# Horse Slaughter for Human Consumption



## MN Tigerstripes (Feb 20, 2009)

I was going to post this on one of the other threads, but didn't want to go "off-topic", so here goes.

I have a question. This might be kind of stupid, but....

So horse slaughter is supposed to help solve the glut of horses in the market right now. The old, ill, "rescued", abused, insane, etc, etc. I know that some of these are used to feed predators in zoos/rescues etc. In theory some will be used to feed people, right?

My question has to do with meat quality. So, from what I know they don't generally butcher cows (for human consumption) over the age of what? 2-3 years old? And they are usually: A. Bred specifically to produce meat B. Raised to produce the tastiest meat possible.

So, what kind of meat is the old, abused, rail thin horse going to provide? Is it even going to be marketable to the human food market? What about all the random supplements and drugs that are pumped into horses? Do the plants have some sort of holding area where the animals are fattened up or de-drugged (for lack of a better term). Or will this create a necessity for equine feed lots? Or will more yearlings/two-three year olds be bought by meat buyers at auctions/private sales? 

I mean I would probably try horse someday... but I sure wouldn't eat the equivalent of my 27 yr old gelding I put to sleep a couple years ago. Lame, blind, drugged, skin and bones, not to mention old, tough, and stringy. Ick... 


I don't have anything against equine slaughter, although I wouldn't send one of my horses (bullet and bobcat would solve any issue I had). I've just wondered about this.... Any enlightment would be great.


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## mls (Nov 28, 2006)

My guess would be the same as an old cow - ground meat - hamburger, ground chuck, soup bone, sausage.


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## MN Tigerstripes (Feb 20, 2009)

Ok. I had thought (at least that's what they taught us) that after a certian age/point old cows weren't used even in ground meat. But if that's not the case that totally answers my question. Thanks!


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## mls (Nov 28, 2006)

Probably not for human consumption! But there is beef in various other critter foods!


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## MN Tigerstripes (Feb 20, 2009)

That I can definitely see and understand. I'm sure my dog wouldn't mind either. 

I just couldn't see (most) people really wanting to eat horse considering the source (older, abused, skinny, etc). I suppose they would grade it though like cow meat? And some would be graded for human consumption and other wouldn't pass the test so to say and would end up as food for other animals. 

Thanks, I'm feeling a little dumb right now. I probably would've thought that out if I would've sat down and really thought about it. Allergies and Claritan D are clogging my head today.


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## AlabamaHorseMom (Jan 20, 2010)

Well if they are using them in dog foods, are all the stuff that put in them even safe for OTHER animals?

The De-wormers I use clearly say not to use in animals meant for human consumption. But if IIII cant eat it, My other animals certainly arent either.

Course I only buy Holistic dog food, so my point is probably moot.

But I think you have a very good question, are these horses that WERE taken good care of at one point, that were vaccinated, de-wormed, supplemented, etc, ARE they safe to even be eaten by our animals?


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## Ray MacDonald (Dec 27, 2009)

Im totally against horse slaughter!!! I think if stupid people who think they are "horse people" should breed bad horses or don't have the money to bred them or knowlege then they shouldn't breed their horses!! "Backyard breeding"? Dumb and crule!! 

and not trying to sound mean and im not saying it to sound anything like a jerk, but if you do some research (especially on youtube) you see how bad the horses have it! All crammed into a small trailer that they fall, hit their head, get walked on, don't get any water or food and a lot of them die before getting slaughtered! completly wrong in my opion!!


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## Crimsonhorse01 (Sep 8, 2009)

Ray MacDonald said:


> Im totally against horse slaughter!!! I think if stupid people who think they are "horse people" should breed bad horses or don't have the money to bred them or knowlege then they shouldn't breed their horses!! "Backyard breeding"? Dumb and crule!!
> 
> and not trying to sound mean and im not saying it to sound anything like a jerk, but if you do some research (especially on youtube) you see how bad the horses have it! All crammed into a small trailer that they fall, hit their head, get walked on, don't get any water or food and a lot of them die before getting slaughtered! completly wrong in my opion!!


^Another gullable PETA follower.

Anyways, after deworming the horses I set the dewormer down. Of course my daughter found it as soon as I turned my back. Needless to say I called poison control. They said to not worry its what they use for people as well. So I'm thinking it would just make the meat taste funky.


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## AlabamaHorseMom (Jan 20, 2010)

I'm sure I'll get either bashed or banned for this, but I am neither FOR nor AGAINST horse slaughter. 

I do not value a horses life over a cow or chickens if being dinner was what they were bred for. I'm not talking pets. I'm talking horses as livestock.

Overseas horses are eaten all the time. We here raise cows, pigs, chickens, and think nothing of killing them for dinner (unless you're a vege of course) and the same goes for people who eat horses. They are Dinner to them too.

I cant eat anything that to me has a face. If I rasied it, its a family member, NOT food. 

Most of the people who are against horse slaughter have NO problems eating their Filet Mignon. Cows, chickens, pigs, etc, go through the same things horses do when sent to slaughter. Which is why so many people go vegan.


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## wild_spot (Jan 30, 2008)

^ Oh shush, stop spouting propaganda.

MN, I would guess like you that there would be different 'grades' of meat - Lower grades going into say pet food, then zoos, and then the top level for human consumption. There are quite a few young, fit and healthy horses that would be slaughter candidates due to mental issues, injury, so on and so forth. The glut of mustangs could also be used in that way. 

I also believe that wormers/medications etc. All have meat witholding periods - I.e. a time frame in which you can't slaughter for human consumption, but afterwards it's fine. Cattle get vaccinated and medicated as well.


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## wild_spot (Jan 30, 2008)

Lol, you all beat me! The first bit was to Ray.


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## SmoothTrails (Oct 1, 2009)

I would say that the vaccinations and such would probably be one of the biggest issues with horses that weren't raised for only meat consumption. There are plenty of drugs out there that I wouldn't want in my meat, so there would need to be a holding period. 

I agree with the poster that said she couldn't eat an animal that had a face "in her mind", I'm the same way. 

One of the things about them being skinny is that with a slaughter market it would give more incentive for them to be more healthy weight-wise since they are generally bought by the pound. I've eaten cattle that were quite a bit older when they were slaughtered, and I really couldn't tell that much of a difference. It was an older cow that had gone lame, so she went to slaughter when they realized that it would cost more to fix than she was worth.


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

Alabama, you're preaching to the choir, dear. Not only won't you get bashed or banned, most of us have the same ideas.

I have no problem with equine slaughter for the simple reason that we eat other herbivores. My _personal_ horses are pets, but that doesn't mean I have issues with an animal that doesn't belong to me going to slaughter.

I have plans to get chickens this year to raise for eggs as well as meat. I also intend to buy a beef steer calf and raise it for meat once my fencing is completed.

Yes, I'll probably shed a tear or two when the steer goes to the slaughter plant to be processed, but it won't stop me from eating him once he comes back as meat. I'll likely feel a twinge when the chickens are sent to be processed too, but that's life. 

I'm a meat eater, and home-raised animals taste better than the stuff you buy at the grocery store.

We're too far removed from our food sources in this day and age, which is why all the hysteria surrounding 'eating pets' has cropped up.


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## Crimsonhorse01 (Sep 8, 2009)

Speed Racer said:


> I'm a meat eater, and home-raised animals taste better than the stuff you buy at the grocery store.
> 
> We're too far removed from our food sources in this day and age, which is why all the hysteria surrounding 'eating pets' has cropped up.


Very true. I once met a girl that didn't know hamburger came from cows...There was an article in a hand spinning forum about woman buying "poodles" in Japan. Come to find out they were sheep. They just couldn't figure out why they didn't bark and eat dog food...2000 people fell for this scam. 
Home-raised does taste soo much better and I have to say home butchered does as well. I butcher my chickens, yearly game, pigs, and I will be butchering my calf come time.


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## MN Tigerstripes (Feb 20, 2009)

Thanks for the replies everyone! And for keeping this (mostly) from turning into a "Against/For" thread as that really wasn't the question. 

Speed Racer - Your comment about people being removed from the source of our food is spot on in my opinion. Unfortunately I think this not only leads to the "we're eating PETS" mentality. It also allows certian animals (ex. poultry) to be raised in a manner that isn't really acceptable (to me). 


Anyways, I'll stop before I bring this thread off topic.


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

MN, I don't think we can have an equine slaughter discussion without bringing up other food animals. After all, they're part and parcel of the whole 'NIMBY' mindset of so many folks.

If they don't see how the animals are raised and everything's done behind the scenes, then they can convince themselves that it's _only_ horses who need to be treated humanely. They can eat their chicken nuggets, drink their milkshakes, and chow down on burgers and steaks without a twinge of thought about how that animal was raised and got on their plates.

I'm for the ethical and humane treatment of _all_ animals, regardless of whether they're destined for food or not. I don't believe in 'animal rights', but you can bet your bottom dollar I sincerely believe and will fight for every animal being cared for properly before they meet their ultimate fate.

Everything dies, whether it's by natural causes, chemical euthanasia, or a bolt to the head. How that animal is treated _during_ its lifetime is what I'm concerned with, not how it gets dead.


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## MN Tigerstripes (Feb 20, 2009)

Good point, they are all involved in this. I've never understood the mindset that one species of animal is inherently more deserving of life than another. 

Personally I feel more at ease eating a pheasant that I shot than a chicken. At least the pheasant had a good life. 

It's an argument I've had many times with non-hunters. They tell me that the chicken's life before death doesn't bother them because "chickens are raised for food and pheasants are beautiful wild animals." I want to bang my head on a wall when I hear that.


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## mls (Nov 28, 2006)

Speed Racer said:


> If they don't see how the animals are raised and everything's done behind the scenes, then they can convince themselves that it's _only_ horses who need to be treated humanely. They can eat their chicken nuggets, drink their milkshakes, and chow down on burgers and steaks without a twinge of thought about how that animal was raised and got on their plates.


We name our steers. *Pepper* should be ready to be picked up from the locker any day now. He wasn't a true pet but we could walk up and touch him, hand feed him. But from the day he was born, he was on the fast track for the table. We have two adorable heifer calves right now that were just born this past Jan/Feb. Normally heifers get a shot at being a stock cow. Unfortunatley both of these girls are free martins (twins - with a bull = sterile = freezer).

My boarders just have one request - "when we grill - please don't tell us who we are eating."


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

mls, that last line of yours made me laugh. Yeah, people want to eat meat, just don't want to know WHO they're eating! :wink:

MN, part of the reason I want to raise my own chickens/steer, is so that I know how the animals will be treated prior to them becoming delicious food. 

As far as wild game hunting? I'm all for that, too. If hunters didn't thin the herds or groups, more would starve to death. Besides, that pheasant who became your dinner could just as well have been a coyote's or bobcat's meal. You merely got to it first.

A friend gave me a haunch of venison several weeks ago. For some people it would have looked too much like the animal it came from to eat it, but I didn't have a problem hacking through the joint and throwing it into my slow cooker. It was _yummy! _


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## MN Tigerstripes (Feb 20, 2009)

I love venison. Unfortunately we didn't get any last fall. Lots of geese/pheasants/ducks though. My dad and 3 of his friends went out and got a buffalo a year ago too. We've still got meat from that left. Pretty tasty, it can be a little hard to cook right though.


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

They bought a buffalo, or shot one? Sorry, I'm a little confused.

I adore buffalo meat. It tastes like beef quadrupled. Yum!


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## MN Tigerstripes (Feb 20, 2009)

They bought it and shot it. Apparently there is this guy who raises them in SD(?). He knows the guys and told them they could come out and shoot one of his buffalo for a fee. I believe the guy sells them for meat anyways. I'm not 100% on all the details. I was really busy with school at that point so I wasn't paying that much attention. Until Dad came home with a huge buffalo hide/head and a crap load of meat!


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

I am not terribly familiar with all the drugs out there but many of the medicines and drugs that are used in cattle say that you aren't supposed to use them within so many days of when the cow is butchered, that way they have time to metabolize it out of their system, drugs like nuflor and micotil (sp?) will sometimes kill a person if they were to be injected with it so it can't really be healthy to have in meat you're eating either.

I imagine you are right and they decide where the meat goes based on what quality it is.

And Ray, many of the terrible videos that are seen on YouTube are a result of kill horses having to be shipped to Mexico because there are no plants open in the US. Stupid people are going to continue breeding crap animals because, well, people are stupid!! Unless you are singlehandedly going to stop every backyard breeder, then the horse population is going to continue to increase and the only option is slaughter. I personally would much rather they be killed here in the US where there are laws and regulations to protect their dignity and prevent as much pain and suffering as possible.


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## kevinshorses (Aug 15, 2009)

I'll try to shed some light on the issue of drug withholding times. Vaccines and antibiotics as well as dewormers are mostly the same drugs for all species the exceptions being vaccines that are species specific. There are only three drugs for internal parasites commonly used and they are pretty much the same for all species. 

The trucks don't take the horses from the auction right to a kill plant. The animals are taken to a feedlot and I would imagine they are processed through somehow and put in with like animals to be fed and fattened. Usually this time is greater than the withdrawl time of any drug. Threre is also a big push by meat packers to give injections in low meat quality places. For instance, when treating a calf for scours instead of giving a shot in the butt which is high quality meat you would give it in the neck which is much lower quality. If the injection abcesses and that meat is thrown away then it is much less of a loss.

It's really not something that has to be figured out again. It was done for years with good results.

As to the question of unwanted horses, you can breed great horses to great horses and still get colts with crooked legs. Horses can get injured and become unusable even if they are well bred. I am going to shoot a yearling tomorrow that injured a front leg and will never be sound. Things happen that are not anyones fault and to just say it's the fault of the byb's is untrue and unfair. I keep my horses in my backyard but that doesn't mean I don't have high quality animals. My backyard also consists of 10 acres so how any acres does it take to be considered a responsible breeder?


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## DustyDiamond (Mar 18, 2010)

I dont know why anyone would want to even slaughter a horse or how they would have the heart to do it its just wrong and i am sooooooooooooooooooooooooooo against it like more than any of you could understand!


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## AlabamaHorseMom (Jan 20, 2010)

By the use of your 50 ooooooo's....I can certainly understand why you are "sooooooo" against it.

This thread was not about being for or against slaughter. It was about the quality of the meat.


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## eventerdrew (Mar 13, 2009)

I'm on the fence. I am aware that horse slaughter helps the horse market rise and the deficit right now is being caused by the ban of slaughter in the US (partially the reason, not all). However, I am against eating horses IF the person is not going to use all of the horse. I have absolutely no issues with people eating animals if they use the whole animal, whether they use it for themselves or their other animals to consume. This is my problem with the current slaughter process. I view it as cruel and unnecessary and definitely not efficient. 

Can you tell I don't eat meat?


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## NorthernMama (Mar 12, 2008)

I apologize if this was already mentioned. I did read MOST of the posts, but it's getting kind of late for me...

I won't get into the chemicals as those have already been discussed. What is very interesting about horse meat is that apparently the meat is BETTER as the animal ages. Now, I would imagine that there is a "peak" of quality, but it is not like most meat animals where the younger the meat the better. My mother told me that and she, being from Europe ate quite a bit of horse meat. I'm sure I've heard it from somewhere else too.


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## kevinshorses (Aug 15, 2009)

eventerdrew said:


> I'm on the fence. I am aware that horse slaughter helps the horse market rise and the deficit right now is being caused by the ban of slaughter in the US (partially the reason, not all). However, I am against eating horses IF the person is not going to use all of the horse. I have absolutely no issues with people eating animals if they use the whole animal, whether they use it for themselves or their other animals to consume. This is my problem with the current slaughter process. I view it as cruel and unnecessary and definitely not efficient.
> 
> Can you tell I don't eat meat?


You don't know much about the slaughter process then. Every bit of that animal is used. The blood is dried for fertilizer, the bone for animal mineral supplements and also fertilizer. The marrow is melted and sold for human consumption and for technical uses. Hooves and some parts of the blood are used for makeup and film. The hides of course are used for leather. Every scrap of meat is used. If it isn't a retail cut then they use the trim for ground meat and things like bologna. The entrails are generally sold to ethnic markets in this country and outside. Even the stomach contents are used for fertilizers. 

These examples are from a beef plant that I worked at for 9 years but the same would be true of a horse plant or pork or chicken or lamb.


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## Marrissa (Feb 4, 2007)

MN Tigerstripes said:


> Good point, they are all involved in this. I've never understood the mindset that one species of animal is inherently more deserving of life than another.
> 
> Personally I feel more at ease eating a pheasant that I shot than a chicken. At least the pheasant had a good life.
> 
> It's an argument I've had many times with non-hunters. They tell me that the chicken's life before death doesn't bother them because "chickens are raised for food and pheasants are beautiful wild animals." I want to bang my head on a wall when I hear that.


Because almost every little girl wants a pony. Never heard of a little girl wanting a cow or a chicken. Ponies are pretty and therefore should have more rights. *roll eyes*

I am both surprised and pleased to see so many that share similar views. Usually I get "save the ponies!! and how could you like horses and be okay with horse slaughter!". Easy. A quick humane death (which they don't get in Mexico so we should open our slaughter plants back up) is much better than starving to death.


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## maura (Nov 21, 2009)

Interesting conversation. 

I greatly prefer grass raised beef. We used to get one butchered every year, and split it with another family member. And we used to get a home butchered pig every year. I'm not as evolved as speed racer; I've met our animals raised for the table, but I haven't named them or cared for them on a daily basis, that would be much harder. My husband wants to put our beef cattle on our home place, and I'll struggle with that, but I'll get over it. I will understand that they're being raised for the table, and that they'll have a better life than a commericially processed, feed lot animal.

My 11 year old daughter has met the raised for the table animals and understands the concept - she doesn't think her pork chops magically appear in the grocery store already shrink wrapped. I love the comment about us being too far removed from our food sources. 

As far as horses go, this used to be hunt country, and dead and injured horses and other livestock were routinely sent to the kennels to feed the hounds. And yes, I sent some horses to the kennels. On an intellectual level, I am fine with it. Burying the horse is expensive and a waste of meat, as long as the horse was destroyed humanely (and they were, I assisted on a couple) why not use the meat? However, some horse owners were so vehemently opposed to the practice they couldn't even discuss it. I have buried two horses that were very dear to me in marked graves for my selfish emotional reasons, so clearly I'm somewhat conflicted on the issue. 

I like the compromise solution of the big TB breeders - they bury the head, heart, hooves and testicles (if a stud horse) in a marked grave, and use the rest of the meat. 

Sorry for the rambling post. Reopening the US slaughterhouses would mean surplus horses would be treated *BETTER* - a more humane life, and a more humane death. The slaughterhouses themselves would be regulated, and the poor animals wouldn't be stuffed on a crowded truck for a long trip to slaughter. I don't particularly want to eat horse meat, whether it's someone I know or not. However, there's a market for it - allowing horse slaughter in the US with some moderate regulation is a huge improvement over the current situation.


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## spence (Nov 8, 2009)

horse should have a slaughter withdrawal just the same as any other meat animal should. perhaps a fairly long one when it's something like track TB's that may have had steroids pumped in them as well. however, as has been mentioned, nothing else that's going to be used would be any different than that used in beef animals.

as per age, beef cattle are slaughtered between 20 and 24 months. it used to be a little bit older than that, but it's dropped because of "mad cow" disease. under 24 months, they can't get it, so the kill age is before then. the older stuff isn't used as sterling silver beef or anything like that, more in the ground stuff.

i've heard horse meat is actually pretty good. i've no idea of my own. and people are far too removed from their food source these days. that's why i LOVE being a hunter. i pursue my own food, kill it, and process it completely. i am a bit more wasteful that paying a processor, however it's more cost effective to have those losses. if i want sausage or something like that, i simply take them the raw, butchered meat. i LOVE eating good deer meat, but since i'm still learning at the butchering process so a lot of it kinda HAS to go to grinding...

and i have no problems eating store beef. I'M too broke to buy much of it right now, but my old man being in the beef business gets us free beef. i deplore people who don't want to eat meat "because of all the chemicals in it." seriously people, there's nothing in there that is going to harm you, there's those little things called withdrawl periods for a reason. however, i admit, when we get cattle going, we'll eat out own...


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## masatisan (Jan 12, 2009)

I live in Canada, and I can go to any big name grocery store and find horse meat. It really disturbs me, but there's nothing I can do.

I think the thing that really makes horse slaughter feel wrong is that they're working animals, they (in the past at least) pulled our plows, powered our vehicles, carried our soldiers, worked day in and day out, for centuries, at man's will. There are very few other animals as historically significant as the horse, what person would ever think of eating the creature that turned the soil, turned the mill, and essentially was responsible for the food on the table?


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## NorthernMama (Mar 12, 2008)

masatisan said:


> I live in Canada, and I can go to any big name grocery store and find horse meat.


Really? Wow. I can't and I have lived in Ontario for 45 years, including Ottawa and environs. I never did look specifically for horse meat, but I used to be on the lookout for new things to try all the time. I have dealt with a few different cultures and never found it either. Funny; maybe people just didn't discuss it. I would try it in a heartbeat if I could find it here, but Northern Ontario doesn't have a whole lot of variety in food, fashion, music, you name it: we don't have it


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## spence (Nov 8, 2009)

masatisan said:


> I think the thing that really makes horse slaughter feel wrong is that they're working animals, they (in the past at least) pulled our plows, powered our vehicles, carried our soldiers, worked day in and day out, for centuries, at man's will. There are very few other animals as historically significant as the horse, what person would ever think of eating the creature that turned the soil, turned the mill, and essentially was responsible for the food on the table?


while they may have been significant to us, however i am sure that is not the case with every and all cultures. i know their history with the horse isn't as long as the rest of the world, but native americans used horses for a variety of reasons, including transportation, war, and as a source of food. from everything i have ever seen, they LIKED mule meat a lot when they acquired it. 

i'm sure there's other cultures in the world that may have used the horse as you mention - the toil in the field, transportation, and yet ate them as well. today they are more of a "commodity" than they have been in years past, and there's other areas that rather disgust me in how they are thought of or treated.


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## lilkitty90 (Nov 11, 2009)

not sure i was really following or read many of the posts on this thread. but i was reading my wormer box the other day and it said not to give to horses that are intended for human consumption. so i'm assuming your definitely not suposed to give them wormer!


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

masatisan said:


> I think the thing that really makes horse slaughter feel wrong is that they're working animals, they (in the past at least) pulled our plows, powered our vehicles, carried our soldiers, worked day in and day out, for centuries, at man's will. There are very few other animals as historically significant as the horse, what person would ever think of eating the creature that turned the soil, turned the mill, and essentially was responsible for the food on the table?


Actually, except for carrying soldiers into battle, the animal people most used to plow their fields, power their vehicles, turn the mill, and essentially responsible for putting food on the table were _*oxen*_.

Horses were far too delicate and expensive for common, working class people. Hollywood has given us a distorted view of the horse's place in society, so that 'historical significance' people go on about is pretty much myth.

Horses do pull the plow and are used as vehicle power for certain religious sects in today's society, but all they really are in the scheme of things in this day and age are expensive luxuries.

Horses are a prey species and we are a predator species. There's no *good* reason why unwanted horses should not feed people or other meat-eating animals. 

Hype, hysteria, and hyperbole aside, it makes sense _not_ to waste the amount of meat a horse can provide. To me, the real crime is putting all that protein in the ground when it could be used to feed others.

Maura, my best and brightest is buried on my property. I promised him when I got him as a 4 y/o that he'd always be taken care of, I'd never let him suffer, and when his time came I'd let him go with dignity. He was 25 when I had him put down. I'm lucky in that where I live I can bury a large carcass, otherwise I'd have had to pay a renderer to come and get his body.

I'm not saying anyone's _pet_ horse should go to a slaughter plant. What I'm saying is there are plenty of unwanted, unrideable, and just plain crazy horses out there who can do one last service by providing food. Why is that a bad thing?


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## whiskeynoo (Mar 17, 2010)

if you go way back in time horses were originally used for eating before some clever clogs decided to domesticate it. 
i don't understand how horse slaughter is any different from cow slaughter, cows can be domesticated too.

i hate the idea of horse slaughter though but i think its one of these things that has to be done. 

and the wormer thing is quite a good point :| but other animals like sheep and cattle get vaccinated and de-wormed, maby theres a special type, i dunno, i'll ask my dad


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## vicki9 (Apr 4, 2010)

*horse slaughter*

Crimsonhorse01, Another gullible PETA follower is correct. 

Almost all horse meds clearly state on the label, not intended for food animals. Most are prohibited substances. Horses that have received prohibited substances can never enter the food chain. There is no withdrawal period. That’s a European Union and FDA rule. One of the most popular banned substance that almost every horse in America has received at some point in their life, is Bute. They cannot be slaughtered for human consumption. Bute can cause aplastic anemia (suppression of bone marrow) in humans.

Pet food hasn’t contained horse meat since the 80s, drugs being one of the reasons. Horses are not raised as food animals and do not have vet records as do livestock. There is no traceability and no way to certify they are free of banned substances. They should be humanely euthanized as we do with all non-food animals in our country. All horses that are bred for other purposes require meds to maintain peak performance and health. If people want to slaughter horses for food, they need to be bred and raised as food animals and not for other purposes – pasture ornaments, just like cows. They don’t suddenly become food when their racing careers have ended or no longer can perform, provide service or work. That is a decision that must be made at birth. The EU will finally be enforcing the rules this July. They will require a 180 day holding period if there are no vet records. Within three years, full vet records from birth will be required.


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## wild_spot (Jan 30, 2008)

> Pet food hasn’t contained horse meat since the 80s


 
As far as I am aware, horse meat is still used in pet food in Australia. We don't call them slaughterhouses either, they are knackeries or 'doggers' - Because of the use of the meat in pet food and other pet products.


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## vicki9 (Apr 4, 2010)

*horse slaughter*

Sorry, I should have clarified that. Pet food in the US hasn't contained horse meat since the 80s!


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## alexischristina (Jun 30, 2009)

So.... what about eating donkeys?


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## Pidge (Sep 5, 2009)

To be honest Horse slaughter is neccisary. There are to many unwanted messed up horses out there...either they will be given to crap homes and be abused or starved or they can be sent to slaughter.

Right now slaughter is a mess because the horses are shipped to mexico...they need to re-open the US plants for the horses sake...

As for drugs...dont get me lying..I dont know a thing.

Personally I could never eat horse meat. I dont know why I just couldnt...guess cause I would be thinking of the fact that I own 2 and could be eating their brother or something...idk im weird...but I dont have a single issue with people eating horses, or any other animal for that matter...and I can eat other animals. I eat cow chicken etc...and trust me..I live out in the boonies. I know where food comes from and how its processed. I guess my main issue is that horses have face value to me...cows and chickens have always been food to me. Now if I owned chickens...they would be for eggs only, i couldnt eat them because they would be more pets to me. And if I ever owned a cow it would have to be a milk cow cause I would never be able to eat a cow I raised. Im just to darn emotional lol...to many pets to love...perhaps I could do like my granny did.

She didnt want to eat her own cows cause they were her pets...so she sold them to the guy down the road and in exchange he would butcher one of his cows and give my granny the meat. Thus she didnt eat her own cows lol.

I just couldnt eat an animal I had raised...all my animals are pets...and ill prob bury my horses when they die cause im sentimental.

As for quality of meat...Ive heard that yearlings make the most tender meat and are a favorite meat source in japan...past that the meat begins to taste better as it ages until it hits a peak...but yea...yearlings are suppose to be the most tender, not neccisarily the most flavorful...but this is not personal experience...just random stuff i have read.


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## Crimsonhorse01 (Sep 8, 2009)

Soo, During an Easter egg dying Saturday our good friends says that he heard that horse tastes like Elk. Now I seem to be hosting a BBQ...
None of my own mind and definitely wont be a foal... I cant even do veal.


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## MN Tigerstripes (Feb 20, 2009)

Horse BBQ? Or Elk? I have to admit, I'm curious. I'd try it if I could buy it somewhere...


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## kevinshorses (Aug 15, 2009)

Crimsonhorse01 said:


> Soo, During an Easter egg dying Saturday our good friends says that he heard that horse tastes like Elk. Now I seem to be hosting a BBQ...
> None of my own mind and definitely wont be a foal... I cant even do veal.


I can't wait for the report!! When I see fat horses go through an auction I can't help but wonder if it would be worth it to butcher one.


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## Crimsonhorse01 (Sep 8, 2009)

MN Tigerstripes said:


> Horse BBQ? Or Elk? I have to admit, I'm curious. I'd try it if I could buy it somewhere...


Cant buy it thats illegal, but maybe overnight it on dry ice...  As a gift. Perfectly legal.
lol
Ive been debating on where to purchase. Unless I can get a truthful past owner at an auction. If I can find a nice pasture raised horse with no handling that would be my first choice.


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

Can't buy it here in the U.S., but it's sold in Canada.

Wonder if they'd ship it overnight? I know that beef operations ship meat overnight in styrofoam coolers with dry ice.


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## kevinshorses (Aug 15, 2009)

Crimsonhorse01 said:


> If I can find a nice pasture raised horse with no handling that would be my first choice.


That should be no problem in Wyoming. If you have problems finding one let me know. I know a guy that has alot of horses that are drug free.


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## Appy Luvr (Mar 16, 2009)

Too funny!! I want to come....but I'm bringing my beef hot dogs with me!


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## halflinger (Mar 11, 2010)

well i worked in meat facory and witnessed how the animals were left over nite in pens with the smell of death few metres down the factory,and how terrified they were..also saw how far down the line contaminated meat could get before detection..dont forget bse and foot and mouth and pig diseases have been all in last ten to fifteen years when we are so technologically advanced...but i belive in peoples right to eat the meat they want to..i dont eat meatjust fish and i wouldnt impose my choices on anybody else..


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## kevinshorses (Aug 15, 2009)

You must live in a different country than I do. I have never seen terrified animals left overnight in any pens. In fact, all the animals had to be killed that were in the pens that day. Later in the night other cattle would be delivered into freshly cleaned pens. I don't think any livestock can reason enough to know what is about to happen.


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