About a month ago, Congress decided to lift a 5-year long ban on the slaughter of horses for meat. But will the people eat it?

Americans love horses and have a long standing history with the animal dating back to the days of the wild west as writer Josh Ozerski observes. Ozerski also observes that, despite horse being a much healthier alternative to more commonly consumed critters, its place within the hearts of many Americans make it one tough bite to swallow.

I suppose it isn't too hard to see why that is. It seems that the closer the relationship between a certain animal and man, the harder it is to perceive said animal as a potential meal. I suspect that's why not too many people are too keen on turning cats and dogs into lunchables snacks.

However, Orzerski writes that the stigma surrounding the consumption of horse meat due to their high regard among people in the US overshadows some of the many benefits of the recent horse meat ban lift.

For one thing, horse meat is extremely lean--much more so than the typical american meat fare. Even PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) was able to get behind the horse meat legalization reasoning that having the horses slaughtered in the highly regulated slaughter houses was a much better alternative for the animals than being shipped off in loosely regulated containers to other countries that permit the slaughter of horses for meat.

Despite these endorsements, I still feel that most people find horses to be far too near and dear to themselves to have any desire to eat them. Personally, as an overall food enthusiast, I'm all for broadening the horizons of my personal palette by indulging in new food adventures. With this whole horse meat ban lifted, I think I might get me some horse steak.

(via Time Ideas)

[THNX and Photocred to Wikimedia Commons]