In France, horse falling off restaurant menus

news ^ | December 16, 2009 | Sophie Taylor

[JoeProBono]

PARIS - Many people love horses and traditionally, many French people have loved them even more with a side of salad. That passion, however, has slowed to a trickle in the last couple of years as crisis-hit French consumers buy less meat and years of campaigning by animal rights groups take effect. Looking to ram home their advantage, campaigners have launched a pre-Christmas blitz in Paris featuring posters of riding school ponies and graceful yearlings aimed at rending the hardest of hearts. "Every year in France, riding school horses like Caramel are sent to the abattoir," says one poster by the Fondation Brigitte Bardot, featuring a photo of a perky grey pony reflected in a knife blade.

"It disturbs us that people continue to eat horses at all and we are going to go on campaigning until people stop eating it altogether," said Constance Cluset, a spokeswoman for the animal welfare group created by the former actress.

Last year, 15,820 horses were killed for their meat in France, of which over 7,000 were imported from abroad.....

[Prodigal Son]

I’ve always wanted to try horse. Have never had the chance yet. Et some zebra in Africa. It tasted all right. Figure a horse would be ok grub.

One thing you can say about the French, they can cook and eat almost any critter. That’s a survival skill in my opinion. Of course, I do come from a part of the country where people eat possum, chitlins and road kill so...

I don’t get why people get all sentimental about horses and not cows. Doesn’t make any sense at all. Personally, a horses hind quarters look just as yummy to me as a cow’s or a pig’s.

[JoeProBono]

Here ya go FRiend

[Prodigal Son]

That looks really good. Cooked just about the right amount too.

[TheOldLady]

They eat horses, don’t they?

[JoeProBono]

[KosmicKitty]

Say, Wilber!

[Nepeta]

I don’t get why people get all sentimental about horses and not cows. Doesn’t make any sense at all. Personally, a horses hind quarters look just as yummy to me as a cow’s or a pig’s.

People who spend time with working horses form a bond of partnership with the animals. After you have this kind of partnership with one of them, it is hard to see them as dinner, much as it is hard to see a pet dog or cat as dinner.

Chemically, it's all much the same, but emotionally, the animal you raise for meat is not the same as the one you work with.

[Daffynition]

Decades ago, when the price of beef shot up, my butcher started to carry horse meat. Along with many of his customers, we were angry consumers. I tried it several times. It’s a very lean meat and has a taste slightly sweeter than venison. Or so I think.

[Zuben Elgenubi]

Horse sense is the thing a horse has which keeps it from betting on people. ~W.C. Fields

[JoeProBono]

[Daffynition]

[Zuben Elgenubi]

LOL, that’s like an ostrich-horse. Hahahhahaahaaaaa.

[JoeProBono]

[Ramius]

I don’t get why people get all sentimental about horses and not cows.

Somebody I know (ahem) once said that it's because historically and culturally we have a different contract with animals that we build service relationships with. We break them of their wild nature, teach them to trust us as their master and teacher, and provide for their well being in return for a lifetime of service. This contract imbues on us a different standard of treatment and care.

That's one point of view, anyway, and I think it has some merit.

[Daffynition]

[JoeProBono]

[HairOfTheDog]

Somebody I know (ahem) once said that it's because historically and culturally we have a different contract with animals that we build service relationships with. We break them of their wild nature, teach them to trust us as their master and teacher, and provide for their well being in return for a lifetime of service. This contract imbues on us a different standard of treatment and care.

That's one point of view, anyway, and I think it has some merit.

Sums it up nicely.

[SunkenCiv]

The tradition began in the days of Louie Pasture.

[Daffynition]

[bigheadfred]

Louie

I thought he just brought them the concept of actually cooking their food before they ate it...