# send to the glue factory

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/send-to-the-glue-factory
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To kill, usually a horse.

## Examples

- The old horse was sent to the glue factory.
- He worries that the sick animal will be sent to the glue factory soon.
- The farmer realized his aging workhorse could no longer pull the plow and would soon be sent to the glue factory.
- The rancher knew that if the mare did not recover from her broken leg, he would have to send her to the glue factory by the end of the week.
- After the racehorse suffered a permanent injury during the final lap, the owners discussed whether they should send him to the glue factory or pay for his retirement.
- In the harsh reality of the rural landscape, the once-prized stallion faced the grim fate of being sent to the glue factory when his strength finally failed.

## Origin

From the traditional practice of rendering animal byproducts to extract collagen, specifically by boiling down the hooves of a horse. The phrase draws upon the historical reality of the equine life cycle, in which an animal deemed no longer fit for labor or sport was sold for its industrial value rather than maintained at the owner's expense. The transition from the stable to the vat was a matter of simple chemical utility.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.