Is horsemeat illegal in Scotland and if so, why?

[Scottish_Republican]

Very simple. Too many people watched Black Beauty and My Little Pony as children.

A lot of them are hypocrites. Eating a horse is little different to eating a cow.

[tanya.bailey]

As a horse owner, I think that a market for horse meat would eliminate a lot of the over population problems we are facing now. My husband and i have had problems with people just dumping their horses on our farm because they cannot afford to feed them. The market for a reliable, sturdy horse is gone; buyers seek well bred, papered animals. Horses that do not meet these standards are a dime a dozen. On the other hand, selling horse meat is difficult because of the all of products of domestication. Our horses are on a lot of medication for coggins, worming, west nile and many other diseases and illnesses that must be treated. These medications can take weeks, sometimes even months to work their way out of an equine's system. This makes extra precautions for regulating the sale of their meat necessary.

[MAGUS]

Here is a video about racehorses that dont win races they end up being slaughtered for human consumption . Maybe you out think about that next time your eating horse flesh.

[aNonnyMoose]

If they don't win races, they're useless. At least being eaten gives them a purpose in life. The prospect might make them run a bit faster too...

[Auld-Kelpie]

Originally Posted by Oresai

PS what I mourn nowadays is the demise of good mature mutton from the butchers...all ye can get is lamb!

A problem the world over it seems.
I hate lamb.
Nothing beats slow cooked mutton.

Imported Salamis most likely have horse or donkey meat in them.

[tanya.bailey]

People need to distance themselves emotionally from their food. I don't eat horses and probably never will but that is a personal choice; I don't care if other people do(and I am horse owner!). Most people wouldn't think twice about eating a pork chop or a cheeseburger yet they are products of animals, the same as horse flesh. Horses are just animals, but we think of them as friends yet pigs are smarter then horses and in some cases can be more attached to people, yet we don't raise hell about eating them. What you eat is a product of the social atmosphere you are raised in, but we need to remember what's food is food, and different cultures enjoy different cuisine.

[wullie m]

Bell the Cat, these islands were quite familiar with famine, the 1840s one in Ireland killed millions! and the staple diet on Scottish farms 150 years ago was oatmeal, butchermeat was a novelty. The English generally don't eat haggis because they're unfamiliar with it, just as a generation grew up unfamiliar with rabbit, post myxamatosis and wont eat it now, yet jellied eels are OK apparently in the south of England and are regarded in Scotland as revolting. I think familiarity is the answer here
wullie m