From the other side of the mirror
Hippophagy
Hippophagy : from the Greek hippo, « the horse », and phagy, « food ». This rather barbarous word refers to a practice which has long been a source of controversy and division. Should one consider the horse as an animal for butchery or as a domestic animal ? The debate is open - and certainly not close to being resolved !
« for »...
Horse breeders point out that without the horsemeat market, certain breeds of draught horse would have quite simply disappeared, as they do not correspond to the type of horse sought by the young generation of riders. Some also point to the nutritional value of horsemeat, which is said to be particularly lean and rich in iron. This information is widely disseminated in horsemeat butchers by the bodies responsible for promoting the consumption of horsemeat. Finally, the principal argument advanced by breeders and horsemeat consumers comes down to one question : why defend a horse rather than a cow, a pig or a sheep ? What makes a horse nobler and therefore justifies its exemption from the slaughterhouse ?
... and « against »
For horse lovers, the fact of abstaining from eating their meat is primarily an emotional matter. There is a historical relationship between man and horse. Solid links have been forged and fostered over time, and these links are often as powerful and those between man and dog. The horse is considered as halfway between a utility beast and a domestic animal. Indeed, it is regarded by many as a pet in the same way as a dog or a cat. Just as one does not eat one's dog, « one does not eat a horse ! », intone the associations fighting hippophagy. But beyond the purely emotional aspect, the protectors denounce the conditions under which the animals are transported and slaughtered.
