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Footage of horses being hearded through the killing chute in Mexico is horrific. These beautiful, and highly intelligent animals are terrified. All they ever did was to serve humans and deserve a better ending than that. I've had horses for a long time and we are very attached to each other. They have unique personalities and are so much more than disposable when their owners tire of them.
Footage of horses being hearded through the killing chute in Mexico is horrific.
There are more humane ways to slaughter a horse, but since it is illegal to do so in the US, we send them to Mexico.
I have eaten horse twice. Once in the form of a large thin steak, and once a cured sausage, sort of like a salame. Both were good. I also had a mule stew. The former two were in France, and the latter was in Tanzania.
I thought we are discussing the taste and quality of horse meat not the religious/psychological/political/cultural issues.
While horse meat slaughterhouses were banned during the Bush Administration, the ban expired in 2011, thereby allowing horse meat slaughterhouses to restart operations.
Reuters claims that around 130,000 horses are slaughtered each year in Canada and Mexico — and it seems the United States wants a huge chunk of that business, as well.
Horses are still being shipped to Canada and Mexico for slaughter and, in many cases, human consumption.
Our closest neighbor - Canada, has a multimillion dollar horse meat industry... Mexico is the second largest producer of horse meat in the World...
Out of 238 years of USA, Americans have eaten horse meat for more than 150 years - both out of necessity, and for its unique taste.
It's very difficult to think of a completely "rational" argument for why certain animals are deemed acceptable to eat while others aren't. We have this tendency for a kind of morality that we apply to human beings to leach out to other species, and then the criteria for which it leaches out to is seemingly rather arbitrary.
We can't even put a stop to inhumane treatment of cattle, hogs and chickens, but not many seem to care about those animals at all.
Horses are often injected with not-safe-for-human-consumption stuff, as their medications aren't chosen with that in mind like other meat livestock are. Personally, I would not eat horse in the US, as I don't know how much of that can linger in the muscles and fatty tissue of the animal.
I won't go into the details, but I was present when a vet had to put down a highly agitated horse once. He gave the horse a massive muscle paralyzer and the horse's adrenaline overrode it. After receiving this dose, the horse still took off, galloped through the woods, and leaped straight down a 6 foot embankment onto a cement patio. At that point, he was caught, literally choked down, and given a second, much larger dose to euthanize him. That one worked.
Eat that horse meat? No way, Jose!
Not to mention all the vaccinations and worming meds given to horses over their lifetimes.
Horse meat is perfectly safe to eat (when produced, transported, and so on under sanitary conditions, just like any other edible meat).
Horses in the United States are not bred, raised or treated as meat. Almost all equine medications and treatments are labeled "not for horses intended for human consumption."
In the European Union, horses intended for slaughter cannot be treated with many medications commonly used for U.S. horses.
I have had horse meat in Switzerland on two occasions. It was very tasty and I would not hesitate to have it again. It is more common to see on a menu in a restaurant in Europe.
Footage of horses being hearded through the killing chute in Mexico is horrific. These beautiful, and highly intelligent animals are terrified. All they ever did was to serve humans and deserve a better ending than that. I've had horses for a long time and we are very attached to each other. They have unique personalities and are so much more than disposable when their owners tire of them.
I own some cows.
You ever seen a baby calf?
Now THAT'S a cute animal!
Buddy of mine owns a turkey farm. I help him occasionally.
Chick's are SO CUTE!!!!
Like I said, this was my buddies animal, I knew the medication history, the meat was safe.
Buddy's horse was struck by lightning and he jokingly offered to let me have some meat.
....one should not joke with a Cajun about food.
I cut off 20 - 30lbs of roasts and steaks and grilled some for dinner. (The rest is about ready to come out of its ice water soak.)
I was disapointed, I honestly couldn't tell a difference from it and a beef steak. (I'd read it was a sweeter meat.)
Just thought some would be interested.
THeres a restaurant in Paris that specializes in that.
If I had a friend trot out offers of free meat without needing to pony up cash in return I'd be jockeying for position at the front of the chow line and digging in with unbridled enthusiasm.
I think the majority of the US has a romantic view of horses. I can see that. Save the mustangs and all that.
A section of horse owners view them as livestock to be utilized in farming, driving, etc (not sure what else is in that category, maybe dude ranching, trail riding companies). I think the Amish can safely fall into that category. Don't get me wrong. Amish get a bad rap when it comes to horses.
But look at the racehorses, both Thoroughbreds (the breed that runs the Kentucky Derby) and WORSE, Standardbreds/harness racers. Those animals, especially Stbds are tossed aside like Greyhounds if they stop winning money. Everyone loves those races but you're promoting the exploitation of animals for profit and THEN??? You don't support slaughter. What would you propose?
I apologize, I'm sure this is all been said/argued before. I say eat horse steak - I've known a few that should have been destroyed. Don't let them starve and die of abuse/neglect. I can see it both ways. I adopted 4 and kept the 3 harness racers until death do we part (I have one left). Best horses every btw.
Us them to feed the starving or at least for zoo carnivores. I love horses but I can see the livestock view, too. I feel worse about eating pigs. They're so dang smart I feel bad about it. (but I do)
I respect the opinion and adventure of those that wish to consume horsemeat. I have to pass and stick with the old tried and true meats.
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