My wife loves horses.

Every now and then, we’ll travel down route 527A past a few horse farms. I’ll stop by the side of the road so that she can get her “horsey” fix.

She’s like Robert Redford in “The Horse Whisperer”.

She’ll hold up a patch of grass…call out to the horses, and they come running over.

It’s as though she becomes one with the beast.

We've even gone horseback riding a number of times at Allaire State Park. It's great to be one with nature riding on the back of the beast.

Some might think this inhumane, while others, including myself, enjoy it for recreation.

So the thought of eating horse meat doesn't appeal to me personally, and should my wife find out about my position on this piece of proposed legislation, she’d probably throw me to the curb if I ever suggested that they’re suitable for eating.

And they are. Perhaps not here, but in some parts of Italy, France, and Japan.

Assemblyman Ron Dancer introduced the bill after a federal ban was lifted last fall that reverses a 2006 decision by Congress to withdraw funding to inspect plants that butchered horses – effectively banning horse consumption.

Dancer says, “New Jersey does not eat horse meat and our horses will not be taken from the stable to a table. The horse is New Jersey’s state animal and we appreciate these magnificent animals for their grace and beauty.

(My note: just like his father, famed jockey Stanley Dancer, who raced them for our entertainment and sport. Truly a humane act!)

Dancer continues..."We do not want them butchered or sold to slaughterhouses in our communities for human consumption.”

The measure would bar anyone from knowingly slaughtering or selling a horse for human consumption. Violators would be guilty of a disorderly persons offense with penalties up to $100 and 30 days imprisonment plus civil fines between $500 and $1,000 for each horse slaughtered or each carcass or meat product sold. The penalties and fines are consistent with the current state law in effect that bans the slaughter of man’s best friend, the dog, for human consumption of dog meat.

However, how many families have pot bellied pigs for pets, or chickens, or ducks.

No one wants to think of butchering "Babe"...however many of us do enjoy the 10 piece bucket from Kentucky Fried Chicken; or the rack of ribs on the barbecue.

Hello....from where does all that come?

Not to mention the gelatin used in the making of one of our most popular desserts...Jello!
The gelatin is derived from the hoof of the cow....or so I hear.
I guess the J-E-L-L-O is out!

“New Jersey is taking the lead on this issue to make sure horses aren’t taken from the pasture to the plate,” explains Dancer. “There are several organizations that provide adoption homes for horses, rather than sending them to slaughterhouses for their meat.”

Yes, they do eat them in other cultures.

Regarding the majesty of certain beasts, I leave the station at 3 AM, and I see a number of "majestic" deer running out in front of my car. Truly a magnificent sight!

Until "Bambi" hits me....then I forget about how "majestic" they look and give thanks for the fact that we have a deer hunting season in the state. Much to the chagrin of animal activists!

Yes, it's sad that they either die or suffer for our pleasure and entertainment; but we've already entered the slippery slope!

Unless you're content with banning the slaughter and sale of all animal meats and byproducts; and living on tofurkey!

Personally, while I don’t have the desire to munch down on a “Mr. Ed” bracciole, I don’t see why their should be the ban on the sale of horsemeat, especially given the fact, according to the report:

that according to Robert Mickel, a Hunterdon County agriculture and livestock agent with Rutgers University, many people have been ditching horses in recent years because they’ve been unable to afford to keep a horse. Without having the option of auctioning off the horse, they've turned the animals loose on open plains and ruining fields of wheat and small grains.

While there are options for older horses, owners sometimes choose to release them in the wild instead of spending the money to take care of them. An option to harvest horses for consumption, Mickel said, would help this problem.

Posse Poll time:

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