I'm stumped on this.

[Solaris]

I'm writing a murder mystery where the 'victim' is a horse who has two oval shape burn on his rump. But I do not know what would cause such a burn. I'm thinking it could be a cigarette burn but I want the mystery around what burned him to be something more then just a cigarette burn as one of the subjects that the investigator asked said that he used a stun gun on the horse, but those burns leave fang marks behind.

I want something that the forensic investigator to state something else then a cigarette burn which it is and they do a test to find out what the burn is.

I want the burn mark to be something that would be in a racing stable and the only thing that I can think of is cigarettes.

Thanks for the help.

Beth

[maidenhair]

I really don't know if this will help or not but what about a cigarette lighter from a car? They're pretty hard to find these days but some of them had odd shapes insides (the actual part that heated up). It could come from a nearby car parked at the stable? Hope it helps...

[Melrick]

Did you know that dry ice can be - and is - used to brand horses? Perhaps the stable doesn't use dry ice to brand, except one individual might. You know your story and what will and won't work, but that's a possibility perhaps.

http://www.dryiceinfo.com/other.htm

That website has a range of other uses for dry ice and maybe something there might take your fancy.

[Shinju]

An airborne hot coal???

[Saitochan]

Well, if it's something that must be in a racing stable, I have to agree with melrick on the Dry ice thing. But I was also thinking some sort of acid or even liquid nitrogen could cause the burn marks. Of course, you'd have to specify it was a chemical burn or a burn caused by extreme cold, and think of a way for such a thing to be in the stable in the first place (I can't really think of anything right now). As for a cigarrette, that depends on whether the burn mark is only slightly oval (which might work with a cigar or cigarrette), or if it's really oval-shaped. And, when you say the burn marks are on the horse's rump... do you mean it like the horse sat down on something hot? Is it's tail burnt as well?

[tragalia]

I'm writing a murder mystery where the 'victim' is a horse who has two oval shape burn on his rump. But I do not know what would cause such a burn. I'm thinking it could be a cigarette burn but I want the mystery around what burned him to be something more then just a cigarette burn as one of the subjects that the investigator asked said that he used a stun gun on the horse, but those burns leave fang marks behind.

I want something that the forensic investigator to state something else then a cigarette burn which it is and they do a test to find out what the burn is.

I want the burn mark to be something that would be in a racing stable and the only thing that I can think of is cigarettes.

Thanks for the help.

Beth

Any Oval shaped object that is heated enough to sear flesh could be used. I have friends that raise horses and some of the antique grooming brushes they have are oval shaped silver handles.

[Altari]

Any pure, harsh chemical on a brush could cause it. It depends on how large/deep/clean the burns are. I've gotten burns from ammonia before.

Dry ice is probably your best bet, though.

[angeicmar]

I agree that dry ice is probably the best choice. Although, depending on the stable's set-up and modernity, there might be a place where someone could heat up any metal, like a small forge for shoeing, or whatever. And there are LOTS of chemicals that would leave a burn, but I don't know how many would be in a stable. Undiluted lye would, for example.

[Solaris]

I agree that dry ice is probably the best choice. Although, depending on the stable's set-up and modernity, there might be a place where someone could heat up any metal, like a small forge for shoeing, or whatever. And there are LOTS of chemicals that would leave a burn, but I don't know how many would be in a stable. Undiluted lye would, for example.

Dry ice is a big possiblity as does undiluted lye would be another possiblity. My trainer in the story does smoke a cigar in the early morning hours and he could have used it on the horse to put it out and also to make the horse get up fast too.

Thanks gang, it gives me more things to think about now.

Beth

[Solaris]

Well, if it's something that must be in a racing stable, I have to agree with melrick on the Dry ice thing. But I was also thinking some sort of acid or even liquid nitrogen could cause the burn marks. Of course, you'd have to specify it was a chemical burn or a burn caused by extreme cold, and think of a way for such a thing to be in the stable in the first place (I can't really think of anything right now). As for a cigarrette, that depends on whether the burn mark is only slightly oval (which might work with a cigar or cigarrette), or if it's really oval-shaped. And, when you say the burn marks are on the horse's rump... do you mean it like the horse sat down on something hot? Is it's tail burnt as well?

The tail is not burnt as it would have drawn attention to it before the race even ran. The horse sleeps lying down not completely on his side but enough to where you could put a hot item against his rump and burn it if possible to force the horse to stand up.

The burn mark is found after the horse dies in the middle of a race on the autopsy table.

Beth