Colorado Legislation Would Prohibit Killing Horses For Human Consumption

A bill being considered by the Colorado legislature would prohibit the slaughter of horses for human consumption.

The Horse Meat Controversy

The idea of killing horses for food is somewhat controversial even though the consumption of horse meat is quite common around the world. According to Wikipedia, the eight countries that eat the most horse meat consume more than four million horses every year. Some of those animals come from the United States - and possibly from Colorado. It's been alleged that horses from Colorado have been sold at auction in Montana and then transported to Canada for slaughter.

Wild horses are near and dear to a lot of people in western Colorado because of the wild mustangs that roam free in the western Colorado desert. In our culture, these animals are appreciated for their beauty and majesty - and not intended to be consumed at the dinner table.

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Colorado Legislation Considers Horse Bill

The bill being considered by the Colorado legislature, SB23-038,  would make it illegal to kill a  horse, knowing it will be used for human consumption. It also would make it illegal to possess, sell, or give away a horse if you know or reasonably expect it will be used for human consumption.

According to the Colorado Sun, the Colorado Cattleman's Association, the Colorado Farm Bureau and the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association have all testified against the measure for various reasons.

So What Does Horse Meat Taste Like?

Just in case you're wondering, It's been said that horse meat has a sweet flavor, and is somewhere between beef and venison, with a hint of gaminess. In some countries, it's considered a delicacy. It is prepared in the form of steaks and burgers, used in stews, soups, and pasta, and made into sausage.

Every year, the United States is sending about 20,000 horses to slaughterhouses in Mexico and Canada - for export to countries that eat horse meat. If this bill passes, those horses will unlikely be coming from Colorado, although enforcing such a bill may be a challenge.