I've heard that horses are not even as developed mentally as a human fetus at about three months. So, by that reasoning, we should be able to use hydraulic equipment to pluck their heads and legs off while the are strapped to the ground, then toss them in the trash.

Most meat eaters believe the following:

Killing a pig for food: good

Killing a cow for food: good

Killing a sheep for food: good

Killing a goat for food: good

Killing a horse for food: animal cruelty

Why is eating a horse any different than eating other "ranch animals"? There is, of course, ultimately no difference in killing and eating any of the above animals. Those who believe so are hypocrites.

I'm not a vegetarian; I eat meat. And I don't understand why people eat pigs, cows, sheep, and goats, but have a total aversion to horse.

cows, pigs, chickens, etc. Why condone even more killing -- horses, dogs, ostriches?

The reason this is inhumane while cattle on cattle trailers is not is that horses are build differently than cows. The author didn't elucidate this clearly, but horses are significantly taller, and their necks are much longer than cattle. Putting them on cattle trailers (particularly double-decker trailers with exceptionally low head room) often causes panic and head trauma for the horses who can't lift their heads properly.

Horses on horse trailers would be significantly better.

The horse who won the 1987 Kentucky Derby, was sent to Japan for stud duty. After a number of years, and poor results, the Japanese owners sent him out to slaughter. Whether he was humanely or inhumanely dispatched is not a question to race fans, who are accused of callousness. Those in the racing industry make an effort to save their stars, both big and small. America leads in these efforts, even if the unpleasant aspects of what happens to horses who no longer serve their purpose, is diverted outside our borders. We respect what the horse does, whether its an actor sitting on his back playing a cowboy, or a horse trainer who has a cripple he has to find a home for. I think Americans should be proud of the way we take care of our horses, and sure it is unfortunate that once they leave this country the rules change. Ferdinand would have died a natural death, no matter how poor his stud results, if he had stayed in this country. That should be a reason to be encouraged.

Bilbo caught the same thing I did: "It's a betrayal to put [horses] on a cattle truck and send them to slaughter." is full of ridiculous, rich irony, reeking of speciesism. Cattle are different from horses... why? Pigs? Crocodiles? Chickens? Turkeys? Anything slaughtered for human consumption? I'd argue that if we're going to allow one, we might as well allow all of them. Heck, we might as well allow the consumption of human beings as well (there's my irony for you, with such a modest proposal).

You get to choose between one or the other: eating meat or not. If you can justify one and not the other, you better have good reasons. I've been heading more and more towards the vegan option myself.

Yet, horse meat does taste good, especially prepared in a nice Italian fashion with some roasted vegetables on the side.

I am one of the happy converts who regularly, when traveling in Europe, orders horse at a variety of restaurants. A nice horse steak is different enough from beef to make the experience a unique and enjoyable one. I am extremely disappointed that the federal government has outlawed horse slaughterhouses in the U.S. and am dismayed to hear that our Congress is contemplating outlawing the live export of horses for slaughter. This is ridiculous. Horses are livestock. I'm all for the humane slaughter of any animals used for food, and I make a point of buying free-range chicken. I'm willing to pay a premium for the meat of animals that were treated well versus those that are treated poorly. But to have our government, at the behest of the Willie Nelsons of the world, decide for our farmers and ranchers what kind of livestock can and cannot be sold for slaughter is crazy. In my world, PETA stands for "People Eating Tasty Animals."

We must outlaw the exportation and slaughter of horses. The slaughter of vast numbers of animals always, always involves brutality and incredible violence perpetrated by underpaid, overworked people subjected to miserable working conditions. No good comes of this.

The mass slaughter of cattle and pigs and chickens in the United States and abroad also always involves sickening levels of cruelty to animals. If you eat meat, buy it from small producers. If you buy meat from large companies, you are paying for cruelty to animals on a hellish scale.

The first thing the United States must do is end the export of horses overseas (including Mexico) where animal protection laws are even weaker than they are here -- and they are barely existent here, despite all the happy talk from industry.

Meat may not be murder, but meat is almost always torture of animals. That is a sad fact.

as a result of public pressure on publicity sensitive fast food companies. It's not good, maybe, but horses would be much much worse.

The animal welfare people in this article want to 'humanely euthanize' these animals. However, if slaughter can be regulated by the US government, rather than turning away as another country lets anything go in their slaughter, then isn't that better? Yes, people eat horse meat, and slaughtering horses for meat IS ethical if we can regulate the slaughter.

Problem is (and I realize this), it appears we don't always effectively regulate the humane slaughter of animals we're generally okay with eating (see: downed cows, the PETA film on chicken slaughter). But, we're never going to 100% NOT eat meat. Overall, it's important to treat all humans AND animals humanely...I wish we could do so all of the time...