How is horse slaughter different from other animal slaughter?

Question

This kind of goes along with my other question. Now, I love horses, and a cow to me will never mean as much as a horse - we ride horses, spend time and money on them and grow up "horse crazy". I love cows too but not like I love horses - cow slaughter somehow doesnt make me as sad, and I do eat beef.

But many people bring up that horse slaughter isn't any different than cow or pig slaughter. They are all animals dying in a scary slaughterhouse so we can take their body parts for our own uses. people who say this DO have a point, of course.

so what do YOU say to the people who (correctly) bring that point up? i am curious.

Answer 1

Stepping on the soap box after Rosie, but a might shorter.

Horses are bred for meat. Where do you think the draft horse came from. Not just for plowing. They where a duel porpose breed(work and food). We also have to remember that lambs are very cute and cuddlie too. but we eat them. And lamb has no worse death than a cow or horse. Many for us Americans can not see past our own bleeding hearts( I'm ready for the thumb y'all). And before we go castizing those who support horse slaughter just remember those peacefull Native Americans who roamed this country ate horse. Infact the Apache love horse and the only thing they loved more than horse meat was mule meat(most of the time it was goverment horses and mules). So Americans not eating horses is kinda thrown out the window there isn't it. I love horses. I make my living with horses. But my horses earn my meals by helping me work my ranch. My personal horse probably will never see a slaugher house and will die with me. But. They are livestock-LIVESTOCK-meaning the animal can be use for work and for food. The horse is no more or less intelegent than a cow(if you worked cattle, you would understand). Hollywood has instilled this immage of the cowboy in the white hat, in truth, if you ever mentioned this a cowboy from that era(or today) you just might get slapped. I know I will probably plenty of thumbs down on this rant. But lets face it, life is harsh. The sooner people accept this the better off we would all be.

-Steps off the soap box-

Answer 2

In my opinion (get your thumbs ready, folks) it isn't different.  Domesticated animals are bred, born, and raised for human use.  They would never have lived if not for that.

People get hung up on horse slaughter because of the romance of the horse.  They view them as companion animals, which they may be, but they're also edible livestock.  NO ONE has to put their horse into the slaughter house if it's a pet!  If they choose to, they really don't consider it that way.

For myself, I took on a lifelong committment to each of my horses when I got them.  They will not end up in slaughter because I love them and I have made arrangements for them even in the case of my death.  Most people feel everyone should feel that way, but I feel if they don't it's unfair to make them.  Some people feel they can sell a pet and expect to still control what people becomes of them, but that's unreasonable.

I wish no animals had to die in scary slaughterhouses, but nowadays most slaughterhouses in the US are well regulated.  It's much easier to slaughter when the animals aren't panicking and out of control.   Shutting down the horse slaughter facilities in this country just means the horses have to be shipped further and slaughtered under means outside our control.  If every state had a horse facility, they could regulate how its done and limit the transport difficulties.  I wish people would work to improve these facilities, not to shut them down in the mistaken belief it will help horses.

I do not see how it's better to put the horse's carcass in the landfill to rot then to put it in dogfood.  The horse is dead either way, and he really doesn't care.

And the final revenge...  these horses have received wormers and drugs that are NOT allowed in animals to be eaten by humans in this country.  If the meat is shipped abroad for human consumption, it's really not healthy for the consumer!  Anyone risking eating these horses is putting his/her own life on the line.

Answer 3

Cow's are raised/bred for the slaughter house and for milking, nothing more really.

Horses are raised/bred for riding, competing in shows, etc.

People say that horses are overpopulated, thats because people breed them for a living, overpopulating the species, and because of that, horses die to make rooms for the 'better breeds'.

Pigs, chicken, all raised to be killed.

Answer 4

Well they are right sort of. I guess if you fed me horse meat without telling me what it was it wouldn't matter. Even if you told me later I don't think the thought of it alone would make me sick. I choose not to eat horse meat(even if I could get it around here) because if I knew it was horse before eating I just couldn't do it. I would think of Sandy and how she is the best horse I have ridden even though she is 30 years old or Ally(20ish) who puts up with my knee problems and never objects to me having to hang on to her after I dismount. Even though it is totally illogical because they are still alive I would always have to think "What if that is them or some other horse I have ridden or even just seen?" and I just couldn't do it. I would rather be a vegetarian than eat horse meat and that would be difficult since I don't eat any vegetables(can't stand them).

EDIT: One slightly more logical reason like someone above has pointed out is that we don't breed horses for meat. I mean even in China where they eat dogs they have certain dogs that are bred for that and they don't just eat their pets or random strays or anything(according to my Chinese friend).

Answer 5

Does anyone eat horses??? I think not! virtually no one eats horses (1 in 1bil) whilst most of the population eats cows,pigs e.c.t. Horses are not used when they are dead like cows (beef leather e.c.t.) are.  Sometimes the hooves are used to make glue but not so often nowadays.  Killing horses is cruel and pointless I personally don't eat meat of any kind but I can appreciate why people would and I can accept it, however killing horses, seals for sport, tigers, whales (don't get me started) and many other animals for fur/sport/no apparent reason makes you masochistic and a horrible person!

Answer 6

i dont eat animals or use their products ,so i am on firm moral ground when i say,i dont approve of any of that!that being said,a good point to bring up is that it seems excessively cruel to kill an animal that was petted,loved and treated well all its life,like a dog,then kill it.the terror is unimaginable.i kno what im talking about.when i was young,my parents sold my horse to a lady who swore she would take care of it.we found out later,she sold it as dogfood.i cant tell u the tears,regret and nightmares this has caused my whole family.sometimes,for economic reasons,a horse must be sold.u think its going to a good home,and u find ur beloved pet has basically been murdered.the sorrow and guilt ive felt the last 15 years,is something i cant begin to describe.my mom and brother,too.i became a vegetarian/non animal product user over this.i feel crushed by the weight of regret.we loved her,we were naive and trusted the wrong person-it led to tragedy for my horse and everlasting guilt for my family.it was a pet,like a dog  that u feel is part of ur family.would u kill ur dog,anyone?not many people would.for horse lovers,similar feelings toward their horses.i was in france recently.i left every restaurant that served horse,and p'd off a lot of snooty chefs!i couldnt find too many vegetarian restaurants there,so i ate non-meat items at places that sold beef,etc,but only bcause i had to eat somewhere and there wasnt much choice.it reminded me of what happened so much,ive decided never to visit there again.i cant tell u how full of sorrow i am.i feel broken and like nothing i will do can ever help the torment i am in.i feel like i killed my own child or something.

Answer 7

The difference between a cow and a horse is how we percieve them.  I had a pet steer who was given to me because he was physically disabled.  I loved him as much as any dog or cat I've had and wouldn't think to put him to slaughter!  People don't like to think of killing horses because of the love they have, they are pets.  :~)  They are in many cases doted on, cared for, and pampered.   Many horses are a part of the family as was my calf Quasimodo.  I do not like to take the stance of whether or not the actually killing of horses, cows, or any animal is wrong, however, I do believe it is wrong to do it in a harmful or torterous manner.  Like I said before, horses are usually a member of the family like a dog or cat which is why it is hard for people to see them slaughtered.

Answer 8

The reason that sticks out the most in my mind is that horses are not raised for consumption like cows and pigs are. Cows and pigs (and chickens, and what have you) are bred specifically for the purpose of being killed for food and other products.  Horses are bred to be companions and partners to humans.  For that reason, our mindsets about horses and their place in society are completely different than the way we think about cows or pigs.

EDIT:  FiFi, lots of people eat horsemeat - in Europe and otherwise.  And horses' body parts (even their hides and hair) are used for MANY different things, not just glue and gelatin.  After all, the demand for dead horses is coming from SOMEwhere!

Answer 9

Okay, I WASN'T going to answer this, BUT...

Zeph, they are NO LONGER slaughtering horses here in the  US.  You can haul your own horse to a tallow plant (They still do this in San Luis Obispo County, CA.) and either shoot it, or have a vet put it down there.  BUT that's the only way a horse gets rendered alive anymore.

Because of the new law, NO horse can actively be hauled to a slaughterhouse in the US and destroyed by their employees. There is ONE slaughter plant, which slaughters horses only for zoos, but NOT for human consumption.   IF we had cleaned up the slaughterhouses here in the US, what's happening now would NOT be as big as an issue as it is.  See Western Horseman's article from last year, sorry I don't remember the date.

When we had local rendering plants here in the US, the old, infirmed and generally unwanted hroses were destroyed nowadays, it's still happening, BUT they are buying sound, plump, healthy and broke horses some with papers even and hauling them to the boarder of Mexico and runing them on foot across the boarder for a VERY painful, slow death in comparison to what was going on here in the US.  Canada's probably a BIT better than Mexico.  

We "should've" just cleaned up our slaughterhouses and tried to make the demise of the horses a lot less tramatic than what it was.  It would have been better for the horses who are now being turned out because folks can't feed them or afford the $250.00 a vet will charge to put them down or the $250.00 the tallow plants will charge to come and pick them up.

:::Steps off of soap box and hands it to Kevin:::

BTW Kevin, I thumbed ya up and my kid really liked your answer too!  When she gets back on line I'll make her thumb ya too!

Answer 10

Horses are companion animals.  Although some cultures eat dog and cat most western cultures are horrified by it.  Same for horses.  Cows on the other hand have never been companion animals.  I would no more eat my horse than my dog but I do enjoy a nice juicy steak.  I have a pet pig but don't mind eating pork mostly, unless I think about Harley while I'm enjoying my bacon.

Answer 11

Well, it really isn't.

When the value of life in general in our culture depends on whether something is wanted or not, why is anybody shocked about this?

Answer 12

I don't believe it is really any different--the major differences are in our minds. Horses are not a higher level of animal than cows or pigs (which plenty of people keep as pets and which are extremely intelligent).

People ate horses long before they were domesticated, and even when they were domesticated, it was as a food source. Riding and pack uses came later.

Answer 13

It's different because horses are flight prey animals they panic when the are put it the kill pen. As a result they often suffer a horrible death. It's wrong to say I don't have a problem with slaughter I really do...... but I have no problem with the slaughter of any animal (EXCEPT MINE) if the animal does not suffer.

Check out this report cbc did:

http://www.cbc.ca/national/blog/special_...

Answer 14

Horses arn't normally bred for food. Cows on the other hand or raised just for meat.

Answer 15

wow FiFi...you aren't very smart...or you would know that in a lot of countries they eat horses and don't eat cows...they worship the cow...

geez...Friday the 13th is definitely around the corner...ugh.

Answer 16

well i had to watch a video last week on how to slaughter a cow for school. im in agriculture.and you can email me if you want to know. its really sad. but watch this video i found.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qszxE7h3K...

Answer 17

LOL they old debate, animal or animal if you see killing rats or mouses as bad you should see killing horses as bad.

The thing with humans is because the animal doesnt tastes great ( not talking out of exp) or has cute eyes or maybe a great personality and looks pretty calm we think he is higher up morality wise. Animals are all the same people just get attached

Stupid but true

Answer 18

The biggest difference is that horses are usually allowed to live out the best part of their lives prior to becoming dog food.

Certain cows are raised specifically for meat and hides and are slaughtered  as soon as they reach optimum size.

Ultimately we ALL go to the slaughter house.