Don't Eat Your Horse - He won't trust you any longer!
Posted: Tue Jan 19, 2010 1:18 amDon't Eat Your Horse
(He Won't Trust You Any Longer)
Did you know the French, Italians, Swiss, Japanese, and Quebecois in Canada are horsemeat aficionados? Most of the 65,000 horses slaughtered in this country each year are shipped to Europe, Japan and to the province of Quebec. The French developed their appetite for horsemeat during the Battle of Eylau in 1807, when the chief surgeon of Napoleon’s Army advised the starving troops to eat the flesh of dead battlefield horses. Using their breastplates as cooking pans, the soldiers used whatever spices they could get their hands on. Horses are immune to BSE (Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy). Their flesh is lean, protein-rich, finely textured, bright red, and firm. However, tougher cuts must be cooked long enough to break down the collagen connective tissue, or marinated before cooking to ensure both flavor and tenderness.
The height of a horse is measured in “hands” abbreviated "hh," at the highest point of the animal's withers (top of the shoulder blades). One hand is 4 inches or, as defined in British law, 101.6 mm. Thus a horse described as 15.2 hh tall, means it is 15 hands, 2 inches, or 62 inches in height. A pony at maturity is 14.2 hh. An animal any taller is considered to be a “horse”.
In spite of the old adage that "a good horse is never a bad color," unusual colors and markings such as white on all four legs, are always preferred and in demand. A mare’s gestation period is approximately 335-340 days and usually only one male “colt” or female “filly” is born as twins are rare. Newborns are called foals while those aged between one and two years are referred to as yearlings. Fillys 4 years and over are called mares. Colts are stallions until a castrated male becomes a gelding.
Horses are herbivores, digesting grasses and other plant material. Unlike humans, they are able to digest cellulose although they cannot regurgitate - a digestive problem quickly spelling occassional trouble with colic - a leading cause of death. Most wranglers I know, soon become “mighty ‘ticular” about just what goes into their horses mouths. A 1000 pound horse will eat between 15 and 25 pounds of food per day and, under normal use, drink 10 to 12 gallons of water.
The English and Americans find it offensive to consume horsemeat, as horses are companions, not food, the way most of us think of dogs! Yet, the Chinese and Koreans eat dog meat and consider it a delicacy. Horsemeat is particularly popular in Montreal and butchers specializing in the stuff are busier than ever due to the BSE fears spreading rapidly. Horse butchers in Montreal, claiming it to be superior quality from a sanitary perspective, sell minced meat, steaks, sausages, and brochettes. Yup, one man’s protein is another man’s pet. I'm just not going to eat ol' Patch!
Best wishes, Chuckwagon
(He Won't Trust You Any Longer)
Did you know the French, Italians, Swiss, Japanese, and Quebecois in Canada are horsemeat aficionados? Most of the 65,000 horses slaughtered in this country each year are shipped to Europe, Japan and to the province of Quebec. The French developed their appetite for horsemeat during the Battle of Eylau in 1807, when the chief surgeon of Napoleon’s Army advised the starving troops to eat the flesh of dead battlefield horses. Using their breastplates as cooking pans, the soldiers used whatever spices they could get their hands on. Horses are immune to BSE (Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy). Their flesh is lean, protein-rich, finely textured, bright red, and firm. However, tougher cuts must be cooked long enough to break down the collagen connective tissue, or marinated before cooking to ensure both flavor and tenderness.
The height of a horse is measured in “hands” abbreviated "hh," at the highest point of the animal's withers (top of the shoulder blades). One hand is 4 inches or, as defined in British law, 101.6 mm. Thus a horse described as 15.2 hh tall, means it is 15 hands, 2 inches, or 62 inches in height. A pony at maturity is 14.2 hh. An animal any taller is considered to be a “horse”.
In spite of the old adage that "a good horse is never a bad color," unusual colors and markings such as white on all four legs, are always preferred and in demand. A mare’s gestation period is approximately 335-340 days and usually only one male “colt” or female “filly” is born as twins are rare. Newborns are called foals while those aged between one and two years are referred to as yearlings. Fillys 4 years and over are called mares. Colts are stallions until a castrated male becomes a gelding.
Horses are herbivores, digesting grasses and other plant material. Unlike humans, they are able to digest cellulose although they cannot regurgitate - a digestive problem quickly spelling occassional trouble with colic - a leading cause of death. Most wranglers I know, soon become “mighty ‘ticular” about just what goes into their horses mouths. A 1000 pound horse will eat between 15 and 25 pounds of food per day and, under normal use, drink 10 to 12 gallons of water.
The English and Americans find it offensive to consume horsemeat, as horses are companions, not food, the way most of us think of dogs! Yet, the Chinese and Koreans eat dog meat and consider it a delicacy. Horsemeat is particularly popular in Montreal and butchers specializing in the stuff are busier than ever due to the BSE fears spreading rapidly. Horse butchers in Montreal, claiming it to be superior quality from a sanitary perspective, sell minced meat, steaks, sausages, and brochettes. Yup, one man’s protein is another man’s pet. I'm just not going to eat ol' Patch!
Best wishes, Chuckwagon
