Eating Horses, and the prevention of...

[Spoof]

Ran across this today, I know Britian has banned pelting and horse slaughter, but this is going pretty far.

 

[Remyma0408]

Sadly, I've heard of it happening in Europe. Bleh. I can't fathom why someone would want to eat a horse though. But then again, customs vary from culture to culture. Some view cows as sacred and shouldn't be eaten...so really who draws the line?

 

[Spoof]

I don't mind the eating, it's your horse to do what you want with. But to sign a document saying you won't eat it? I don't know, it's a little weird.

They claim they're doing it to stop people from ingesting horse drugs, but those people aren't going to stop because of a piece of paper...

 

[Ash]

I think I remember hearing that back in the 80s people there was a big stink about McDonald's putting horse meat in their burgers. Imo, it's not much different than eating deer or bison I guess. Would I want to eat horse? No, but I also don't want to eat goat or duck which some people do. To each their own, as long as it's done in a humane manner, I suppose. I understand the reasoning behind the "passport" though. But I don't get the signing... That's a little over the top.

 

[mishalaa]

I've handled horse meat, we fed it to the lions at the zoo I used to work at. I haven't tried it, but I'm tempted to. It's largely illegal in the US but I saw a bit on TV - either Animal Planet or Travel Channel - about a restaurant in Canada whose signature dish was horse. It's apparently pretty popular there.

 

[addictedtochins]

Well, Ok I won't eat my horse but you didn't say anything about my dog. :wink2:
Yes, I remember in the 80's during a bad economy horse meat was gaining popularity. It was cheaper than beef. Nobody was buying horses, especially the plain, unregistered, barely trained backyard horses. Owners got a lot more money from them at slaughter auctions. And hay was very expensive. I say I would rather these horses would be slaughtered then starved to death because owners can't afford hay/feed/vet care. I'm sure the same thing is happening now because I see free horses all the time.

 

[Chinniechantel]

That does seem a little crazy, I bet the drugs they give to cows and chickens are worse than what they give the horses. As we all know a contract is only as good as the person who signs it.

 

[Spoof]

The drugs they give to cows and hogs are far worse than what they give to horses - but they are strictly regulated and tested for after butchering.

Horses can be pumped full of things you wouldn't believe and nobody tests them, they just eat them. Earlier this year they'd successfully banned butchering them here so they were shipping to Mexico instead. One of the old guys down the street from me said that in the 70's/80's people just turned them loose because they couldn't afford feed. They roamed around in big herds and if you wanted to ride you went and caught one and it was yours for the day.

 

[Mander]

I wouldnt want to eat it either. I live in Canada and I havent heard about the resturaunt that has a main dish of horse and you cant really buy horse meat anywhere.

 

[Claire D]

Oh God yet ANOTHER dictat from Europe - bloody marvellous.

We don't eat horse in the UK on the whole (and I think most people would be repulsed by the thought of eating their own horse!) but France and other continental countries do - I remember going to France for a school trip and the hotel we stayed in had horse on the menu.
There's an article here from 2007 where Gordon Ramsey was advocating the UK should eat horse meat - his suggestion went down like a lead balloon. :duh:

 

[mishalaa]

The restaurant is in Toronto : http://www.lapalette.ca/ (I meant Toronto when I said "popular there," not all of Canada, sorry!)
As for BC, you can get it in the Granville Island Market in Vancouver.

 

[Spoof]

Wish it wasn't rare to medium rare, I would try it. I like elk and deer because of the gamey taste.

Most of the U.S. horse meat goes to the U.K. for consumption.

 

[Claire D]

Most of the U.S. horse meat goes to the U.K. for consumption.

I think we get most of our horse meat from Southern France rather than the US :hmm:

 

[Spoof]

I meant Europe. Canada is close behind them.

 

[Ash]

Wish it wasn't rare to medium rare, I would try it. I like elk and deer because of the gamey taste.

Most of the U.S. horse meat goes to the U.K. for consumption.

Ditto. I dunno. It'd be different, and I love love love deer meat and bison. I also love beef and I've raised calves. I couldn't eat Fudge (my QH cross I had in highschool), but in general, I don't think I'd per se turn it down if it was definitely "clean". I'm sure it's probably leaner than beef too, just as deer is...

 

[Spoof]

We raised a lot of beef, but I've never liked the taste. It's just.. blah.

We had herefords, angus, and scottish highlanders. I'd say the highlanders had the most flavor, but I still need ketchup to help the steak go down. I haven't eaten beef steak since I left home 10 years ago.

I couldn't eat Kermit because of all the drugs he's had and shots he gets, and who wants to find a microchip in their steak? Wouldn't that be funny to have the IR reader and have a person walk by with 5 or 6 of them hanging out in their body from eating "pet" horses?? lmao.