Last night I watched the 'F' word and Gordan was promoting the viewers to eat horse meat.

At first I was horrified and I was very suprised that it was even legal to eat horse.

However, apparently this meat contains half the fat of beef and contains x10 as much omega 3.

I asked myself why I was so intially horrified and I guess it was because literature and media etc over the years have painted the horse to be a majestic creature that has served us loyally throughout the ages. However, in some parts of the world pigs and cows are sacred animals yet we think nothing of chopping them up and eating them for sunday lunch.

I'm still undecided whether it is right to eat horse or not.....what are you opinions on this matter?

I watched Gordon's programme too. Yes, I would certainly eat horse and cannot think of any adequate reason not to.

Whle I have no objections in principle to eating horse, I'm not sure I'd be allowed....my g/f is a veggie horse lover!

I am a horse lover, for most of my life and until recently I have had horses. Whilst I couldn't eat horse meat myself I do not see a great deal of difference for non-horsey types between eating horse meat or beef/lamb etc.

I couldn't eat horse meat for the same reason I could never eat dog or rabbit or duck, I have had such animals as pets and had a special bond with them which I wouldn't be able to keep from my mind whilst I ate their cousins!

As with any meat we consume, the question shouldn't really be whether it is right or wrong to eat that type of animal but whether they have been reared and slaughtered in the kindest way possible.

The horses Janet Street Porter went to see looked like very well cared for livestock.

However, I have doubts whether it would ever be sold in mainstream shops / supermarkets in this country - we are on the whole a nation of horselovers and are quite sentimental (quite rightly) about these fantastic creatures.

If it was packaged like all other meat in supermarets and on offer I bet people would but it. Like all other prepaired meat it has no connection to where it came from for most people.

Like Becs i probably wouldn't eat it myself for the same reasons, but so long as the horses were treat humanely all the way through as with any animal i don't see it as a problem.

is this thread right next to the thread about a missing pony in doncaster for any particular reason?

As with any meat we consume, the question shouldn't really be whether it is right or wrong to eat that type of animal but whether they have been reared and slaughtered in the kindest way possible.

I agree with this... whilst I love animals, and animal cruelty upsets me a great deal, I must admit I'm a complete hypocrite because I could never give up eating meat! And if you follow the logic that if you're happy to eat a cow/pig/sheep/chicken then technically why should a horse be any different?

Although that objective logic would fail if anyone were to try & suggest to me to eat a doggy... :evil:

I've had horse-steaks...they're the tastiest, most succulent slab of meat I've eve tasted (sorry).

I had them when in France though.

If I found any here, I wouldn't hesitate.

OK for you. Not so good for the horse ;-)

Sorry to say....I've had and enjoyed horse meat..again while in France, and it was really nice as well....
So yeah, i would eat horse meat again..And i may be off to France later this year..I'll prob be eating it again...

jt

I read somehwere that the treatment of horses in the meat industry is very poor which is why we shouldn't eat it. I thought you could only get horse meat from the continent...?

I've eaten things which I'd previously only seen David Attenborough films of- because I've eaten in local restaurants and eaten what's on the local menu.

So I can tell you that both impala and Thompson's gazelle are lovely, so are guinea fowl and ostrich- but I wasn't that impressed with crocodile (bit muddy flavoured and tough). All of these were eaten in parts of Africa where cows are really hard to rear because of most of the year having drought conditions, so they eat what's plentiful- impalas are referred to locally in parts of southern area as going for a McDonalds because they're everywhere and you can catch them wherever you live.

I've probably eaten horse without being aware of it (I've eaten in places where I didn't understand the menu) but I probably wouldn't have any qualms about eating it if it were somewhere that it was normal for it to be eaten.

If it has nostrils or gills, Id have a pop at it.

Different strokes for different folks, what may sound disgusting here is a treat elsewhere. I was once told that the Chinese see us as drinking milk as a vile habit, along the lines of drinking saliva.

Hi,

I keep horses - they all have passports which state whether or not they will go for human consumption when they die. Mine won't because they wouldnt be fit to eat anyway. Cartloads of race and competition horses fail to make the grade every year or just retire and are slaughtered. These do make good eating as they are kept in the right condition for it. Also wild/feral ponies are culled regularly and these go for meat, though I suspect for animal feeds, but also for processed meat products - those ones which say "meat and animal derivatives" in the ingredients could contain these.

I dont have any qualms about eating horses, but I do mind it being hidden and I do mind the secretive way they are used for pharmacutical products (Mares' urine for example) and we arent given a choice about it because we dont know.

We can choose ethical systems if we know all about the production and sourcing, most of the time we dont know, so we cant really choose, food or pharmacy wise. But I have to say a fit horse is probably much better to eat than a fit cow and I would choose it if its healthier.

I've heard there's horse meat in a lot of salami products. including peporami (sp?) so people may have eaten horse meat without knowing.

Id try it,i thought it looked lovely when they fried it up and sliced through it.
On the other hand i did feel sorry for Gordon(THE HORSE) when he was taken away in the back of the truck to the slaughter house...awwwww

sarah xx

Although I don`t see anything wrong with eating horse(it is supposed to be very nice) Idon`t think i could bring myself to do it, I don`t know why cos I love meat. maybe because I had several horses myself before i had the kids.

I could never contemplate eating horse meat having been a horse lover all my life and having 2 horses of my own.
I'm not againt others eating it but could not have watched Gordon Ramsay's programme last night without shedding a tear for poor old Gordon the horse. It's weird really, I eat meat (With exeption of lamb) but I can't think about the slaughtering of the poor animals we eat as It really upset me. I have tried to be a vegetarian but couldn't hack it!

People have brought up "dog meat". Is it legal to eat dog in the UK?

What better way to serve man, after years of service than to feed him at the end of an animals life...?

People have brought up "dog meat". Is it legal to eat dog in the UK?

that is a really interesting question, does anybody know the answer?

If they bred a dog that did have the best meat ever....would you eat it?

that is a really interesting question, does anybody know the answer?

If they bred a dog that did have the best meat ever....would you eat it?

I would, my mates thinking of having his dog when it gets a bit older see.
At the end of the day were top of the food chain, i plan to stay there.

that is a really interesting question, does anybody know the answer?

If they bred a dog that did have the best meat ever....would you eat it?

I believe it's perfectly legal to eat dog.
People you're not allowed to eat, but dogs Ok.

My mum says you could buy horse meat in the war, problem is it stinks.

It is illegal to eat dog meat in the UK. Googled it and came up with a categoric yes it is illegal.

I for one would never eat it and can't imagine how anyone could even consider eating a former pet unless they were starving to death!

I imagine tom3t0 was either joking or sensationalising the thread but then again ..... it takes all sorts!

It is illegal to eat dog meat in the UK. Googled it and came up with a categoric yes it is illegal.

Can you give a link please Becs, I've looked and can't find anything that says it's illegal.

I could not consider eating a horse, but then am veggie anyway, so wouldnt eat a cow either ;)

I couldnt eat any animal, but thats my choice. My horses arnt going into the food chain either, not to be eaten by hunt hounds or people.

I think "real" Salami is Donkey not horse :suspect:

I believe it's perfectly legal to eat dog.
People you're not allowed to eat, but dogs Ok.

you can eat human legally if the meat is voluntarily provided (i read on a website related to dog meat), i wouldn't want to eat another person though unless i was to starve to death

Here's why you shouldn't eat horse....

http://www.ilph.org/campaigns_details.asp?id=772

Here's why you shouldn't eat horse....

http://www.ilph.org/campaigns_details.asp?id=772

that says it's more ethical to go to a country where horses are bred for food or to petetition for breeding closer to the place of slaughter.

that says it's more ethical to go to a country where horses are bred for food or to petetition for breeding closer to the place of slaughter.

It also says:

"There are currently no EU regulations about the labelling of horse meat as packaging indicates the location of slaughter, not source. Therefore consumers are unaware of the origin of the meat and are therefore unable to make welfare friendly choices."

So until the laws change, if you want to make more ethical decisions about the food you eat, then you shouldn't eat horse.

So until the laws change, if you want to make more ethical decisions about the food you eat, then you shouldn't eat horse.

Unless of course the horse is personally known to you and you can vouch for its good health, good lifestyle and humane slaughter.

Unless of course the horse is personally known to you and you can vouch for its good health, good lifestyle and humane slaughter.

Which of course applies to 99 percent of the potential horse meat eaters on this forum. :loopy:

And as a side note... those Forumers who do personally know a horse and can vouch for it's good lifestyle, good health ect. probably wouldn't want to eat it!

So am I right in saying that all these people who have to get rid of their dogs because of family problems etc, instead of dumping them with the RSPCA or a rescue centre, they could legally kill their pet and have a nice stew.

I suppose this would solve a lot of problems, less animals in rescue centres and families would be getting a good source of protein in their diet. Also you could toast the life of the dog over the main course.

Maybe all these unwanted staffies could have a purpose after all......

wasn't a chinese takeaway in sheffield shut down a few year back for selling dog meat - i thought dog meat was illegal in this country...

I've had horse-steaks...they're the tastiest, most succulent slab of meat I've eve tasted (sorry).

I had them when in France though.

If I found any here, I wouldn't hesitate.

While having a steak meal in France I said, “ I Wonder if this is horsemeat”, you should have seen the look on the faces of the rest of the family. :gag:


:hihi: :hihi:

Here's why you shouldn't eat horse....

http://www.ilph.org/campaigns_details.asp?id=772

i would eat horse and that link was one sided propoganda there will be people who abuse animals and those that don't, this article paints all horse meat producers with the same brush

I tried it and loved it, but wasn't told what it was untill after I had eaten it.

i have eaten horse meat, and have to admit that i rather enjoyed it. the animal welfare side of things didn't used to bother me much, but i certainly wouldn't eat it now unless i bought it from a farmer's market or something similar where the farmer could vouch for the meat/supplier (ok, not a flawless approach, but better than tesco).

i've never eaten dog meat because i once made the foolish mistake of opening a charity mailshot from IFAW or something. it was distinctly upsetting, and whilst i know they obviously use the most unpleasnat photos that they can, it really did put me off meat quite effectively.

as far as eating dogs goes though, haven't explorers been known to eat their pack animals? tbh, in the right conditions i would happily eat liza tarbuck's buttocks, so i certainly wouldn't hesitate at eating a husky if i was really hungry and couldn't find food.

in the right conditions i would happily eat liza tarbuck's buttocks

NOOOOOOO, but Kylie's buttocks are another matter and i wouldn;t even need to be starving :hihi:

I don't have any objection to the consumption of horsemeat (of course taking into account all the welfare and ethical standards I apply to all meat production etc. etc) but what I felt watching the programme the other night is 'what a waste of a lovely horse that could be giving so much pleasure from riding/driving etc., or working on a farm, for police and so on. There are much better things to be doing with horses than eating them!