What Are The Issues Regarding The Consumption Of Horse Meat?

Question

I am aware that horse meat is not as common in the States as it is over in Europe and Asia. What are the reasons why we do not consume horse meat over here? Is it for the same reason as their link to humanity; same reason why dog and cat sonsumption is frowned upon or is it health/sanitary reasons?

I am also aware that Jersey recently passed a law allowing it to be eaten over there.

Answer 1

Just a culture thing. Horse was more commonly eaten when most horses were farm animals. Now most horses are kept as pets. Like show horses or pleasure riding.
Never heard that it was not legal anywhere. I used to buty horsemeat at the pet store for my dog 30 years ago. Tried it as a burger, not bad but a little dry because it was so lean. Now the price is too high, heven't seen it in a pet store for many years.

Answer 2

I don't think not eating horse meat is particularly bound up with US culture - in the UK there exists a similar taboo. Whether it has the same root or not, I'm not sure (I'd assume it's at least partly to do with the value of the horse being more alive than dead and, by the time it could no longer work, the meat not being particularly tasty). After all, horse bones were used to make glue for a long time, so there is no inherent taboo against using dead horses.
Of course, horse meat is consumed in France, so the cultural association with horses, of the bond between horse and rider, might not be the only factor at play, given that clearly horses were used for the same purpose in France. Same is true in other countries, including Japan (where horse meat is refered to as cherry blossom meat (sakura niku).

Plus, it's not like horse meat is that delicious. It tastes OK, but to my mind, beef or lamb are tastier...

Answer 3

Horse population was in abundance in U.S. so it made sense to use the old, retired horses to be butchered and its meat used in different part of the countries. In east coast it was a delicacy and so was in middle east and in parts of west coast.

Now the population of horses are gone down, and with PETA gaining popularity, the two Horse slaughtering plants in midwest are facing hardship for the process. By FDA regulations, it costs alot of money to inspect the quality of meat. At first the plants provided the money from their pocket for FDA's inspection. It was expensive and the legal law suit prevented the horse processing done in only two horse slaughtering plants.

We have more beef, chicken, turkey, fish, pork compared to Horse meat. Moreover beef, and pork lobbyists have more money in the market for their profit than for horse meat lobbyists.

Different part of view to the questions you asked. Good questions. Hope this helps.

Answer 4

Or could it possibly be that it never became a custom because we have herds of cows all over the damn place and meat in abundance??? Also the fact that horses are looked upon as pets, as are dogs and cats?

Answer 5

People in the United States rarely eat horse meat, but during World War II, due to the low supply and high price of beef, the state of New Jersey legalised its sale. At war's end, the state again prohibited the sale of horse meat, possibly in response to pressure from the beef lobby. Harvard University's Faculty Club had horse meat on the menu for over one hundred years, until 1983. Until 2007, a few horse meat abbatoirs still existed in the United States, selling meat to zoos to feed their carnivores, and exporting it for human consumption, but recently the last has closed by court order.
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I also think it has to do with the history of this country (US): the importance of horses for both the Native Americans & original settlers was crucial.
Native Americans have a spiritual respect for nature & animals (including horses).

The early American settlers relied on heavily on horses for everything from transportation to providing food (via farming). There is a deep respect and admiration in this country for horses (similar to cows in India, but not to the degree that they are worshipped). Also, horses are indigenous to this country --- they seem to represent a large part of US culture and history.

Many of the early forefathers (George Washington, Thomas Jefferson...) either kept horses or are portrayed in our history books to be sitting very regally on them. George Washington was a horse lover (he bred & kept 25 horses at Mt. Vernon, his personal fav was named Magnolia). So we cannot in good conscious eat the favorite animal of our 1st president! They are thought of as beautiful, noble & intelligent creatures by most poeple in the US, throughout our country's history.

Over the years, TV shows & children's toys have "humanized and personified" horses. It's just simply unthinkable here in the US to consume horses, cats, dogs.....they are considered pets and thus part of the family.

PS: I am not entirely sure about the whole "glue" theory and whether there is any truth to that.

Answer 6

It is indeed a great shame that we do not eat horsemeat in the US. A horse can live a full & productive life as a working farm animal and still taste delicious. Old cattle are too chewy, so we kill them young to satisfy our taste for meat.

I don't hear too much good about horsemilk cheese, though!

Answer 7

They eat it all the time in Verona, Italy, the city of Romeo and Juliet. It is delicious! People think differently all over the world. There are vegetarians who do not eat leaves and shots because they believe they are alive and it is cruel to eat living things. Then there are people who eat fried grasshoppers in Mexico and Thailand. When my friend was put in the Re-Education Camp (actuallly Concentration Camp but Re-Education sounds so much nicer, don't you think) by the Vietcong after the fall of Saigon, he had to eat whatever he could get in the jungle to survive like roots, ants, spiders, leaves, etc because the main form of Re-Education was to systematically starve all the ex-ARVN and South Vietnamese and US supporters to death. So there you have it, ultimately, it is what turns you on, man.... Enjoy! {:-)

Answer 8

the USDA does not inspect horse meat or the slaughter houses that process it . Its loaded with dangerous drugs, dirt, you name it

Answer 9

Well at the very least, my friend Flicka, Black Beauty, and Mr. Ed would be very upset!