Mararichi

I'm as green as they come and need some help. I've got horse stock and am going to have to put down an old mare this winter. She's almost 30 so she's seen a full life. I'm kinda sentimental in a strange way because I'd like to keep her hide and see it turn into a nice piece of equipment. I need practical advice. I'd like to send the hide off to someone who can turn it into rawhide and then find someone who can make some equipment for me. Time is not the object here. This mare is from some old bloodlines and she is one of the last living direct offspring of a famous horse. When she goes there won't be many left as she is one of the youngest by this horse. To me it would be an honor to know she still "lives" when I use the equipment on her daughters and their offspring. If I treat it right the equipment ought to outlast us all and wouldn't that be something? If I can't find anyone willing, I'd still like to keep the hide until I can make the setup to do it myself. Is there a way to preserve/store the hide until I can find the time, place, and supplies? How soon should rawhide be used once the hide is cured? I don't want to waste my efforts and the old gal deserves to be treated well. Since I won't have the skill to really do a good job for quite some time, is there a rawhider that would take the hide and work with it? Eventually I hope to manage this myself, but I'm afraid she's not going to hang around and wait for that to happen. Thanks much!