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 a racehorse ideally requires an animal physiotherapist to massage its back, neck and joints for the rest of its life, and for many years to be allowed to "run off" its energy in a comfortable new home. The usual fate of a horse is to be moved from home to home - to a stable employee's home, then his friend's, then the home of a bloke in a pub.
Some horses may adapt to show-jumping. Others may enjoy promotional work (Red Rum went on to open supermarkets), or even have their own fan club (like Desert Orchid, recently turned 27).
But the fate of a large minority of retired British racehorses is an early death, some shot within weeks of their money-earning days ending. Horses may legally only be put down by a vet or licensed slaughter-man and - if not for meat - disposed of through a knacker's yard, incinerator or (with council permission) a burial
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Horse meat is said to provide 50 per cent more calories than beef and to have a slightly sweeter flavour
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site. The cost to the owner of such disposal is several hundred pounds.
Britain has three official horsemeat abattoirs, the meat from which is sold either abroad for human consumption (especially in France and Belgium) or at home to the pet-food industry. These abattoirs pay as much as £650 for a large thoroughbred. Horse meat is said to provide 50 per cent more calories than the leanest beef and to have a similar, slightly sweeter flavour.
Since March 1, 2006, however, horses sent to abattoirs have legally required an animal passport be delivered with them (tracing any medicinal treatments) and this has caused a 70 per cent drop in business. As a result, more horses are being transported abroad for slaughter and it's believed there's been an increase in unofficial slaughter at home. 
FIRST POSTED JULY 19, 2006
 What will become of Barbaro?
Archive: What happens to...
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