms.


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## Caprice Acres (Mar 6, 2005)

As is depicted by the many horse abuse stories of people attempting to put down their horse and resulting in only giving the horse a painful wound, shooting a horse for the kill can be difficult. Please learn to do it right before attempting it the first time.

Otherwise, I think it's a great idea. However, I wouldn't go around telling people and I would make sure the pen for the horses is out of sight, because people WILL get nosy and could make problems for you. I especially like the idea of getting the ill conformed 'stallion prospects' or 'broodmares' out of the breeding pool and especially the nasty or crazy horses. I'll be doing the same sort of thing with goats this summer - I'm going to the auction to pick out all the uglies or diseased ones that shouldn't be out there breeding or spreading their disease, quarantine them, then butcher them the next day.


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## longshadowfarms (Nov 27, 2002)

Otter said:


> Maura has a good point about bones being denser in older horses, but I wouldn't worry about it too much. The bones that build the most density are the leg - tooth breaker - bones. But if you get an old timer, it might be best to just save muscle tissue, not bones or organs. Still alot of meat.


Depending on your area, you could just take the meat off the horse and ask around for deer carcasses during hunting season, possibly even from your butcher. I get plenty from neighbors down the road from us who have about 5 families hunting their huge property. Use the deer spine and ribs for your bone and rely on the horse for the meaty portions.


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## Elizabeth (Jun 4, 2002)

Thanks for all the suggestions.
I don't bother trying to collect deer parts- we are in a rural area and it would cost more in gas running around picking them up than the material is worth. Plus, I don't have enough freezer space left once we fill it with venison. But we do use all the parts from the deer we shoot. And, during the early season I drove to the local processor and got a bunch of deer heads from them which I was able to fit in the freezer- I just had to use them up before we could put any venison in for our own use.

We are on the list for car killed deer, but have never gotten any. 

I am planning on using carcasses from trapping this winter. I asked my vet about using raccoon, mink, otter, beaver, etc., and she said that if I cooked the meat it should not be a problem. I figure I will just take a big stock pot out to the milk room and slow cook a big stew for the dogs along with some potatoes from the garden. The pigs can eat the raw bones, hubby will sell the hides, so no waste anymore from trapping. In the spring I usually trap gophers- in the past we have discarded the carcasses, but from now on I will cook and feed them as well.


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## KSALguy (Feb 14, 2006)

instead of cooking the trapped game just freeze it for a couple days, cooking the meat takes away what you would gain by feeding it raw, and if there were any risks in the meat (posible but not probable) the freezeing will neutralize this, worms or some other parasite would be the only think wrong with wild game and thats easy to fix with freezing and a regular worming schedual,


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## KSALguy (Feb 14, 2006)

OOOO i had a thought, lol, it happens sometimes, do you have any sheep/goat breeders near you? they sell off the Weithers as meat most all the time, good cheap source, also if you have sheep and goat breeders you should probably have a sheep and goat sale barn somewhere close, plain ol meat goats can be had for anywhere from $25 to $95 or so depending on your local market,


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## longshadowfarms (Nov 27, 2002)

KSALguy said:


> instead of cooking the trapped game just freeze it for a couple days, cooking the meat takes away what you would gain by feeding it raw, and if there were any risks in the meat (posible but not probable) the freezeing will neutralize this, worms or some other parasite would be the only think wrong with wild game and thats easy to fix with freezing and a regular worming schedual,


I think Goldenmom had suggested freezing it for a month. That's what I did last year with a bunch of muskrats and beaver that DH had trapped.


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