Resting Horses – Services
Here at Resting Horses we realise the difficulty in making the decision to say farewell to a beloved pony, horse or donkey. With our experience, we are on hand to help you make arrangements and we offer collection and cremation options to suit your needs with services ranging from £250.
Resting Horses are located on the same site as Resting Pets at Wood Farm in Ongar. Our tranquil setting is ideally situated with access to the M11, A12 and M25.
Resting Horses – Cremation Costs
- Individual CremationFrom £585All ashes returned
- Individual CremationFrom £485Token ashes returned
- Communal CremationFrom £295No ashes returned – cremated on site by our sister company
- Collection FeeAll equine collections are subject to a collection fee. This is calculated at £1.00 per mile for the round trip travelled by our team.
- Out of Hours FeeWe appreciate that we may be needed outside of standard opening hours. Our collection service is available on request (providing it is safe to do so).
Any collection that requires our team to leave the premises before 8.00am (Mon-Fri), and return after 5.00pm (Mon-Fri) will incur an ‘Out of Hours’ Fee. This fee also applies throughout the weekend and bank holidays.
The fee starts at £100 and can go up to £300+ depending on time, distance and bank holiday hours. A member of our team can quote for this service.
- Additional ItemsIf you decide to have an Individual Cremation, your horses ashes (full/token) will be prepared free of charge into either a Willow Basket or a Wooden Casket with plaque.
You may choose any additional keepsake item from our Urn page, they would hold a very small token of equine ashes; any of these items with be charged as advertised.
If you require us to keep a lock of mane or tail, or remove any shoes – please make us aware of this at time of making the arrangements; this will be done free of charge.
For clients opting for a Communal Cremation, we can remove shoes and keep a lock of mane or tail; however there would be a small additional fee for this services. The items would need to be collected from our premises at Wood Farm, Ongar in Essex.
- Additional StaffIf you feel the collection of your horse or pony may be quite difficult, for example if they are in an awkward to access field or stable, or if a 4X4 vehicle and trailer may struggle to gain access – PLEASE INFORM US BEFORE WE LEAVE OUR SITE.
There is a small charge for a 2nd person to attend; however it will be more costly should we need to send a 2nd person and vehicle later on.
- SafetyPlease note that our drivers will not attend night-time collections if they are deemed unsafe or unsuitable.
Please do discuss the collection and practicalities of the site with a member of our team.
Resting Horses – FAQ’s
Which areas do you cover?
From our Essex base, our horse cremation services cover Essex, London, Hertfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Suffolk, Bedfordshire and Kent. Collections are charged at £1 per mile for the round journey.
Which cremation option?
Individual Cremation with ALL Ashes Returned – your horse will be cremated in its entirety in our specially designed equine cremator. Your horse will be the only animal in that chamber, which guarantees that the ashes you receive will be all and only those of your horse. Dependent on the size of your horse, the casket of your choosing can be rather large and heavy [up to approx 25kg and 50cm(L) x 35cm(D) x 30cm(H)], please keep this in mind.
Prices currently range from £525 to £850, which includes VAT and either a Willow Basket or Wooden Casket with plaque for the return of ashes. All collections are charged at £1 per mile for the round trip.
Individual Cremation with TOKEN Ashes Returned – your horse will be cremated in it’s entirety in our specially designed equine cremator. Your horse will be the only animal in that chamber, which guarantees that the ashes you receive will be all and only those of your horse. A small amount of your horse’s ashes will be prepared into your chosen urn, and the remaining ashes will be buried in closed grounds on site at Wood Farm.
Prices currently range from £425 to £675, which includes VAT and either a Willow Basket or Wooden Casket with plaque for the return of the token ashes; however, you may choose a different style of urn from our website at additional cost. All collections are charged at £1 per mile for the round trip.
Communal Cremation with NO Ashes Returned – your horse will be cremated in it’s entirety in our sister company’s specially designed equine cremator. Unlike our individual cremation service, your horse may not be the only animal in that chamber; therefore no ashes can be returned to you. Your horse will still receive a caring and dignified farewell by our dedicated team; a communal cremation simply allows us to cremate other ‘communal’ horses or pets in the chamber without fully removing the ashes during that service.
Prices currently range from £235 to £345, which includes VAT. All collections are charged at £1 per mile for the round trip.
Can you collect both of my horses?
Yes we can, if safe to do so.
We are often asked to collect companions together, depending on size/weight. This could be from the same owner, or simply from the same yard – but only when requested by the owner(s).
Companion Cremations can either be ‘individual’ or ‘communal’.
An Individual Companion Cremation would give you both horse’s ashes back, they would be mixed, and you can choose to have all or token ashes returned in one or more presentation box.
A Communal Companion Cremation would mean both horses may be cremated alongside other ‘communal’ horses or pets, this service is carried out by our on site sister company. No ashes can be returned from this service.
How do you collect my horse?
Our experienced staff will arrive in a 4×4 vehicle with a specially designed trailer. The trailer is equipped with a battery powered winch, which is carefully attached around either front or hind legs. The horse is then gently winched into the trailer.
We do have a purpose made slip mat that allows us to roll your horse onto it in order to be loaded; this can be requested for collections if practical to be used. A member of our team will be happy to help advise you.
Although we do our very best to ensure all collections are as dignified and gentle as physically possible, owners will understandably find this time upsetting and may choose not to be present. If you do not wish to be present at the time of collection, please inform us and we can ask the necessary questions in order to collect your horse without persons on site. If you do wish to be there when we collect, please stand back and listen to any instructions – safety is paramount.
If access is difficult, awkward, or weather conditions dictate, we may insist on sending two persons – this will incur an additional charge [starting from £50] and extra out of hour fees if applicable.
What times can you collect?
With the help of our dedicated team we are able to offer ‘Out of Hours’ equine collections, when safe to do so.
Our team is available during the hours of 8am to 5pm, Monday to Friday. Any collections outside of these hours, or collections that involve our team members being off site before or after this time, will incur an ‘Out of Hours’ charge.
The charges currently range from £100 to £250 depending on day/time and distance.
Any collection requests that are deemed unsafe may have to wait for daylight hours, such as unlit fields, stables, difficult to access areas, and certain weather, ground or road conditions. Collections that require two persons may have to wait slightly longer due to staff availability and rotas.
Areas We Collect From
More About Our Services
Contacting a reputable business such as Resting Horses ensures that the people assisting will follow a sensitive approach to dealing with your loss and your animal’s final needs. There are upsetting stories that surround how horses are disposed of, but it doesn’t have to be distressing. If your horse is collected by Resting Horses who always act with care and understanding, you will be assured that you are performing a fitting farewell and service to your much-loved friend.
We appreciate that saying goodbye to your equine friend may not be planned, and therefore operate a service that can accommodate out of hours and emergency collections. Based in Essex, we also cover London, Hertfordshire, Cambridge, Bedfordshire, Kent & Suffolk. We are close to the M25, M11 & A12 so we have prompt access to major routes.
The Resting Horses team will explain the full procedure, the options available to you and the full costs involved. We can honestly reassure you that your horse will be cremated in its entirety, and that no animals from our premises ever go to the meat trade or for ‘disposal/rendering’. Resting Horses specialise in cremations only.
Our comprehensive service includes many options for you to choose from, including:
- Collection
- Personal contact with your veterinary surgery
- Professional preparation of ashes for collection or delivery
- Euthanasia can take place in our private meadows or on collection site (administered by your Vet)
- Remembrance gardens
- ‘Out of Hours’ collection service (provided it is safe to do so)
- Choice of Casket from our website included free of charge
Collection Vehicle
Our collection vehicle has been designed to the exact specifications of the Resting Horses staff. Our staff have many years of experience in collecting animals and have therefore developed their vehicle to cater exactly for your needs and any eventualities.
The Vehicle inventory includes:
- Veterinary Post-mortem facilities
- Interior lights
- Wide load access at the rear
- Recovery mat (on request if practical)
- Remote control wireless winch
- Secondary handheld winch
At Resting Horses we always work to the highest standards, and hold all the relevant licences and permits from APHA, the Environment Agency and the Local Authority.
Check out our reviews on Facebook
Resting pets was very helpful and looked after our little boy very well. We brought our boy in on the 13th Jan to lay him to rest, at an extremely difficult time for us all it was peace of mind to know he was in safe hands. Thank you for all that you done for us and our little Bobby ❤️
my sky was looked after so well thank you so much
I’ve used Resting Pets three times now and have always found them to be so caring, thoughtful and considerate. I’d like to think I’d never need to use them again, but I know I will and will do so happily.
At one of the hardest times of my life, and not knowing where to start, Resting Pets were there by my side to guide me, I’m so glad I chose them to take care of my beautiful girl, I was and still am an emotional wreck having lost my best friend. They are so caring and professional, I am very grateful, thank you 🙏
Thank you so much for helping us on the hardest day of our lives. So lovely that you had a little chapel that we could say a proper goodbye to our Ruby ❤️
Can highly recommend Resting Pets. They were so fantastic and caring from the initial contact. They gave us time to think and because of this we have chosen the best resting place for our beautiful boxer Louie - an urn in the shape of a boxer as well as a paw print to treasure. Nothing was too much trouble for the ladies, they respected what we were going through. Cannot thank you enough.
absolutely stunning service full of compassion and care the love that they have shown my dog is unbelievable 5* and will recommend to anyone
Very helpful and caring during a sad time. Thank you for looking after our hamster, Domino. Highly recommend
They were so helpful. They contacted me to see how I would like my cats ashes and I could have a paw print. I asked for some of my cats fur and they sent it in an organza bag. I always use them.
Thank you resting pets. Our scruffy cat was looked after in a very sensitive and caring manor considering the difficulties with covid. She is now resting back with us where she belongs. Thank you to all the kind staff who was very helpful and considerate.
