"...typically exported to Japan or European countries, like France, Belgium and Italy."

You could have included Canada, US's closest neighbor and trading partner, on this list. Until one of my friends in Quebec mentioned it years ago, I didn't know eating horsemeat was legal in Canada, but now that I live here, I have had it a number of times, either at home or in a restaurant. My friends and family in the States can't quite believe it, but there's not the same stigma attached to it here, at least in Quebec.

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I'm not a vegetarian, and even I think that bans on killing horses for human consumption is hypocritical in the extreme. Slaughter conditions for pigs, chickens, and cows in the U.S. seem to elicit no uproar, while the same conditions applied to horses make people feel like someone's killing Black Beauty, or whatever beloved equine character they remember from childhood. If there's a market for horses-as-meat, I don't think there's any less reason to sell to it than there is to sell to the cow, pig, and chicken markets.

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The horse meat ban has been reversed? Does this mean horse meat is now compulsory?

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#2, exactly what I was going to say. I've seen "celebrities" on TV blabbing about how apauling it is to make horse meat. Of course the interviewer didn't directly say "Why is it okay to kill other animals?", but did ask if they ate meat, which they did. Keeps me fresh on why I don't care about television.

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It reminds that the primary issue in such cases is often aesthetics. Rabbit, a great meat, is rarely seen on menus because it's a poor little soft cuddly bunny. Dolphin in tuna nets wasn't a big issue because they're one of the most intelligent animals on earth, it was because they were Flipper's cousin. Dog, a traditional meat in Asia and America, is off-limits because it's man's best friend. Of course, the opposite happens, too. Think of all the people who think bugs are too disgusting to eat, yet love sea bugs -- er, crustaceans.

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If horse meat was banned what was McDonald's and White Castle using for its burgers?

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I think it's horrible that they kill and eat horses, I have two of them and I could never imagine someone ever eating them. Yeah, people may think it's okay becasue we eat cow, but cows and chickens were meant to be eaten. Horses were meant to be enjoyed by people and not in the eating sense.

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Horse meat is consumed by people all over the world - especially in western europe. In Holland, Belgium, Sweden and Denmark it is consumed as a sliced
cured meat for breakfast along with cheese.
I live in California - and wish I could buy it here. I understand the horse,
its connection with with the american frontier and it's legacy with the cowboy,
but I do not understand why it is taboo to eat it in the U.S.
It is similar to our feelings toward the eel of which north america ships 100%
of it's harvest to europe. Eel is yummy !
I guess we have been railroaded by the Texas beef and hamburger culture.
Sincerely,
Ron Todd

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Would you eat dog meat? No,then don't think a horses is different, it's not.

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why don't we eat other humans? there are plenty of them just hanging around doing nothing.. why not make breakfast out of them,, or the retarded.. who needs to kill animals, there is plenty of food on this earth, just look around you,, bet there is some chick, gal, you'd love to eat...leave the poor animals alone you stupid fuc ers..God gave us beauty and then spoiled it with humans ..piggy humans

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Where do you think all of the foals go from the mares kept pregnant (with catheters in there bladders) in order to provide natural progesterone and estrogen for human consumption? To the petting zoo, or dog food, or the equivilant of veal and lamb? Think about it.

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meat is meat if it tastes good eat it just like any other culture has done, just because an animal is prettier, friendlier, etc in YOUR opinion doesn't make it any more or less than another animals are equal and as long as it's not going to destroy their population eat them

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It's taboo to eat horses in the US because they're more integrated with our culture as hardworking, dedicated compaions. It's similar with dogs and cats and guinea pigs (a delicacy in South America). Their role in our society is not traditionally food as is so with chickens, cows, turkeys, and pigs. Horses are also highly valued in the sport world for their stamina, speed, grace, power, and beauty. Chickens are not.

Contions for slaughter housesare typically exceptionally horrible for horses. Many are sold at auctions and packed into trailers, almost on to of one another. Foals and smaller horses are often crushed to death under aggressive stallions and protective mares. Sometimes the slaughterhouses are farther away, requiring endurance of the experience. Because of the crowded conditions many break bones. Once the slaughterhouse is reached they are prodded off the trailer and again into packed conditions where they can hear the screams of the horses being killed. Horses are often beaten into submission or dragged off (if limbs are broken) out of the filthy pens and towards the bolt gun, where fighting for your life is apparantly wrong. The killing of horses is often prolonged and excessively stressful for the animals and should not take place in a slef-righteous country such as the United States.

Many "non horse people" cannot see this viewpoint as equine enthusiasts can. If they want to eat horse meat go to France, Italy, Belgium, Japan, Switzerland, Canada, I don't care. Just don't degrade the sporting world, our culture, and our country's history by bringing its unneccessary torture onto our soil.

I vote ban horse slaughter from US soil.

And yes, IO am an equine enthusiast.

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Horses are sacred to some cultures, reason being that their civilzations were fought for and enemies were conquered from their backs. Every single human alive today who enjoys a civilized life owns it to the horse. They should not be food animals in a civilized society. Theses Europeans and Japanese, Canadians too are not STARVING people. They can eat animals raised to be food. The very least we can do for the horse to thank him for his service is to NOT EAT HIM.
Horses are kept as sporting and companion animals in the U.S. If the Europeans and Japanese want to eat horses let them raise and slaughter their own meat. The Europeans are also very envolved in the sporting horse industry. Perhaps if they had to slaughter their own horses to consume they wouldn't be so keen on the meat.

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I'm also a horse lover and breeder BUT I think there is a need for the slaughter houses and market for horses unneeded. It is similar to the shelters for dogs and cats. SURE we would like them all to go to loved well fed homes but often this is not possible. Where are these horses going to go??? They will be left out in pastures uncared for and starved??? Is that a fate you want to see??? I think everybody against this should HAVE to adopt 5 horses for 1 year. They have to feed them, deworm, all vaccinations, vet expenses etc etc. Then make a decision as to whether to keep an aged horse, lame horse, wild horse etc. Horses are expensive to feed and require facilities that are more expensive than a dog or a cat. Tell me who is going to feed and care for unwanted horses??? More taxes??? Just like any industry it is not all rosey. I have a friend who went to a slaughter house several yrs ago and he said the house was no different than a slaughter house for cattle or hogs. It was clean and very professionally done.

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Look there is alot of hunger in the world. If some of the hungry people would eat Horse, cow, rabbit, squirrle, cat, deer, turkey, duck, goose, dove, and fish we might could get rid of world hunger. I love deer and horses. I have a horse. I really can't see myself eating "Tommy Boy" but if I had to I guess I could. To each his own. Yes the horse has survived because it was looked at as a tool in the old days. If it was looked at that way, why wasn't the cow/ox spared too? For the guy that talked about eating people..... Dude compare apples to apples. If God put it here it was put here for a reason. To eat or be eaten, and I can't remember the last time I seen a horse sitting at a table ordering a human..... Or a cow for that matter. Well that is my 2 cents and if you don't like it take it up with somebody who cares....

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to #15 Nancy - ever heard the saying "If you can't feed 'em don't breed 'em"? If there are indeed 90,000 going to slaughter apparently there already more than enough to go round.

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It is not about eating meat or do you people not understand that. The problem is that people sell or adopt out a loved friend that they are unable care for and give the attention and exercize that a large animal requires. Horse slaughterers often buy or adopt these animals while hiding their identity. How would you feel if your prized pedigree dog, since you are ill and can no longer care for it went to be killed and eaten instead of to a new loving family? Also, you may want to look into how many horses are stolen from their barns for this purpose. Entire barns have been raided when a horse auction is within 300 miles.

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I really don't like the thought of people eating a horse, but a lot of things are accepted in other areas of the world, we don't have the market on what "should be". I don't agree with exporting horses to be butchered. I have a dog, I know in Korea they eat dogs and cats. I don't like that either, I'm curiuos the authors opinion.

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In 1971 I lived in Phoenix, Arizona. I heard of a meat market that sold horse meat.It was USDA inspected for human consumption. I had always owned horses so I thought this was bad. I lost my job and couldn't afford to buy meat for my family and I read an artical in Readers Digest about horse meat being better for you than beef so I decided to try it.It was hard to take the first bite but after that we aquired a taste for it. By the time I got another job and could afford beef the price of horse meat had risen above beef but we continued to eat horse meat.In 1974 we moved to Kansas City and I asked where the horse meat market was and everyone looked at me like I was nuts so that was the last time I ate it but if I could still get it I would.

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