I don't own a horse, but I've heard a number of horse owners complaining about the extra cost to them of having to maintain older horses which would once have been shipped off to the slaughterhouse. Face it, most horse owners don't want a horse whose only available gait is a plodding walk. They want one who is fun to ride.

So, what are their options when a horse reaches broken down old nag state? A vet's not going to euthanize a healthy animal, and being too old to run is not a illness. The owner can't legally just shoot the thing and bury it on his property. That'd be two crimes: animal cruelty and unlawful disposal and could mean a hefty fine and/or jail time. So, the owner's left with no option but to continue feeding expensive feed to an old worn out nag until it dies a natural death. And even then, he's going to be saddled with the cost of cremation, the only legal means of disposing of animal carcasses.

Personally, I'd rather see old horses converted into Alpo than have them converted into ashes in a crematorium.