AustraliaAustralians do not generally eat horse meat, although they have a horse slaughter industry that exports to Japan, Europe, and Russia. [[41]](http://www.englishforum.ch/#cite_note-40) Horse meat exports peaked at 9,327 tons 1986, declining to 3,000 tons in 2003. The two abattoirs in Australia licensed to export horse meat are Belgian-owned. They are at Peterborough in South Australia (Metro Velda Pty Ltd) and Caboolture abattoir in Queensland (Meramist Pty Ltd). [[42]](http://www.englishforum.ch/#cite_note-41) A British agriculture industry website reported that Australian horse meat production levels had risen to 24,000 tons by 2009. [[40]](http://www.englishforum.ch/#cite_note-farminguk2009-01-17-39)
On 30 June 2010, the Western Australian Agriculture Minister Terry Redman granted final approval to Western Australia butcher Vince Garreffa to sell horse meat for human consumption. Nedlands restaurateur Pierre Ichallalene announced plans to do a taster on Bastille Day and to put horse meat dishes on the menu if there's a good reaction. Mr. Redman said that the Government would "consider extending approvals should the public appetite for horse demand it". [[43]](http://www.englishforum.ch/#cite_note-thewest7492421-42)
Mr. Garreffa is the owner of Mondo Di Carne, a major wholesale meat supplier which supplies many cafes restaurants & hotels in Western Australia. [[44]](http://www.englishforum.ch/#cite_note-43) He commented that there is no domestic market for horse meat, but there is a successful export market, which he believes Western Australia should have a share of. [[43]](http://www.englishforum.ch/#cite_note-thewest7492421-42)
By July 2, an online petition had been created to stop the sale of horse meat for human consumption in Western Australia. [[45]](http://www.englishforum.ch/#cite_note-44) This decision has caused some outrage with a petition started to be signed to overturn this decision from the Department of Agriculture. However several local newspaper forums indicated that the general public were not greatly biased either way, in fact many voiced their openness for alternate meats. [citation needed ]
It grosses me out. I know cows are nice animals too, but still. We own a horse and I wouldn't eat dog, turtle, parakeets either because we have all these as pets; neither would I eat cat, even if we don't have one.
With the lack of a good choice of beef here in CH, I've found horse meat to be a very quaulity substitution for the price. There's a great horse-butcher just outside of Frauenfeld with a little restaurant and his steaks rival some off the best beef I've had. Plus I hate horses so it's a win-win situation :P
I'm an Aussie, and I've never heard of anyone eating horse meat there. The only Australians I know who have eaten horse meat have done so here in Switzerland or Europe.
It's certainly not available from your average butcher or supermarket in Australia (not saying that it doesn't happen at all, but people really don't talk about it openly). In general, Australians are shocked that horse meat is eaten in Europe.
I don't think I could ever eat horse meat consciously, I have been offered it but have refused it every time. But then I've never eaten kangaroo meat either. It is available in supermarkets and butchers, but I have seen far more kangaroo meat for sale in Europe than in Australia.
We once went to an Australian restaurant and I refused to eat kangaroo, crocodile, ostrich, snake, and what else was on the list. Don't know why, after all meat is meat, but I couldn't get myself to eating any.
I find this claim surprising - where do you shop in Europe? Every single Coles I've seen in Oz has kangaroo meat for sale (and I certainly can't say that of Coop or Migros).
I was hungry, but my life wasn't depending on it. What I have tried and enjoyed was deer, wild boar, bison, and chamois. But I wouldn't eat moose or reindeer. It's nothing you can explain rationally. Shark soup, dolphin and whale are out of the question.
Have you ever had "fish and chips" the fish in this is very often shark and often not disclosed as such as it is a very common fish meal in england and australia
AFAIK, there's no forbidden meat in Switzerland (other than human). You can even eat dog or cat in the rural countryside, although that's not considered appropriate by a wider range of people.
To the horse topic: Originally, I'm from Belgium. Nuff said, right?