March 2022

Today, the American idea of a horse is more companion-like than in Mexico, where horsemeat is popular in the deli.  

Banning commercial horse slaughter has had little effect on the number of American horses being slaughtered. In America’s neighboring countries, Mexico and Canada, horse slaughter is still practiced, and with the practice being banned in America in 2007, horse exports for slaughter have risen dramatically (Fort 2014, page 11). Horses are still slaughtered at the hands of Americans, just not on American soil. In comparison to beef, horse meat is lower in fat and higher in many essential vitamins, Omega-3 fatty acids, and protein; “the need for proteins of an increasingly large population will lead to a reconsideration of horse meat consumption”, especially in America (Stanciu 2015, page 702). For economists, the ban has caused $26 million to be lost in export revenue, and a $20-$29 million increase in disposal costs, as wild and unwanted horses are often abandoned and left to fend for themselves in areas that may not be able to support them (Garrett 2013, page 13). It was much easier to find academic articles in favor of horse slaughtering in the U.S., with all of the sources containing real data, scientific explanations, and facts that are indisputable. I appreciated these sources much more, because there wasn’t a presumed bias against producers.  

However, many still argue that horses are companions and not meant to be slaughtered. Many cite animal cruelty and poor conditions of the slaughtering facilities to the ban. The Horses for Life Foundation, the horse slaughtering industry enables overbreeding, as slaughter is not a service for unwanted horses-rather an industry that utilizes healthy and assumingly loved animals instead (Horsesforlife.org). The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) states that the euthanasia is not humane, and the horses are “commonly and legally shipped for more than 24 hours at a time in crowded trucks without food, water or rest” (ASPCA). Historically, horses have also been branded as “impure and detestable” pagan meat by Pope Gregory III in 732, which was probably a huge influence for the large Christian community—which remains large today (Forrest 2017). Sources that leaned against horse slaughter, were mostly generalizations about the industry from animal rights activists who are against using animal products at all. These sources also fail to disclose specific authors, in particular, the ASPCA and Horses for Life Foundation fail to even provide a year the information was taken from, and who disclosed it. There are little to no recent journal articles supporting that heavily support these ideas (that I had access to).  

Since the closing of horse slaughter plants in the United States, many horses are released into the wild—where forage and vegetation diversity threaten both the horse and other wildlife’s feeding ability, according to Wildlife specialist and professor Sam Smallidge. Others, based on my gathered knowledge throughout my life, go to auction—where the highest bidder can decide the if horse gets slaughtered privately. Lucky horses may end up at a rescue, where quality of life is not always promised. Some reproductive practices may be used, are costly and still inhumane and met with public disapproval (Smallidge 2021).  

Personally, I believe that horse slaughter is something that needs to be monitored by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) again. As with all slaughter, I stand with the animal rights activists about being humane, but I disagree that animal slaughter and production should cease. Just like stray dogs and cats, horses must adapt to independence—which often comes at the expense of the environment and indigenous species. I would ask the ASPCA (and PETA, even though they are not mentioned in this paper), how many horse rescues they support with their funding, versus how much their CEO makes and their advertisements cost.  

Resources 

Forrest, Susanna. “The Troubled History of Horse Meat in America.” The Atlantic, Atlantic Media Company, 8 June 2017, https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2017/06/horse-meat/529665/.  

Fort, K. N. (2014). A Review of Economic Impacts of Horse Slaughter in the United States. 

Smallidge, Samuel T. “Free Range Horse Management.” Las Cruces. Las Cruces, 21 Mar. 2022, New Mexico State University, Neal Hall Room 131, March 18, 2022.  

Stanciu, Silvius. “Horse meat consumption− between scandal and reality.” Procedia Economics and finance 23 (2015): 697-703. 

Unknown Author. “Horse Slaughter.” ASPCA, https://www.aspca.org/improving-laws-animals/public-policy/horse-slaughter.  

Unknown Author. “Why Ban Horse Slaughter?” HORSES FOR LIFE FOUNDATION, https://www.horsesforlife.org/why-ban-horse-slaughter.html.