A paper by Me

A Horse is a Course of Course, or is it a pet?

Horses have played quite a role in America. They have led us into battle, carried us to new lands, and become favorites in literature and television. But is Using Horses as Food OK? I will be exploring this topic with help through articles written by People with very different views.
The reality is that people have been eating horse meat for a long time. To diners in Canada, Germany, Mexico, Belgium, Italy, so on around the world, horse meat is practically everyday thing for significant portions of the population. Nutritionally, horse meat has around 40 percent fewer calories than beef, while supplying 50 percent more protein and as much as 30 percent more iron. People, who understand the often hard realities of food production, know that horses, for all their beauty and loyal service, are, not much more than horn-less cows. Horse-slaughter companies say they only use Horses that are old, have behavioral issues, or use-less for farmers. “So we’ll eat Bambi, but we won’t eat trigger?” Don Chance states. The fact remains that eating horse meat is no less natural for humans than consuming any other animal. Horse meat is perfectly good, healthy, organic protein. The ancient Romans knew it, the American Indians knew it, the original homesteaders knew it, and horse meat could come in handy in unplanned times.

However, we have only looked at one viewpoint of horse-slaughter; a good judge looks at both sides of the case before making a decision. Horse slaughter has existed in the shadows for many years. By 2002, the United States had thankfully banned horse-slaughter from all states except one-Texas. Texas unfortunately had the largest horse-slaughter plant the “Dallas Crown”. There are several things that are wrongs with horse slaughter. According to the USDA, the three horse slaughter plants remaining in the US (two in Texas and one in Illinois) killed over 94,000 horses in 2005 for human consumption. An additional twenty thousand horses were transported to Canada and Mexico for slaughter. According to 2001 field studies, 70% of all horses at the slaughter plant were in good, 84% were of average age; and 96% had no behavioral issues. According to federal law, horses must be unconscious prior to slaughter, usually by captive bolt. However, videos and personal testimonies reveal horses that are not effectively stunned, even with repeated blows. These horses are still conscious when they are shackled, hoisted by a rear leg into the air, and cut across the throat. Dallas Crown allows for almost 10,000 horses to be slaughtered alive annually. This is not all; there are many more reasons why horse-slaughter should be banned. "Horses are not livestock; we think they deserve more humane treatment.” Mary Nash says, taking a stand. Horse-slaughter is obviously the wrong thing to do.

Now that both sides are presented, let’s compare whether Horse-slaughter should be banned, or if it is perfectly fine. Well, on the side for horse-slaughter. It says that the horse meat is healthy for you. But the side against horse-slaughter says it doesn’t matter how healthy it is, it just isn’t right to kill horses. The side for horse-slaughter also says that horses are no more than horn-less cows, But the Department of Agriculture think different. Finally, the side for horse-slaughter says that they only use old, injured, have behavioral issues, or use-less for farmers for slaughter. Yet the opposing side says they have videos, testimonials, and photos that are quite the opposite. Something that was not contested by the Side for horse slaughter was that of the horses still being conscious when they are shackled, hoisted by a leg in the air, and cut on throat. This doesn’t sound too comfortable to me! Now that we have looked at both sides, compared the two, I have decided who I stand by…the side for horse-slaughter, or the side against.
After much thought, (and a grueling paperJ) I have decided that Horse-slaughter in my book is wrong. For one thing, I am an animal softy, but I have other reasons to back me up. The first reason I stand by, is that of whether or not a horse is live-stock. Well horse and cows have nothing BIG in common. And if the department of agriculture says they are not, well, need I say more? The second thing I stand on is the issue of whether or not the horses killed are healthy, good animals, or old, mean ones. I myself, have personally seen several pictures, watched a few videos and the horses crammed into metal stalls, and not all old. Several of them couldn’t be more than a year old! None of them looked un-useful, or temperament challenged. If they had been fed and groomed, they would have been beautiful! And the third and final thing, which disgusts me the most, is the fact that 10,000 horses have been shackled, hoisted by a rear leg into the air, and cut across the throat still alive and conscious. Dallas Crown, You disgust me! It’s about time that we started speaking out for those who have no voices.

Some of the Horses waiting to be slaughterd :(


Hey all you people, Sorry if the fourth paragraph is confusing! And if you want to watch the video that convinsed me, go to 'Mary Nash's Horse Slaughter Website', go to videos, and click on 'Undercover scenes from inside Dallas Crown' WARNING!!!!!! ONLY FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE A STRONG STOMACH!!!