Opinion

Should we see a horse as a main course?

Just a decade ago I wouldn't have eaten goat, yet goat curry is now one of my favourites and we're planning a slow-roasted goat leg for the approaching weekend. Even venison, or the meat of deer, was too far from the familiar track for most Australians until recently. Shark sells much more readily when it is flake, and Australians eat snails for the same reason they eat fish eyes, to impress someone.

Isn't it time we ate horse? In the year of the latest statistics, 2008/09, we exported 2648 tonnes of horse meat for human consumption to France, Switzerland, Belgium, Russia and Japan, among other countries, for a lousy $4 a kilogram, and we didn't eat a slice of it. The Hunter has a knackery at Edgeworth converting brumbies to dogmeat, yet not a knuckle finds its way to a butcher shop. That's because our political masters are scared of the horsey people who see something other than a horse when they see a horse. Sure, not all horsey people are so irrational but a great many are, and governments are frightened of the backlash. Typical of these misguided dogooders are the members of the Hunter Valley Brumby Association, which has just had a frantic fundraising effort to save two brumbies from among many that have met a useful and none-too-early end at the Edgeworth Knackery. To be fair, these brumbies were probably not suitable for human consumption but after the brumby association cleans and fattens them they should be. How would a brumby go on a spit roast?

A single butcher in Perth has been given a ministerial dispensation to sell horse meat, and the shop is in the midst of a storm of protest. No dispensation in NSW, and given the political precariousness of the government and opposition there's not likely to be. Can you imagine the noise from the brumby sops who object even to wild, lice-ridden horses being converted to dogmeat!

Isn't it time we met such mawkishness head on? Why should the likes of brumby nutters have any influence over what's on our dinner plate? What do you think is on theirs?

Posted By: Jeff Corbett on 19/07/2010 5:00:00 AM | Comments (88)

Share on
Facebook

Tweet on
Twitter

Email to
a friend

comments

Date: Newest first | Oldest first

I dunno Jeff. A horse is a horse of course of course....I think I'll pass chewing on Mr Ed thanks.

Posted by Dave B, 19/07/2010 7:29:57 AM, on The Herald

Its all fair game jeff ,kangaroo ,horse, crocodile. A chef at pippies once had all those on his regular menu and it tasted great.On the same token i wouldn,t have any drama being a fish eating vegan if somebody could cook up interesting tasty dishes every day,i am very limited in imagination when it comes to tofu. Perhaps if we had to catch slaughter and butcher these animals ourselves prior to cooking and masticating,we would have a different perspective.And thats the clincher ,we dont have to so show me what you got in the way of horse Al.(AL is my butcher)

Posted by horse, 19/07/2010 8:15:06 AM, on The Herald

Jeff, normally I read and disagree with many urban things you write, but today we are neighing from the same straw bale! Yes, we have a horse, of course, and the nag is actually useful! Mind you he has a permanent attachment to our prize bull. In fact it is very hard to prise them apart. He still has many a useful year terrorising the cows into order, but then, and can I thank you enough, I did not know about the Edgeworth knackery. Another large hole I will not have to dig, or put my foot in. (Name and address witheld for fear of retribution from the bridle yankers)

Posted by "of the land", 19/07/2010 8:17:27 AM, on The Herald

Does seem a bit perverted, otl.

Posted by Jeff Corbett on 19/07/2010 9:55:03 AM

For my first 2 school years it was a horse and sulky driven by big bro, and for the next 4 years we rode (Twin bro and I). Ten Kilomtres each way. May years thereafter was spent mustering stock on these useful animals and after various busters (Falling off) I could have gladly eaten a couple of them. Now I could not say that I am a genuine horse lover but I did recognise their usefulness and intelligence so please don't put it on my plate. You obviously have not been to a horse abbattoir and seen them being slaughtered. I have and I never want to see it again. It is a very sobering sight. Expect a bit of flak on this one.....The up side of this is that I too love a good goat Vindaloo and I know this beaut little Indian Restaurant in Bathurst that does a great job on it. If you are going that way let me know and I will give you their details.

Posted by Bush Bunny, 19/07/2010 8:18:14 AM, on The Herald

In think the same revulsion for the uninitiated applies at all abattoirs, BB. I remember as a teenager calling in with mates to an abattoir on the outskirts of Mayfield. Horrific.

Posted by Jeff Corbett on 19/07/2010 9:57:39 AM

i struggle with the idea of eating horse meat for the same reason i couldn't bring myself to eat dog (or cat). mind you, at one time i would have said eating kangaroo or crocodile was not on, now its fair game. ultimately but, meat is meat. so maybe we should be eating dead people too, rather than just burning them to way overdone or just burying them. waste not want not...... what race do you reckon would taste best?

Posted by judgedredd, 19/07/2010 9:25:06 AM, on The Herald

At the rate the 'middle man' is charging us at the store front for beef and lamb, this may for many be the last resort. Now we are or going to pay more for basic services and commodities, plus paying for new radar fines being gouged by the RTA from today, many will just not have enough money left over to pay for the normal meat type consumption.

Posted by MizJasper, 19/07/2010 9:29:22 AM, on The Herald

Personally I don't like the thought of eating ox tongue, offal, brains, black pudding etc. However I'm not adverse to eating any sort of lean, tender, well cooked meat from pretty much any source (maybe except rats). People from different cultures eat all sorts of meat no matter what it is known by.... spiders, crickets, rat, cat, cow, pig, horse and on it goes. However, we have no shortage of meat sources so why start on horses? I'm all for harvesting the brumbies, wild camel, feral pigs etc for pet food. If it helps the environment and Australia's struggling fawna, send them to the knackery.

Posted by leahkf, 19/07/2010 9:31:00 AM, on The Herald

Ethically, horse is better for us (humans in general) to eat then cow. Bigger beast means more meals served for one life lost. I'm a devoted vegan and animal rights activist and i support this move. If we are going to eat meat, the bigger the beast it comes from the better.

Posted by Felix, 19/07/2010 9:54:37 AM, on The Herald

I have read, Felix, that horses have a lower feed-meat conversion ratio than cattle. Still, the argument you've put forward may rest on a comparison of methane production.

Posted by Jeff Corbett on 19/07/2010 10:00:48 AM

Personally, I am happy with Lamb, Beef and Poultry. But that's my personal choice. As long as something is farmed in the correct and healthy manner, I don't care what other people want to eat. If someone tried to take my choices away, I would kick up a big stink. They have been our staple food and we grew up quite healthy. If there is too much of something, then we should utelise it in a humane and fitting manner. I'm over do gooders.

Posted by Rose- Lake Macquarie, 19/07/2010 9:58:17 AM, on The Herald

horse - "fish eating vegan"? Talk to old boy - he knows the scoop on veganism. Perhaps you mean predominately vegetarian diet with fish.

Posted by Vege, 19/07/2010 10:05:28 AM, on The Herald