I'm shocked the author doesn't understand the law, yet he can rant for multiple paragraphs about it. The law no longer permits federal funding of inspections of horse meat! Bush passed the law allocating funds for horse meat inspection. The law does not condone or endorse horse meat for consumption.

I'm really disappointed with this law. We should start joining sustainable campaigns instead of producing more environmental damage. There is so much research proving how eating meat is connected to awful diseases such as cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure. This is a question of human health and the well being of the world.

Oh, how awful! I appreciate this article, Mr. Jacques. I had no idea this had happened. As you said Mr. Obama did it in some form of secrecy. I believe the majority of people in the US don't know he's done this or surely the animal rights groups would have been up in arms. I surely hope this meat is kept separate from beef and not end up mixed in with other meats so that we consume it without knowing it. I wouldn't be surprised if that were the case. What a horrible thing, even if Europeans do eat it. Most Amercians (as far as I know) don't.

I am a Veg. I do it personally and don't do it for superficial reasons.

We aren't talking about eating children, we are talking about eating animals. Pork, Beef, Chicken, Horse, Dog. Get over yourselves and eat what you want.

I am a veg but I don't like Brussel Sprouts. I don't try to prevent others from eating it. Neither should you.

It is important that all of us who are angered by this news channel that energy toward gaining support for the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act. You can read more on HSUS CEO Wayne Pacelle's blog - http://hsus.typepad.com/wayne/2011/12/horse-slaughter-in-us.html and you can take action at https://secure.humanesociety.org/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=5095&s_src=waynesblog

One more reason to be a vegetarian! Horses were not put on this earth to be eaten!

KY's animal abuse laws need to be strengthened and enforced so that horses and other animals will not be neglected. Horses have been starved here for years when they could have been sent to slaughter and most often by owners who could afford to feed them. As a humane society officer I have seen this happen to horses and even cattle over the years. Slaughter is a cruel way to kill a horse and the auctions and transportation they go through are cruel also.
And whoever said there are an over-population of wild horses does not know the facts. Now with almost constant roundups and removals less than approximately 20,000 wild horses are on our public lands in all the West. They are being wiped out by the BLM and the 1971 Wild Free Roaming Horse and Burro Act is being broken.
Visit www.wildhorsepreservation.org for facts .
Also call D.C. at 202-224-3121 and tell Congress to pass the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act, H.R.2966/S.1176, NOW . Call the White House at 202-456-1111 also. Horses help make KY and we owe them kindness. Wild horses were used in our wars and helped settle the West and need protection as they are going to slaughter also, I rescued three. PLEASE HELP

Can you imagine how great Barbaro would've tasted?

I rarely chime in on politically charged discussions, but I'm afraid this is something I have to speak up on. By shutting down horse slaughter facilities five years ago, the US government condemned unwanted and rescue case horses to immeasurable suffering. They were shipped to Canada and Mexico, where humane slaughter laws are weak or non existent, and they were treated horribly every step of the way only to die terrible, painful, inhumane deaths.

As a horse lover and owner, making horse slaughter legal again is one of the most humane and kind things that can be done to improve the lives of unwanted animals. Plus, the consumption of horse meat in the US is very low and most of it will be exported to foreign countries where the demand is high. The likelihood of livestock farmers in the US being negatively impacted is extremely slim.

And that estimate of 200,000 horses going to slaughter in the US is roughly 1% or less of the total horse population in the country, making it one of the lowest percentages in the world. Signing slaughter back into legality was a good move, the right move, and will prevent the same unspeakable treatment suffered by horses slaughtered cruelly and illegally in the last five years. It's not as if all horses who don't win in the races are being condemned; the horses that will be affected are those that are been neglected, abandoned, and mistreated - the unwanted. At least now they won't be both the unwanted and the grotesquely abused.

This is not a political argument, it is a humane one.

Horses are not for meat production especially in a country where meat is plenty.Horses are no longer for consumption but for performance,therapy,farm production , and for American freedom to roam if wild horses were to be chosen for meat.Many people of this country and others who appreciate,own and recognize horses as an animal not meat.I am no vegan nor vegetarian but a person who works with horses and studies them for over 13 years I have seen the difference these animals can make in people.They have helped mentally handicapped children and adults be able to move and communicate.In a way they never could before.These animals have helped men and women in prisons recover love and trust and what it means for something or someone to be taken care of. America is known for great changes and successes why would we take an animal that has changed so many lives and have carried many natives.Before America was over run by the British the pony's that carried women and children to safety through the bad and the good.This is not a good change in our country but a sad one . Especially when there are so many people who are willing to help these animals for wrongful death.Therefore this will be a dark day where not only will this affect us the people but also hurt the beef and pork farmers and that is not RIGHT !