I agree with you in theory...food is food. But I think the hesitancy comes from horses being very intelligent and having very unique personalities. Same thing with dogs and cats.

I maybe could eat your horse but not mine. I know it's a mental thing but it is there. But I have no problems with people that eat horses, or dogs, or whatever. Bonn Apatite

People don't have to eat meat at all to survive or get their protein so there is certainly no need to resort to eating a horse.

Good morning Windy, Phil...

Even though I grew up and still live in NJ, I live in a part surrounded by Farms. In fact, I bought my childhood home when my parents retired back in '90.

I've been around horses my whole life. As Phil mentions, they are as intelligent as a very smart dog. I had a horse named "Patches". He was a white horse with black blotches all over like a cow.

Anyway, you could call him over and he'd come galloping up with happiness to see you. When you spoke to him, he would look you right in the eyes and nod his head in response. He acted just like a dog. Run around and run right past you real close as if saying, see if you can catch me!.... ;-)

When riding, he rode safe. If he seen danger ahead (as in, a steep hill, a deep hole etc...) he would stop, turn his head left and look at you as if to say, "Are you sure you want to do this?".

They are very intelligent and respond to you when spoken to. Patches showed appreciation when you brushed him, washed him etc... He would even let you know when you missed a spot. Like, turn and bend his body pushing the area you missed toward you.

Bottom line is, I could never imagine slaughtering horses for their meat. Nor would I eat it. I love horses just as a regular household pet "but", as you guys mentioned, if we were suddenly on our own and didn't have a choice, of course, neither would I.

Since the ban was lifted, no horse slaughterhouses have successfully opened,

And I hope & pray they never do....

Independant thinkerer

yet we eat deer meat all the time, what's the difference?

#1.5 - Sat Feb 16, 2013 7:04 AM EST

All of the above.

What is this......MEXICO?

Pretty much, yeah. Strong powers of observation you have, Jackson.

yet we eat deer meat all the time, what's the difference?

Bambi tastes a lot better. I don't hunt anymore, but I do like venison.

I agree with you in theory...food is food. But I think the hesitancy comes from horses being very intelligent and having very unique personalities. Same thing with dogs and cats.

In China they eat cats, and in India they eat rats. Yum. Different strokes for different folks, I guess.

*GAG*

Um . . . most every animal can and will interact with humans (or even other animals) given enough time to learn how. The internet is rife with photos of dogs and deer, rabbits and cats, etc., etc.

While it's outside of most american's comfort levels to consider horse meat it IS within other's enjoyment.

The problem with outlawing slaughter in the US was that this caused horses to be subjected to a grueling journey to foreign lands in trucks, boats, trains, trailers to slaughter. This IS cruelty.

A humane and quick death here and shipping frozen meat to foreign lands is very much preferable.

I'm not against eating meat; I am against any cruelty in the process wherever it occurs. If americans could get over the idea of eating dog or cat flesh we could HUMANELY kill the shelter animals and ship these to countries needing and wanting this meat. What a waste to kill these animals then waste the energy to incinerate them or truck their carcasses to landfills. This is a bad situation from any angle.

So, just to clarify. It is okay to eat dumb animals , but not those you consider intelligent ? Really ? So no venison either ? So maybe we can start eating humans , there are a lot of dumb ones around ! ( Sarcasm)

Most of the horsemeat that was used in the US was for dog food. When they closed the slaughterhouses they destroyed the value of most horses. Now a horse who is not worth keeping must be kept at considerable cost or abandoned. There are now so many extra horses you can't give one away. I own a horse boarding facility and I am offered a couple of horses every month for free.

Morning CD, HOTTICKET..

Okay, the day horse meat becomes viable as a food source here is the day gun deaths will rise on a scale not seen since the lawless days of the Wild West.

Twenty years ago we were shipping horse meat for human consumption to Europe... Japan loves it as it is lean and healthy. England and France was using it in school menus until some children went into a butcher shop and saw both a cow and a horse on the wall sectioned off into "cuts" and told their parents.

Horses were being stolen and shipped to Texas and Kentucky for slaughter. There were investigators hunting down stolen horses from all over the Southern states in my area. It got to the point that people were sleeping in their barns and fields to protect their horses.... with loaded guns.

So bring it on... come for Flicka, Fury, Silver, Champ, Trigger, Diablo, Toranado, The Black, Secretariat, Sea Biscuit, Ruffian... naw, I don't think so.

Phil - pigs are also very intelligent

One thing that hasn't been mentioned about horse meat is the fact that many horses (not all) are full of chemicals, especially horses that have been used for racing or other athletic sports. They use so many anti-inflammatories and other dangerous drugs to keep them sound, and also the de-wormers (poison) that I would never want to eat. I'm very careful about any meat I eat. I won't buy chicken or beef that has been raised with anti-biotics and hormones. Why would you?

I also remember the days that you could go to the grocery store and buy ground horse meat for dog food.

Scrembabe! How are ya this fine AM?

Twenty years ago we were shipping horse meat for human consumption to Europe... Japan loves it as it is lean and healthy.

Oh I don't doubt that it tastes good and is one of the better meats that you can eat, healthwise. But you're right - most Americans can't get past the Seattle Slew / Secretariat killing thing, Screm.

Horses were being stolen and shipped to Texas and Kentucky for slaughter. There were investigators hunting down stolen horses from all over the Southern states in my area. It got to the point that people were sleeping in their barns and fields to protect their horses.... with loaded guns.

Yikes! Will we be going back to those days soon enough when things crash and Americans suddenly will look at Flicka in a different light?

Janice,

I also remember many years ago when they (Purdue) were using breast meat enhancers and steroids in chicken to fatten up their breasts and claimed that they had the most meat on their chickens however, it was discovered that it was being passed onto young girls who were developing large breasts at an early age such as 10.

The FDA then banned the use of these chemicals.

Janice - better living through chemicals. Life expectancy has increased in part because of drugs. I would imagine that if we were to raise horses for consumption in this country the drugs used would be no different than that given to cows or pigs.

Yikes! Will we be going back to those days soon enough when things crash and Americans suddenly will look at Flicka in a different light?

lol... HOTTICKET, I just couldn't vote for that one...

And I WILL shoot you if you try to steal my horse... but I will give you a bag of beans for protein..

lol... HOTTICKET, I just couldn't vote for that one...

And I WILL shoot you if you try to steal my horse... but I will give you a bag of beans for protein..

Yikes!

I'll be over your house with Bambi and some Bella Sera when the shiite hits the fan. And I'll be completely defenseless! How's that? ;)

Lolz! Have a super fine one, Screm!

Horse meat is a delicacy in France.

@Oh-No - you really believe that? Just wait until you really need antibiotics and they don't work. I won't eat that crap! And, hormones? No thank you - give me natural, grass-fed beef without drugs.

Janice -

in your note you painted all drugs with a wide brush, it sounded like an all or nothing thing with you. I am not saying I would consume meat regardless of what drug was used but some drugs, when prudently used, is beneficial to man and beast. One can eat drug free animals (wild and domesticated) and still get into trouble [bovine].

My family (like millions of others) have eaten commercially raised and processed meat all their lives and most have lived to the good young age of 85 with no problems. I also have many a family members who are vegetarians all their lives (like millions of others) and they have not done any better.

We have the FDA who for most part is doing a good job in keeping us safe, recent studies have shown that the so called organically raised food is no more safe or better for you than non-organic. Life expectancy over the years have been increasing and this is due in part to better living through chemicals so don't paint them all with a wide brush.

Wilson- you are on the wrong post.

Horse meat is tasty. Most anything is good when properly prepared. I obviously have never been a horse person, I didn't know they were that smart. Wouldn't have made a difference though, kind of like Zimmern I'll try anything once.

I agree Wilson is on the wrong post. I keep reporting the constant advertising but nothing happens.

i also love horses but,, i don't believe in their polls,i was never asked about horse meat in america ,and what happens to the old or sick , destroyed horses .. rendering plants deal with dead horses for a price and nobody questions the outcome ..

Ity makes no differance to me. I do believe that any and every product containing horse meat should be labeled as so in order that those that choose not to consume it aren't tricked into buying and eating it.

Where I live most horses are just shot and burried,or left out for the wildlife to eat when the are no longer wanted or are to costly to feed . A well supervised slaughter house could be a better way.

@Oh-No - I don't think I am painting drugs with a wide brush. The anti-inflammatories given to horses (and probably other animals) are not anything that I would eat knowingly. Antibiotics are over-used and hormones as well. Also, I really don't think the FDA is doing us any favors. They approve things, then a few years later discover they're dangerous. I'm way more comfortable with natural, herbal, and mental/physical remedies.

I read through the comments and what I see are some people who don't know much about the horse industry.

If I were you, go to some horse sales and watch the STARVING horses come through; or better yet, check out the horse rescues where they are trying to save the STARVING horses.

Google "equine rescue groups" and check out the pictures of the STARVING horses.

Everyone thinks that all horses are filled with chemicals; not, better go check out the cattle in the feed lots for that....

I'd rather see a starving horse go to slaughter, but wait, the slaughter buyers WILL NOT BUY THEM NOW....because it isn't cost effective......some auctions, horses may bring $50 or less and that's because the slaughter houses were closed in the US.

If a fat horse is picked up for slaughter, they are trucked down to Texas or close to Canada, put in a holding pen for 30 days, might have a tad bit of food given to them and then shipped across the border.

Get some common sense people....horse meat has been around for years and I believe it's up to the individual if they want to eat it or not.

If you want all of these horses to be your pet, come and get em, because there are thousands that are out there available.

I hope Oklahoma state gets their slaughter house open....because I do not like to see STARVING ANIMALS....

Years ago, my sister served the family up on ground horsemeat. Of course she never told us this at first, we all assumed it was normnal hamburger and polished it all off. Afterwards she told us what it really was. Only dad blew his stack and for quite awhile wouldn't eat any "beef" dishes that she prepared.

Looking back in time to my fathers childhood in germany during the teens and twenties, I wonder how much horse he ate? I know he did eat a lot of turnips and kohlrobi back then.

@Phil, pigs are smarter than dogs, yet we have no issues eating them, well because, bacon.

oh please, don't start with the "closure of slaughter plants tanked horse values" crap again, horse values have been tanking since the irs closed the hobby farm loophole and millions of horses were dumped on the market in the late 80's early 90's. They breifly recovered during the dot com boom due to low supply and high demand (you can't just go out and make a purebred show champion of 10 years after you killed it) and then tanked again as the economy got worse and finally crashed. Horse values are crap because people keep breeding crap horses with no training- horses which never had much value to being with. Also if you didn't notice young people are not so interested in horses anymore, they aren't "cool" or "hip" and the rest of us are getting too old to fool with training your crap horses to turn a profit or too injured to continue. There is still plenty of market for well bred well trained horses- everything else , not so much. If- IF I was to grant you that slaughter played even a tiny role then explain why values are down even when horses are being trucked to Canada and Mexico in such volume they are turning them away. Horses are still being slaughtered and values are still crap. I would guess its because the same backyard breeders are still churning out mountains of crap horses regardless of demand and ability to get rid of them thus flooding the market. All that would happen if plants reopened is they would increase production as they have always done. What difference is it to them if they run 200 or 300 crap mares with no care? Not to mention that a huge number of these horses are questionable safe to eat anyway, no one deliberately raises horses for rmeat so they are coming from god only knows where and have been feed who knows what. As for the "starving horses" theory, uhhh I hate to tell you but slaughter buyers have never wanted to buy thin horses because they don't get crap for them assuming they survive transport. Horses were being starved while we had facilities, while we didn't and every step in between. Does not matter if we have 1, 3 or as we did at one point 63 slaughter facilities some people just refuse to spend money to care for their livestock. Besides that argument makes no sense, at least not by earth logic- if the horses are being starved because the owner cannot sell them to meat because they are too skinny - what happened before they got to that point? did the owner used to feed them and a meat buyer refused to take a fat healthy horse? or was it that the owner was never feeding them right and thus slaughter played no role in the starvation. I don't think anyone who makes this argument has ever been involved in rescue. Most of these people who starve them do it for 3 reasons- too cheap/lazy to feed or ignorant and don't know they need to feed anything other than pasture or they are mentally unstable people who collect horses they do not have the means, knowledge or ability to care for and are blind to the condition of their animals. The last type typically only get rid of horses if they die or they fear law enforcement involvement or on a very off chance they need money. The last set are where the rumors come from, if the horses were quality and well trained and well cared for they could sell them, maybe not for they think they should get but they will sell. However that was not the case, the horses are usually half trained at best, poorly built/bred and have been neglected. They put this miserable beast up for sale and are surprised no one is interested in taking on the expensive rehab process to get that horse where it needs to be in order to be usable. Rather than take any personal responsibility for their part in the situation they can then blame the market. The horse is in bad shape because I can't sell it and can't afford to feed it. I tried to do the right thing and sell when I realized i could not care for the horse but woe is me no one will buy and its all slaughters fault. That's why this horse is 300lbs underweight, they then move into the blaming everything else for why the horse is 8 and unbroke. I have been working so hard to feed them that I had no time to work with them woe is me if only slaughter were around. Bullhockey- again what about before you got in this predicament. If the horse was well trained for its age and healthy it would have sold. The horse in question was never trained because they didn't know how to or never could be bothered to- same reason it was starved. grrrrrr

I've been all over the world, and I've eaten just about every animal out there ... Horse, dog, cat, snake, etc ... Of course, in most cases I had no idea what I ate until after I ate it. That's didn't make it any better, but it does remind us that just about anything can taste good if we don't know what it is. But I had grilled horse meat in Sicily, and it was pretty darn good. Again, however, I did not know what it was until way after I ate it.

As far as intelligent animals ... My cousins had a pet cow when I was growing up. It's purpose was to provide meat for the family, but as with most children when you have a little calf you play with it, and it becomes a part of the family. It would even come to you when you called it's name ... In the end, however, they ate it. Because it was food ... I hate to say it, but it's reality. It's food ...

I wouldn't so much call it picking and choosing, but upbringing and conditioning play a role in helping us "decide" where we stand on these types of issues. People tend to think horses are intelligent. So, it's bad to eat them. That's a simplification, but a fair one. We usually don't give pigs as much consideration or hold them up to as much scrutiny, but the reality is if you raise a pig from a piglet it will respond to you as any dog might. Pigs are smart, but they're also ugly, dirty and gross, or so many generally agree. That is until they're killed, drained, butchered, and baked or fried. Then they're beautiful and delicious. I quite imagine horses might be just as yummy. But damn if this subject hasn't gotten me to question my own sense of morality!

There are millions of starving people all over the world. I love horses as much as the next person, and I wouldn't choose to eat it. But how can we walk away from a valuable food source that can be sent to those that might not be so squeamish?

And let's not forget that we eat beef here, but in other countries they revere the cow. We eat pork, but other cultures consider it unclean. We exhault the horse (and dogs and cats), but in other parts of the world it's just another food source. Why let a viable food source go to waste.

Soylent Green is just around that bend up ahead people.

Imagine how Hindus feel about our McWendy King Castles burger joints.

Until you have tried it, many different types of meat may not seem appetizing.

Some cultures do not eat pigs or "cloven hooved" animals.

The issue of horse meat is not so much that it is eaten, rather it is that the meat was presented in Europe as beef.

Kind of makes you wonder what you are really eating, doesn't it.

Wise people are vegetarian and healthier. For to fools who believe "they need their meat", I have an answer: these beautiful animals such as horses or bulls, elephants are all vegetarian. Look at their muscles ! Humans do not need any meat. People are used to the taste of it and mainly due to condiments and fillers. Plain meat without salt would be as disgusting as eating human meat.

If I find a place serving horse, I'll eat it. My philosophy is as long as it isn't human, or a nonhuman primate, it is fair game. Horse, sheep, goat, cat, dog, rat, jellyfish are all on the menu. If it is cooked right, then it can make a great meal. But don't forget to eat your veggies too. They are extremely important. Gotta have fiber to help the meat through the system correctly.

If there is a buck in it it will end up on your dinner table cause some millionaire will find a way and a politician to say they can do it. Already the ban on processing it is lifted why do you think that is going to happen. They fed you pink slime for years and you did not know it. Thats why I make my own burgers and sausages. So our processors are no better than the Europeans. Next time you go to pick up a pack of burger listen to see if it whinneys.

Wise people are vegetarian and healthier.

There is no proof to that statement

Imagine how Hindus feel about our McWendy King Castles burger joints

In my neck of the woods they love them since they own one hell of a lot of them. Religion before profit? Heck no.....

Most of you who say you would eat horse meat without any problem are simply people who have never been around horses, have never ridden or owned one of these animals.. You have no idea just how intelligent, how kind and gentle they are.. You love your dogs and your cats, as do I, and would never consider eating one of them.. For those of us who have been fortunate to have been around horses we feel exactly the same about these magnificent creatures.. For us, eating horse meat would be like consuming the family pet!

These beautiful animals have been mankind's best friend far more then the dog.. Right up until the start of the 20th century mankind needed and depended on the horse to live.. Without these wonderful animals we would all still be living in deep, dark caves, separated from each other by vast distances.. Thanks to the horse we came out of the dark ages a heck of a lot faster then we would have without them!

But, as usual, mankind shows it's true colors by treating our companions as nothing more then a price-tag.. We, once again, reward loyalty with indifference and apathy.. It's the reason we turn on each other at the drop of a hat! There is something in our skewed DNA which makes us turn our backs on anything we no longer want or need! I'm sure a time will come when dog meat will become popular and we will, once again, turn on our other 'friends' with the same compassion and loyalty that we our showing the animals that we USED for thousands of years!

After all, for mankind, there really is NOTHING that we wouldn't use and abuse if it put money in that which we consider, above all else, to be the most important thing in our lives......our wallets!

PhilCommander

But I think the hesitancy comes from horses being very intelligent and having very unique personalities. Same thing with dogs and cats.

No more so than pigs and I don't see much hesitation when someone is eating bacon or pork chops.

Susie-630707

Most of you who say you would eat horse meat without any problem are simply people who have never been around horses, have never ridden or owned one of these animals.. You have no idea just how intelligent, how kind and gentle they are..

I've been around horses and I know how intelligent they are and I'd eat one nonetheless. As I've mentioned above they are no more intelligent than pigs. They make a much worse "pet" than a pig to boot. But I suspect you don't bat an eye when you eat pork. Will that change?? Will you stop to consider the true nature of the pig and decide not to consume them anymore?? In fact most of the animals we eat have a fair degree of intelligence. Unless you are a vegitarian you are a hypocrite.

These beautiful animals have been mankind's best friend far more then the dog..

Sorry but this statement is utterly ridiculous. The dog was the first animal domesticated by man potentially 25,000 years before the horse.

Without these wonderful animals we would all still be living in deep, dark caves, separated from each other by vast distances..

You are in serious need of a good history book. Mankind spread throughout the world 100's of thousands of years before the horse was domesticated. To suggest we'd have been stuck in one place without them is far beyond ludicrous.

my great great great uncle...bad bob...liked his hoss meat blue...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubjIc3qLPds

THE USDA has grown to be the largest Terrorist against USA citizens. I say based on the fact that they are the Dept. who has approved of adding/hybriding our foods with chemicals that humans and animals should never consume and thus have raised the risk of developing diseases that affect our health livelihoods and overall quality of life. TO date there has not been any research relative to the long term effects of these foods.

Yet look at all the diseases and disorders affecting our kids---Asthmatic cases are higher than ever before as are: ADHD, Obesity, Diabetes, Cancer respirtory issues, colds and flus, and reproductive issues are higher than ever before in history!

And now they wish to go after animals not meant to be eaten by humans--our horses who are slaughtered under the cruelest of conditions. But hey does the USDA care? No for they have lost their focus and purpose to that of ever sought extra buck!

SO what is next on their list of destructive and poisonous foods--probably all the abandoned dogs and cats---shucks who cares about them anyhow; they are just abandoned or lost animals right.

These animals also have intelligence, possibly more than humans. They have caring hearts empathy and compassion. They too deserve to live as God intended, not as Man intends!

YES, I do believe that the USDA is our own home grown Terrorist who forfeits quality and sustenance in their ever lasting search for more (bigger plumper and juicier is their theme of poisonous greed!)

“We believe horses are iconic figures in American culture,” Hazard said. “The vast majority of Americans think they’re companions and partners, not food."...

...as long as ample food supplies continue... what will happen in a severe food shortage?

Horsemeat is fine to eat and I've done so, but what the author of this article appears to overlook is that it isn't the legality that is being questioned in Europe and why people are in an uproar in so many places, it's because it was touted as being beef. Selling one product pretending it is another is fraud. Period. End of discussion.

Logic doesn't always win arguements; without any moral or social fabric, which some here are suggesting IS the only reason people won't eat horse meat, we'd be much worse off. Much, much worse off.

Meat is meat, food is food... dragging that arguement out pertaining to animals would then include human animals. We're meat, therefore food; not necessarily a fallacy in arguement, but not accepted by the majority of human animals. Dog, cat... now in the food chain in other countries and unfortunately a ghostly presence in our own... there are reasons we have feed animals vs. those considered companion animals. Not to go into a long blah blah here but intelligence, ability to foster love and emotion, and yes.... traditions, sense of love , 'how percieved'... these are just a scant few reasons why so many of us oppose the use of horses for consumption, here or abroad (sales of horses for foreign interests, namely consumption).

Take away all moral compass, all emotiveness and desensitize to the point where simple, plain logic such as 'meat is meat' will only lead us to darker and darker days. I love steak, know that steer are raised for this specific purpose, and no... I'm not about to argue with the 'meat is meat' folks on this. It's been acceptable, is accepted still, and I do consider this very different. Complete logic here? Am I doing the proper Dr. Spock thing? Doubt it... but again, human meat is also animal meat. Any logical reason we shouldn't be able to save money on funerals, caskets, cremations, etc... as opposed to using our meat for starving human animals, for profit in consumption based markets here or abroad?

No, not really... only taboo. Moral compasses. Far too many are extremists, and this is evidentiary in posts and political views; I believe that at LEAST 90% is in the 'gray area'; not black or white. When all is said and done, no.... for a multiplicity of reasons I don't believe this should be an accepted practice. There is no reason and no need for it, especially if Clowngress would get their act together regarding legislation and regulating the right things and wrong things vs. legislating and regulating in partisan black and white, all or none, and most noteable corporate interests. vs. American capitalism.

Almost half of our meats our sold and bought back to and from foreign interests in the name of doing what is allowed by our legislators. Then we cry bad economy, expensive food, not enough, etc... . Charity does start at home, we need to take of ourselves first and foremost. If there are some that truly desire eating horse for some reason, equate this to deer hunting, beef, pork, etc... then work towards allowing it. If the majority agree, then you get your wish. If it fails, then sorry for your luck. Once again, where do some want to draw the line? For some reason, human animals seem to think they ARE the only animals that in the end are supreme. Keep desensitizing, keep pushing limits, keep up Spock's 'only logic wins'. You may not get the end result you've hoped for besides not currently having anything logical or common sensical happening for America, Her economy and best interests, in the Hill.... maybe try working on that first.

All that being said; this article? It's about fraud and deception in food ingredients, food product and people getting what they didn't want, ask for, or had any idea was in their food. This is wrong all the way around and for so many reasons....

sillyshrinks

...thus have raised the risk of developing diseases that affect our health livelihoods and overall quality of life. TO date there has not been any research relative to the long term effects of these foods.

So which is it????? Have they raised the risk OR has there been no research???

You should avoid contradicting yourself from one sentence to the next.

ModerationInAllThings

Meat is meat, food is food... dragging that arguement out pertaining to animals would then include human animals. We're meat, therefore food;...

The human "animal" is quite possibly the most disease ridden creature on the planet. They (we) would not be a part of our food supply for health reasons even if there were no moral objections.

Is there anything we don't eat? And we bitch about sharks and lions lol

Personally tho I hope to become a vegetarian, I'm getting there eventho I still eat meat once in a while.

Hitler was a vegetarian, he intended to take over the world and force everyone else to be as well.

I love horses. Always wanted one since I was little and ate up all the stories and fairy tales of horses and unicorns and all that girly stuff.

But I'd still eat one if it meant a cheaper meat source and possibly a healthier alternative.

I keep seeing people talking about the chemicals in horses, are you that naive to believe that it is isolated to only horses? We are always hearing about hormones and chemicals in our food! Just a couple of days ago we heard about chemicals in beef, written about in an msn article: money.msn.com/now/post.aspx?post=9d72a9ef-a970-4f39-b4c3-63af5d82c2e4! All you need to do is actually read an ingredient list to see the man-made materials in them! The bad thing is that fresh meat and vegetables do not meet those ingredient criteria, as they are supposedly fresh. Don't be fooled! The only true way you can be sure of your foods purity is to grow it yourself or have trust in someone else growing it, unfortunately money enters into the equation and alters their judgement!

I believe I ate horse meat at a mexican restaurant in Guadalupe, California some years ago as the meat had a strange reddish color I've never seen with beef, though that's what they called it. Either way it went well with A-1.

@alumette "Wise people are vegetarian and healthier."

Hitler was also vegan...so much for "wise" people lol. Let me guess you are a vegan too lol.

Meat is meat. I love my cat and would not eat him, but if I was starving and there was only other cat meat I would eat it not to mention dog meat, horse meat, monkey meat, squirrel meat, rat meat, etc. since meat is meat. I might even eat human if my life depended on it. Like what happened to those people down in South America that survived a plane crash in the middle of the Andes back in the 70's, surrounded by nothing but snow and mountains. They lived by eating the people that had already died and some of the ones eaten were even family members of those that survived too if memory serves me.

Cows are not dumb either btw and can also be "loving" and respond to human interaction. Steers have their nuts cut off to make the meat taste better and I still eat them even though a am a man. Wasting meat or killing things without using the meat for something is not good. At least let the rest of nature have at that meat to eat/sustain life if you are going to let it go to waste and not eat it.

And yes the whole point of the story in the first place is that horse was being passed off as beef. Horse meat must not taste that much different compared to beef if they were able to pass it off as beef for some time. Much like how many white meats taste like chicken.

If they can test the meat to prove that it does not contain chemicals harmful to humans then I say "where is the horse". Open up some slaughterhouses, create some jobs, and provide some food for people. Mmm horse burger with bacon and some fries. Can I get a shake or an apple pie to go along with that too please?

Two thoughts here. First is for Mitch on protein sources. Meat, regardless of what animal it comes from, is a higher grade protein than protein from vegetables. I just happen to prefer beef, chicken, and fish on the combination of taste and quality. If horse can give me comparable grams and quality of protein, along with taste, I'd have no problem putting it on my dinner plate on a regular basis. I view food as fuel for the body, and quality is what gets the job done if you want the human body to work the way it's supposed to. I also believe your choice of food can give you a mental edge. When you have meat on your dinner plate, you always know where you rank on the food chain.

The other is historical, and I believe it plays a big part in the aversion to horsemeat. Look back to WWI, German troops were slaughtering their cavalry horses for food; at home, German citizens butchered horses in the streets for food. From a psychological standpoint, if you are looking for a way to mentally destroy a country, culture or race, this is the way to do it. In the context of war, eating your horses is eating one of your means of victory.

Today is a little different. You have the enduring cultural image of the cowboy and his horse; it's an emotional attachment versus the ultimate symbol of defeat in WWI. But reality is a different story. The horse has been almost entirely replaced by the automobile. No matter what SHTF circumstances we may see, I just don't see the horse figuring in to those circumstances except for a food source. There's just too much know-how out there for anyone to have no option other than a horse, should they care to access that know-how.

IWonder-932455

Hitler was a vegetarian

He was not actually a vegetarian as he still ate meat. Anyways, he was a non smoker too, does that mean non smokers are bad people? People always mention that he was a Christian too. Could we simply agree that the man was power hungry and that all of these details about him have nothing to do with it and/or are not representative of all non-smokers or Christians?

As Vincent Vega asked in Pulp Fiction, " So if a pig had a better personality it would cease to be a filthy animal?" We, as a nation, refuse to accept the idea or get repulsed at the idea of eating horse meat seemingly because horses have personality, intelligence or whatever. Horses have been used for meat for many many years, it is just in the last 20 or so years that people have become so adamant against the use of the animal for meat. Answer this question, what happened to remainder of the tens of thousands of horses shipped to Europe for use in WWI when the war ended? Were they shipped back home for horse ticker-tape parades and heroes welcomes? No, the majority were slaughtered for food by the Europeans as it was too costly to ship them back to where they came from. Just remember, "Meat's meat and all God's creatures gots to eat".

I own a horse, his name's Big Tex. Couldnt imagine someone eating a horse, that's like eating a pet folks!!

For those who have never been around horses; most horses are smarter than the average Dicks out there.

You could never persuade me to eat a horse if your life depended on it; would rather "eat" pussy

http://www.ibtimes.com/hitlers-food-taster-reveals-nazi-dictator-was-vegetarian-medical-records-showed-cocaine-addiction

You see anna, this was from one of his food tasters. She did it for two years, no meat.

What is your definition of a vegetarian?

Not sure I'd like it, but I'd try it if it's cheap. Could be great to serve in schools. Oh wait....I think we already do.

You can always google this IWonder: Adolf Hitler and vegetarianism. Either way tho what does it have to do with anything? Why are we discussing Hitler's diet exactly?

Personally my grandfather was a butcher (and a farmer), and I saw how it goes in slaughterhouses, and always wanted to quit eating meat. In fact I think that hunting (as long as the hunter can aim properly) is much less cruel than slaughterhouses. As I said I still eat meat once in a while, but I hope I can quit eating meat totally at some point.

Janice, you are an uneducated hippy. Go back to your cave.

The horses are sent to Mexico and tortured before they are slaughtered.

The answers do not seem pretty.

You do not have to send your sick or old horse to the slaughter house or shoot them or let them at the mercy of wildlife to be brutally attacked and killed. There is a Doctor that treats Animals if you don't already know this!!!! Yes sarcastic. But you all think its doom and gloom for old sick horses with no other alternative. Horses get put down just like your dog or cat, HUMANELY. Especially horse owners that had cared for their horse for years and that horse gave you pleasure and happiness for those years, they do not deserve an end to their life being given to the slaughter house. Shame on You if you do!!

As for eating the meat...not for me, just don't seem right. They weren't meant for food consumption.

You people for the most part are idiots. You think that just because you belong to the species called "humans" that you are the only intelligent beings on this earth? Wrong answer. Have you read any of the studies that have been done on the intellect of animals? Just because they can't speak our language by no means makes them stupid. They have feelings, hurt, bleed and suffer the same as you and I do. You want to kill one for your table? How about marching your fat bloated selves to a horse slaughterhouse before you make that decision. If, after watching that, you can still kill a horse to eat, go for it. It simply means you have no heart and you deserve to be in the skinning line right along side the horses. Killing "bambi" as you put it for meat? Face it - the majority of you so called he-man (and women) hunters out there do it just because you think it makes you look big - yes, put the trophy on your walls, attest to how the deer tried to get away while you sat in a tree with your camouflage gear on and opened fire in their territory. That makes you a real hero... or at least in your mind it does. Whether or not you know it, horses were here long before you were. We came over and decided to destroy everything in sight... we have destroyed our land, our forests, our animals...yeah, we are tough, aren't we? We take our mighty hunting rifles and shoot anything that moves, and then we wonder why we have global warming, tornadoes, out of control weather, droughts, floods, and erosion. Whether you realize it or not, God did not make you King... he did not make you someone who should destroy everything in sight. He put you in charge of animals - not to slaughter, abuse, and neglect - but to PROTECT. Slaughtering horses is just not right. And, to answer your question before you ask, NO, I do not eat meat. Of any kind. Reading this article and your comments make me ashamed to be a part of the human race. All of you are sick in the head.

Wilsonarden53, nobody cares about your online auctions. This is a commentary / blog about the inhumane slaughter of horses. Can you please take your crap somewhere else?

Miranda-7771823: You bettter do a little more reading in your bible because my bible sez all these things are put here for mans use and that doesn't mean you get to decide how mankind uses them! Thats ok, I really hope all you equine & pet lovers keep feeding your animals real good, then when things get real bad here in this country and you have to let your animals go cause you can't afford to feed them, there will be plenty to eat. mmmm tastes like chicken or beef or chineese food. Get over it !

Miranda-7771823

Killing "bambi" as you put it for meat? Face it - the majority of you so called he-man (and women) hunters out there do it just because you think it makes you look big - yes, put the trophy on your walls, attest to how the deer tried to get away while you sat in a tree with your camouflage gear on and opened fire in their territory

Hundreds of thousands of deer are harvested every year. You don't have to be a rocket scientist to realize what sort of problems would be created instantly if that were to cease. You do however have to use your brain to do your thinking as opposed to your heart. There is a reason people who put the "hearts" before their heads look like idiots and you've just highlighted it.

Owned horses, grazed them on my fields where I did not use fertilizer that contained weed killer. Also fed them field hay/alfalfa from farmers that didn't use weed killer fertilizer. We are talking DOMESTICATED horses, not WILD range horses! Most "owners" feed all kinds of supplements in the belief that it makes the horse healthier, instead of quality feed. They also feed a supplement to control flies. That supplement states that the manure should not be used for food production fertilizer, which defeats the purpose of composting that manure for use in gardens(which my neighbors and I loved to use).

However, what about the wild horses that are rounded up periodicly? Where do they end up? Some are "adopted" by people who think they can domestic them, some do so successfuly, quite a few fail...then what do they do with them?

My opinion is that these "excess", free running, "range raised/fed" WILD horses should be sold by the government (to cover the "round up" expenses) to inspected/certified slaughter/packing/processing plants labeled as horse meat, for sale in markets where the product is accepted. If there are markets in the US for horse meat, so be it, to each their own. Otherwise, export the remainder to the markets that want the meat. We've created some jobs, and not wasted a food(to some) item. Win, win.

Since my wife recently bought a horse (two actually) I've discovered what a huge problem it really is with horses that live into their twenties. Many people don't want to buy a horse that is older because a lot of times they can't ride them and they end up having huge vet bills. So people buy a younger horse, their kids ride it, their kids go off to college, and the parents can no longer afford to feed and board a horse that nobody rides...and often the horse is lonely. So they try to sell it but can't...they try to lease it but can't. Horses tend to then be underfed. It's a shame. But they wont sell the horse to be eaten because it's a family member (I don't blame them). So overall I would advise people not to buy their own horse and lease someone elses...that way you wont be in that situation...unless youre very wealthy.

It just frustrates me at times, how poorly some folks take care of their horses. Even as some businesses which supply other animals for large supermarkets, abuse those poor creatures when they could do so much better without paying huge amounts of money. Sinclair's book The Jungle is an eye opener to how things used to be in the slaughter houses and meat packing industry. It led to massive changes in how animals were treated, and what standards were applied to the foods people bought.

We seem to have this strange love, indifference relationship between humans and animals. There are many responsible pet owners.It is the other ones that cause the problems. Hoarders who have hundreds of animals, yet so many are kept in filthy conditions, dying. With the opposite folks who spend thousands of dollars pampering animals, while they let their own children go without proper food, care. Then those who let their animals run about outside, breeding more, which end up starved, get killed or get diseases. Then folks get upset about horses being used for food, while horses are left to starve, ignored and die slow deaths.

I came upon the remains of a horse, which had gotten its front left hoof caught in some machinery under a shed, and slowy died. Leg still trapped. How tragic that for some who claim to care for animals, they are treated cruelly and end up dying. Mother Nature doesn't have morals, just the law of survival of the fittest, at times luckiest. She certainly doesn't have the predatory wondering if its prey should be taken in as friend

@phil---- It costs me less to feed my horse then my dog. Just to tell you. When they're going down. Let them go. It's hard but, that's life. Who

Deer meat is too gamey. Yucky.

@Phil: No one should purchase or own any animal they cannot afford or don't plan to keep till that animal dies or has to be humanely put down. An animal is a responsibility and not something you ship off when the kids go to college. I don't know if you have children but NO parent should buy their child a dog or cat and certainly not a horse unless that parent is aware and accepts the fact that at some point they will be the caretakers of that animal. Any parent with even half a brain knows that they will be the one feeding the animal, walking the animal, paying the vet bills etc. As for eating cats and dogs even in China there is a move to ban consumption of both. Lastly if you view a dog or cat as just "food is food" do the animal world a favor and don't keep any animals at all. It is illegal in the USA to consume dogs and cats and by the way humans do not need to consume meat at all to be healthy.

I have eaten elk meat and buffalo but that's about as adventurous as it gets for me. Both quite tasty, actually.

After reading The Road by Cormac McCarthy however, I have a new appreciation for what we eat or what we will eat.

Deer meat is too gamey. Yucky.

Many of us prefer venison because of its flavor, If I wanted beef I would eat beef but I prefer venison, The taste of most wild harvested game is in my personal opinion much beter than domestically raised stock and while I certainly do have and consume domestically raised stock I do prefer the occasional wild harvested game.

If I went to an establishment that had horsemeat on its menu I would try it, I have had dog and cat and they are both quite tasty. The problem many Americans have is that we tend to make pets of everything. Personally I think Muskrat is one of the best tasting meats that I have ever had.

Bison tastes very similar to beef and is better for your body because it has not been selectively bred to increase muscle mass. Venison is not gamy if you cook it correctly, and we eat venison quite frequently since my husband is a hunter and it is cheaper than beef and also better for your body.

But I could never eat horse meat, cat or dog.

@PhilCommander - Horses can live into their 40s! My last horse died at 30.

i can cook horse,rabbit dog, beef,cat, deer. put all on one plat .set back an whatch you loving haters want more pleaesss. it is how you cook it. like any thing

It costs me less to feed my horse then my dog

That is a deceptive statement, If you are considering the grazing a horse does it requires property and that property must be maintained for grazing and must be fenced, You also have to pay property taxes on that property, Each or our dogs is fed 16 oz of dry kibble per day, These are hard working retrievers and they are healthy at the correct weight and very muscular, For a horse beside the grazing there is also hay,molasses oats and straw for bedding when the horse is in the stable/barn, Throw in some lime to neutralize the soil in the barn from the urine and manure and the need to clean and age the manure before it can be spread and it quickly adds up that a horse actually cost a lot more to feed than a dog.

yes true and when and where their harvested matters too! and what they eat matters.

My son-in-law fills a freezer with deer meat every year. It is a staple for the family dining table. My daughter can cook meat loaf, roast, chili, hamburger, spaghetti, sausage, Salisbury steak... and I would bet my life you could not tell the difference between the deer and hamburger meat.

It starts with the processing of the meat, the spices and the type of fat that has to be added when it is processed. Deer meat is so lean a small amount of fat has to be added in order for it to cook with any flavor other than the "gamy" one that people hate so much. And the type of fat used is critical to the flavor.

JANICE,

My horse is 37 and doing quite well for his age. And if someone ever tried to hurt or kill him, I would cut their off as my neighbors held them down!

When I took him off of a hack farm 32 years ago after he was abused and had abcessed, I knew that I had a friend and buddy for life. Would I give him up due to expense, not ever as what he gives back is priceless!

"Would I give him up due to expense, not ever as what he gives back is priceless!"

Just curious, would you do it to feed your family, if god forbid that was your choice?

eateater-7769454 wrote: "i can cook horse,rabbit dog, beef,cat, deer. put all on one plat .set back an watch you loving haters want more pleaesss."

As a liberal, that's one time I'd be glad there was a 2nd amendment allowing me the right to carry a firearm, 'cause if you feed me any of these animals without telling me, I'd be pretty damned pissed and ready to pull out that legal firearm!

John954 your post is one big bag of h---- s---

Horses act like pets because they're treated like pets. Cows, pigs and chickens are sweet and affectionate when you treat them like pets too. I knew someone that had a milking cow they never intended to slaughter. They treated it like a pet and it was very friendly and cuddly.

How much do you want for the bridge ?

Good catch Diner, and I wonder about the other 20%.

Are they doing a brisk business?

So they take an innocent life for an extra Buck.

Haven't any of you noticed that American Greed is destroying America!

Most of you people have no idea what you are talking about.. They are going to starve most of us out.

They have shut down farming like none other.. What happened to the San Joaquin Valley in Ca.

should have opened your eyes.. If the United States had to feed herself tomorrow, we would starve.

The Feds have stopped the grazing of cattle all over the country, this has crushed the Rancher

and God only knows what is next.. Do you think Washington will eat horse? Better wake up people.

Google Farming and Ranching, see what you come up with.. In almost every state farming is down,

some is just gone..

What! Does the word cannibalism mean anything to you?

It worked for the Donner party.

It worked for the Donner party.

That was not proven to be definitively true I believe but until we are faced with that situation it is absurd to say we should eat each other as wood states.

woodrat

People are just meat too; why stop at horses?

I believe there was a movie called Motel Hell that did just that....lol

Worked in our local livestock auction bldg, logging in horses. You came to know the dealers. NOTE: if they bid on your pet horse and it is over 500.00 they are not buying it to be sent off to the slaughter house. They buy bigger meatier horses. Draft are best. Also above is right. wild is better. Have been doing a diet that does not include any commercially fed meat, cows milk and eggs are included. Only free range products. Lost 19 lbs in 2 months, feel better, no arthritis, have been doing NO Exercise yet. People what goes into the feed gets passed into you. Haven't tried horse yet, at least not to my knowledge.....lol

I'd eat horse just like ill happily eat any thing else. As long as the animal is treated humanely and slaughtered the same i've got no issue. Can't imagine it is too different from venison.

Any animal flesh is toxic to a human being

It is?

We evolved to do just that, my family has eaten meat for all their lives and most have reached the good young age of 85 with ease. Some of them are even vegetarians and they don't seem to do any better with their health.

and the cruelty and horror we put animals to

That is how you feel but you don't know how they feel, animals killing animals for food has been the way of life ever since animals set foot on this earth.

the impact on our environment so we can eat meat will eventually destroy our planet and ourselves

not so at all, it takes a lot of energy to grow food, the real problem on earth is population growth.

Yes, animal flesh is toxic. Many studies are out there - just look around you at all the people with cancers and disease. Read "The China Study" and do some research on plant-based diets. The evidence is overwhelming - meat eaters prefer not to look cause they like those burgers. But ignorance does not make it so. It just leads to disease.

Hey Evolved, go back to your green books and leave the real people alone. Its the crap they add to the animal that makes it bad...THEY happen to be the Government.. Try raising your own or find a Ranch where you can purchase it..

If you eat Chicken, please don't eat Tyson.. They are shut down regularly because of rat and roach infested conditions...

If only you knew. And if you knew what the conditions are in the fields where you get your veggies,

people don't use potties, they chit in the wild..Why do you think they recall lettuce, and other??

You don't know squat...

I am not a vegetarian but I think it's incredibly hypocritical to eat meat and then tell people in other countries not to eat dogs, cats or horses. The reason animals act like pets is because they are treated like pets. Every warm blooded animal you are currently eating would be affectionate, attached and cuddly if you treated them like you would a dog.

Many Chinese restaurants have been busted for serving Cat..

Japanese restaurant in Ca. busted for serving Whale--big time fines and closure. Mexican restaurant in Metaire, La. busted for shooting Mourning Doves and serving same, so maybe not an urban myth re. cats, I am sure its happened.

A big no on Trigger, Fido and Puss--have problem with Bambi, Wild Daffey, do my hunting at Winn Dixie. I know rather hypocritical in a way, but certainly going into the home slaughter business or raise cattle, chickens or hogs, lamb too expensive so that point is moot.

What do you call a cow with no legs?????????

Ground beef!

I guess some people would look at a pig and wonder how we could eat that. I love seafood, I least I know what I am eating. Being from Maryland, steamed crabs are the best!

Kathleen, turn out the lights and observe the glow. Pollution is mostly unseen under the water.

To me it's better then eating a cat!!!

There is data out there to support any weird idea you may have. It there is toxicity in meat, it comes from the nutrients and additives given domesticated critters to keep them healthy. That’s why I kill,
process, and package most of the meat I consume. My physician is concerned that I eat too much
in the line of grains and other starchy and oft artificially enhanced junk foods.

Some Asians (Chinese etc.) will eat anything and everything--realize it is a cultural thing, however, eating Fido is not a viable option in the US, along with Puss and Trigger.

I came home from work one day, and discovered that my (new) husband (and thankfully long-time ex) had decided to eat my pet rabbit: my bunny, that I petted, fed, trained to the litterbox, played with, etc., nothing more than a pile of bones on that SOB's dinner plate. I am revolted at the thought to this day.

I understand the logic and reasoning of raising animals for the food chain, but I learned a long time ago that you never name them or become emotionally attached. This was long before Mr. Bunny, too. Horses belong in the emotionally attached realm. If we were starving, it would be a different story, but we aren't.

My nephew, in his efforts to raise his son with the knowledge of livestock being food, bought a dozen chicks. He explained to his 7-year-old son that these would be their dinner on several occasions over the coming year. The son understood.

His grandmother asked him if he had named the chicks. He said, "Yes, they are one, two, three . . .."

She asked, "Why did you name them that?"

He replied, "That's Sunday dinner one, Sunday dinner two, Sunday dinner three. . .."

A bit later, one of the chicks died, (reasons unknown, but it might have had something to do with a baseball.) My nephew asked what he thought about that. The child again replied, "Well, it's big enough to be chicken McNugget."

How we define things in our minds is what sets our standards. I could never eat one of my cats or dogs. However, you should watch out for my ex, not only would eat your bunny, cat or dog, he might eat one of your kids.

If you raise a pet bull, name him Steak.

If you do not want to eat meat that is your right, But quit trying to tell everyone else what they should or shouldn't eat.

I am having Rabbit for dinner tonight and Chukar on Sunday evening.

I take it you don't eat meat, Paul?

I understand where you're coming from Paul. Cruelty in the animal industry in america is why I haven't eaten commercial meat in about twenty five years. I will however eat venison or rabbit humanely and quickly killed from certain hunter friends who are extremely ethical people.

I've seen first hand what goes on in factory animal barns and want NO part of it ever. The misery in there, then the trucking to slaughter, then killing. It's not life. If science could ever perfect how to grow a steak in a petri dish it'd be preferable.

Our evolutionary background prepares us to eat meat. We are omnivores and have the dentition to consume vegetables and meat. I will agree that the selective breeding of livestock has created monstrosities and that the cattle, pigs, chickens etc that we eat now bear little to no resemblance to the animals that they used to be; the end result of this is an increase in cholesterol producing meat. Wild animals eat the food that they are designed to eat (grasses, acorns et al) and live their lives free instead of in feed lots. This is one reason that wild game is better for your body than the commercially produced meat. Our family eats venison on a regular basis and bison when we can afford it. Last weekend, my husband and I went out to eat and he ate kangaroo and elk and I had a bison NY strip. All were very good.

I am firmly of the belief that our country has an over-dependence on cattle for food and they are being raised in some areas that are quite unsuitable for the cattle's ability to forage. These are the places where cattle are not kept on a landowner's property but instead are grazed on public lands. Those areas are suited for BISON, ELK and DEER but not CATTLE - yet we exterminated the bison for their hides and left the meat to rot all in order to put cattle there instead. My husband is a hunter and we use as much of the deer that he takes as we can - scraps are made into venison stew or ground. We live in an area where we are over-run with deer because the natural predators have been killed off. We have a small herd that grazes on our fields and the does routinely have twins or triplets and also have extra rut seasons so that we get more than one "fawn season" per year. It is kinder to manage their numbers through responsible hunting and consuming their meat than it is to let them overpopulate even more and starve and get hit by cars. I have friends who hunt primarily to feed themselves but also to give the venison to a program called "Hunters for the Hungry" where the venison is processed professionally and given to families who are in need. We have yet to have such a good year that we can donate as well, but if we ever had a year that we could not keep all the meat ourselves or give it to family then we would also be donating to Hunters for the Hungry.

LostInThePineBarrens, You may miss understand where I'm coming from. It's not your choice to eat animal flesh, that's your issue, if you are just another selfish human who sees himself as better than every other species. I want to stop the insanity of what we do to the animals, regardless or what you think about animals. If you where a bank robber, should I still mind my own business and not fight to have you stopped? One is a moral ethical ban, although if we ever evolve enough will be a "human" crime ( eating animal flesh ), the other already a "human" crime and will meet the long arm of the law (bank robbery). What is you were a mass murderer of humans, should I not do all I could along with law enforcement to see that crime come to a rapid end? These are all human made laws for humans, we give little if any protection to any animal, and certainly the government has no agency for protecting animals, just agencies that create a good environment for hunters, i.e Wildlife Services, Fish and Game Commission, etc. Yes, I will always stand up to people like yourself who twist things for your benefit.

Correct Scooter-2237889, I don't eat flesh of any kind, or any dairy (which is another horror show in itself). Smart people realize it's a win-win for the animals and people, when flesh is taken out of the diet. The government and flesh producers have told us all our lives about how great meat is, "makes you a man", etc. I say bull@!$%# to the propaganda machine in the U.S. concerning animal flesh!

I'm a retired, disabled vet, if anyone whats to question my love of country, feel free.

-Paul Hester

LostInThePineBarrens, You may miss understand where I'm coming from. It's not your choice to eat animal flesh, that's your issue, if you are just another selfish human who sees himself as better than every other species.

It is my choice, I like animal flesh, Personally I do not care what you eat but again do not tell me what I can or can not eat.

I'm a retired, disabled vet, if anyone whats to question my love of country, feel free.

I am a vet also, That has nothing to do with eating meat, I commend you for your service to our country but again advise that what I eat is my personal business and not yours, If you do not want to consume animal meat or animal products that is fine but do not tell me that I can not.

LostInThePineBarrens, As a vet yourself it would be nice to agree, and I do appreciate your serving the U.S. I always have people saying if you don't like it leave and take your anti American values with you. We have a big major difference of thought here, but we both served to allow all to express themselves. You will probably always be a flesh eater, so there is little value in spending time telling you of the horror that is caused when we eat animal flesh. I hope someday you have an epiphany, but for now we at least have our service in common. Thanks again! Paul

Paul - you need to seek help, you are loosing it.

It's not your choice to eat animal flesh

No?

If one looks at their (the animals) lives and death, one should come away with a feeling of horror by what they have seen and/or read

This is the way of life since animals first set foot on earth. You need to go have a talk with the lions, tigers as well, maybe you can get them to stop eating the bisons and zebras.....it is absolutely horrible what they do to those poor animals.

Get real.

Lost, watch out for those lead pellets, lead is retained and builds up in the body, may want to switch ammo. Partridge in a Pear Tree?

Yeah ya think if ''christ'' is sooooooooooo great he would stop the killing ??? LOL Not!!

Shyparrot, Lead has been outlawed in the US for waterfowl hunting since 1991, The alternative is Steel shot or bismuth, This was not done to protect the hunter but to prevent build up of lead at the bottom of waterways where the waterfowl feeds and while it is true that when certain ducks,geese consume lead it can wind up in the animals blood and flesh but when game that has been shot with lead shot/bullets is consumed by humans lead basically passes thru and considering the small amount of lead that is actually ingested when consuming game taken with lead shot/bullets that the amount of lead has no affect on humans.

Paul I'm a Christian and I would like to know what that has to do with not eating meat. The sciptures does say not to eat beast of burden and I would take that to mean Horses, donkey's, Mules and possibliy oxen. In the same note it doesn't say you are going to Hell if you do eat these things. Slauterhouses are much more humane than chase the animal down and just sliting its throat out in the feild. Humanes are designed to eat meat. we have K-9 teeth for eating meat. alos i just read and article in Life Estension magazine that shows Veans don't live any longer than meat eaters. If you do everything you can to stay healthy or if you don't on avereage you will Die by age 75. I dont care if you want to be a vegan and you should not care if I want to eat meat. These are personal choices. I would never do anything to force you to eat meat and you shouldnot do anything to try to make me become a vegan. Eating Horse is a choice and we in the USA chose not to for the most part.

Paul, while I respect your choices, I have to dispute some of the claims in your post. First off, it has been shown in animal welfare studies that livestock do not show increased stress by the presence of blood or "the smell of death" in packing plants. That study was done by Temple Grandin at Colorado State.

Regarding cattle, they are usually stunned by captive bolt, which is shown by EEG and eye reflexes to result in immediate and permanent unconsciousness when done correctly (as it is in the overwhelming majority of cases). In large scale plants, the stunned animal has a chain attached to the hindlimb. If there is any doubt that the first stun did not render them totally insensible, a second stun is performed to remove all doubt. Immediately after this, the animal is exsanguinated (bled out). The heart still beats for a short time, but the animal is unconscious and insensible. By the time a knife penetrates the skin of the animal, they are gone. They are not alive when they are split by bandsaw.

That's not to say that everything goes perfectly 100% of the time, but we do our best and our best is pretty damn good (well in the 99% range). Small operators or custom-kill can be an issue if standards aren't met.

Like I said, it's your choice as to whether you eat meat. As far as horse slaughter goes, I've never seen or done it. If it were to return to the U.S., low-stress handling methods would have to be developed as well as proper protocol for humane stunning. I would welcome the return of horse slaughter to the U.S. as long as these criteria were met, and we have many great animal scientists that could develop proper humane and low-stress handling techniques to satisfy them.

I'll stop eating meat tomorrow, all but pussies.

to the above comment regarding the guy who wants proper techniques in killing-go to you tube and look up horse slaughter videos please-watch how the animals are still alive, not dead being disected. Then lets talk-thats with current restrictions and scientists who allow animals who test positive for diseases such as Hepatis, West Nile, etc. loaded with vaccines, chemicals, etc that can kill humans. On the cover of our medications for horses says may be lethal if consumed, absorbed, by dogs and humans-really cows are not selected for slaughter pumped full of things that will kill you! Why do you think countries that eat horse are rushing to get it out of their stores right now!

Most of the horsemeat that was used in the US was for dog food. When they closed the slaughterhouses they destroyed the value of most horses. Now a horse who is not worth keeping must be kept at considerable cost or abandoned. There are now so many extra horses you can't give one away. I own a horse boarding facility and I am offered a couple of horses every month for free.

Ok fine. The same is true about dogs and cats but I'm not about to start eating them either.

lol i guess pigs arent as cute!

I can why some people dont really understand whats going on-in most cases a farmer will lend a backhoe free of charge, the people starving them have money in 90 percent of abuse and neglect cases they are spending money on stuff they have to have like fancy cells, super trucks, really nice places. There are so many doctors and other important people who just have a horse to collect the fame. When the prices dip they just threw them away. An as far as putting them down, the local vet charges under a 100 bucks, less than a monthly cable bill for most folks-and if you aint got friends who can call the truck that picks them up and hauls them away-thats 125. a horse. Wow just killing folks! Those are the lamest excuses I ever heard. Thats cause if you euthanize and bury them the killer buyer makes nothing! So lets empty his pockets and save the innocent animals and stop the growing propaganda about what they really kill for. The guy above said its about money-they money they do not want horse owners to make for their animals but they money they want for their lies. I myself dont buy the garbage. Burial is just fine-most horses are not a complete loss and honestly lets jail the people who neglect them-I meant thats ultimately the other reason people want to have slaughter plants to get RID of the evidence. And I have met cattle farmers who have backhoed over a hundred head of cows at a time because they were not quite what they wanted people to see on their farm so dont protect the cattle farmers. They try to get out of their responsibilities too!

I think a lot of us are happy that Congress did not act on many things.

Stop eating veggies, Turn carnivore, carnivores have better sex, are better looking than you and are smarter than you. Remember, There are hundreds of kinds of animal flesh with more protein than beans and animal flesh does not make you fart!

Stop the cruelty to beans NOW!

Personally I like beans and yes I appreciate the benefit from beans in not just their protein but their fiber content as well as their great taste.

Having said that Chili Con Carne just isn't the same without the carne!

Moderation my friend, Moderation

All this talk of beans has given me a hankering for some 12 bean soup with just the right amount of bacon and salt back for flavoring and texture.

Does the word "kwashiorkor" mean anything to you? It is a common syndrome afflicting vegans. In fact, vegans are more prone to deficiency disorders than omnivores. I think I'll have the chef salad.

Let's see, of the vegetarians and vegans I know, each one is sickly. One has liver issues, the other has esophagus and digestion problems and all of them are anemic and unhealthily underweight. Thanks, but no thanks.

Vegetarians aren't the same as vegans. In fact, vastly different. I know me some chunky vegetarians. Lots of fats and proteins available to them like cheese, french fries, etc.

Vegans, on the other hand, look miserable and thin.

A lot of people would be much healthier being vegan. Vegans aren't necessarily miserable. They are almost always thin and that's a good thing. Most people eat much more food than they need. It isn't their fault because we are hardwired to eat a lot and seek out sweets and fats. Vegan food is relatively low in calories so if you stuff your face, at least you're doing it with low calorie food.

I eat a lot of meat but I like vegan food and can cook some amazing vegan dishes. The recipes are unique. For example there's a recipe for Vegan Mac and No Cheese that uses cashews to make a smooth, creamy, cheese-like sauce. Yummy.

Have you seen your psychiatrist lately?

In this country you have a choice, it is one thing to make that decision for yourself but please don't impose your strange beliefs on me.

Now let me go cook my horse steak.

Not much meat on most I have seen.

I am with you on that one, Personally I think there should be a bounty of feral cats, In my state(NJ) we actually have idiots that catch these feral cats and take them to vets and have them spayed/neutered and get them shots and then release them back into the feral cat colonies, These colonies decimate the wildlife populations they inhabit, These feral cats are deemed too wild to be placed in homes as companions so they should be destroyed.

Lost

In my state(NJ) we actually have idiots that catch these feral cats and take them to vets and have them spayed/neutered and get them shots and then release them back into the feral cat colonies

Their relatives live here in NY as well.

Having the same problem now as we write with a few people in the neighborhood and worse yet they are asking the rest of us for donations to help the cause.

They feel bad for the damn cats and claim they are doing this [spayed/neutered] to reduce the population of ferals and thereby reduce the incident of coyotes & fox that are attracted to eating the cats. This they claim makes it safe for humans and pets but at the same time they leave food out for the cats which attract not only the predator animals but all the other wild animals. One of the most convoluted thinking there is.

Like Paul these people have lost the sense of reality and rational thinking.

On_no, What I don't understand is why the law allows these people to do this, If I allow my dog to run loose I can be issued a summons, In NJ it is unlawful to release domestic animals or non indigenous species into the wild. These cats are not native to the state or to the United States. I actually stopped doing business with a local vet because they supported this type of thing, 2 of the Vets at the office told me that they actually add the cost of spaying/neutering/shots of these feral cats into their other customers bills and spread it out to cover the costs, I told them I would find another Vet.

0bamacare for cats.

Lost -

I found out a month ago [from my vet and a DEC Officer] that it is a misdemeanor to capture, neuter and release the ferals back into the environment. The problem is most don't know it and most don't file complaints.....which I am about to change.

Unfortunately in my area of NY there are no leash laws or licensing required for cats but there should be. In NY our government seem to have a great desire to create laws that provide no true benefits to society.

Use dumb people.........

There are far too many reports of domestic WANTED AND LOVED horses being STOLEN from their pastures

Thats funny because around here there are ads for free horses because people can no longer afford them, I can not remember any reports of a horse being stolen.

With corn at $7.00 a bushel and up and hay over $2.00 a bale now there are a lot of horses in the to give away column here also.

May you enjoy your bute and the leukemia, auto immune disorders or other cancers caused by eating the meat. EVERY product from fly spray to hoof treatments are banned in animals for consumption. Bute and many of the meds we use in horses are deadly. It is not ALLOWED in our beef and is banned by our FDA. Further the FDA rates horses as companion animals for this reason. It is pure ignorance and irresponsibility to not face we are hurting innocent people to line the pockets of very small minority in this country.

Horses may even become a practical alternative to the Chevy Volt!

ihate

These are individual choices and the general public doesn't want this

did you read your last sentence? Are you qualified to speak for the general public?

So are all those who eat cats, dogs, horse, donkey, mules, scorpions, spiders and rats having problems?

You are imposing your personal feelings on the public....very dangerous.....I implore you to think.

When one is hungry enough horse & bear taste pretty good, I still prefer elk or deer however when I was young horse steak & stew tasted pretty good. Of course we didn't have food stamps & free handouts at our beckon call. As children we were taugh not to name animals being raised for slaughter, yea even the pigs & chickens.

"These are individual choices and the general public doesn't want this."

This sentence makes absolutely no sense what so ever. If they were individual choices, it wouldn't matter what the general public wants, because it would be up to the individual. That sentence is the equivalent of "do what you want, as long as I agree with it".

Of course we didn't have food stamps & free handouts at our beckon call.

LBJ's Great Society is destroying this country, There is no longer any personal responsibility, They all have the "It's the Governments job to take care of them" mentality

As children we were taugh not to name animals being raised for slaughter, yea even the pigs & chickens.

We named all of ours...Their last name was Breakfast, lunch or Dinner...Sunday Dinner,Monday Dinner...Tuesday Breakfast,Fridays lunch!

"These are individual choices and the general public doesn't want this."

It would seem that a good part of the general public doesn't want to work yet still wants to eat.

It would seem that a good part of the general public doesn't want to work yet still wants to eat.

It would seem that a part of the general public is still stuck on stupid cliches and misinterpreted scripture and politically motivated bigoted jargon.

and they are all out to get you ..... wooooooo, get out and smell the roses.