Guest column in the Galveston Daily News - June 30, 2004
A horse could be a course

Americans have an unnecessary opposition to consuming horse-meat. Texas, being the open-land, free-roaming, wild horse place that it is, should be profiting from the sale of horses for use in consumption. And it does. Texas slaughterhouses have been sending horsemeat overseas for quite some time. Europeans consider it a delicacy.

The issue shouldn't be that they're horses for food. It's the manner in which they are slaughtered. And it's their cute and thoughtful demeanor. There is actually an old state law that prohibits raising horses for consumption. The meaning of the law is under challenge. However, the United States Department of Agriculture continues to promote horsemeat saying that it is low in fat.

The problem with horsemeat is that people are too close to horses. There has never been a love of cows the same way as there has been for horses. We don' t have cows to ride and keep as pets - save rodeos and FFA clubs. So horses continue to be the shamed meat export of the country.

Native Americans had a way of using what the land gave them to the most benefit. They could take an animal, eat every part of it and then wear it. Wouldn't it make more sense to take a dairy cow, milk it for all its worth, eat the meat, then have a nice leather jacket made when you're done?  It's all about the process. Horror stories come from the inhumane transporting and slaughtering of horses. If laws could protect the horses being raised for consumption, and that meant a more "humane" way of slaughtering, would you try it?

What makes the cow, goat, pig and chicken more appealing to kill? Horsemeat may not be the best-tasting meat - the taste compared to a cross between cow and venison - but isn't it a better use of resources, and healthier?

If there is an overabundance of horses, they will be put to death in one way or another. Doesn't consumption make sense?  We cringe only because we are unfamiliar with the thought.

Carla Gillogly is assistant news editor of The Daily News. She can be reached at carla.gillogly@ galvnews.com.

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Notes from Jerry Finch, Habitat for Horses

This appeared in the local newspaper today. Please respond with Letters to the Editor, PO Box 628, Galveston, TX 77553 or email your letter to letters@galvnews.com <mailto:letters@galvnews.com> It's very important that
we respond to this article with facts that prove her wrong. This county is very pro-slaughter. We need a major discourse in the newspaper to prove them wrong.

Letters MUST be 500 words or less. Anything over that is thrown away. Include your name and phone number. If they cannot verify by phone call, it won't be published.

(ADMIN NOTE - don't bother writing her [Carla Gillogly]. Send a letter to the editor  [ letters@galvnews.com ] )

Horse Nutrition Facts
175 calories; 28 grams protein; 6 grams fat; 5 milligrams iron; 55
milligrams sodium; and 68 milligrams cholesterol.
Source: USDA

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