Equus mortus

Today I felt like somebody out of CSI, collecting DNA samples from a dead body. The dead body was a 29 year old mare that was supposed to be alive and I was there to sample, but who died during the night. I presume it was of old age, as she just seemed to have dropped dead out in the field. Her owner found her this morning when they went to gather the horses and she wasn't covered with much snow yet so it had just happened. However, when we went around lunchtime to the field to collect the sample the ravens had been at her and I had her empty hollow eyesocket "staring" me in the face as I rubbed cotton swabs in her nostril. Oh well, I guess it was her time and the best way to go was like this, quickly and out in the snow covered field. I should have taken photos today, as the light was fantastic between the snow showers, but didn't take the time to do it.