Today’s blog is a bit unusual since it is about wild horse meat. Yes, you heard that right. It started out with reading a story in the newspaper about too many wild horses.
First of all, there are many countries that eat horse meat and there is nothing off about it. In particular, in Europe and Asia they eat a lot of horse meat. At one time in history, horse meat was a major source of protein.
Bureau of Land Management
Personally, I’ve never seen a wild horse but at a horse show I did see a horse which had been adopted from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). The adopted BLM horses have a freeze brand identification called an Alpha Angle Brand, so they are easily identified. They also have a web site with photographs of all the horses that need good homes and can be adopted.
Apparently, today’s wild horses and burros roam over 25.5 million acres of public land. This covers over 10 western states.
It is the Bureau of Land Managment’s role to make sure there are healthy horses on public land. The rangeland also has to be in good shape to feed all the wild horses and burros. Unfortunately, the horses tend to multiply, and the lands get overgrazed. Then the horses struggle to find enough food to eat.
So, in recent years the BLM rounded up thousands of wild horses and burros and put them in holding facilities. If you check the Bureau of Land Mangement’s website, they try to find homes for the wild horses and adopt them out. But, of course, not all the horses are adopted out. Online sources, states it takes $100 million dollars a year to take care of all these horses. The BLM does not kill the horses. Actually, there is law going back to 1971 that protects the horses. So, what to do?
Ending Notes on Wild Horse Meat
On a working farm, the farm animals such as the cows, pigs, chickens, goats, etc., are not kept as pets. They are bought and sold, or some are slaughtered and eaten by the farm family.
Also, I know of one individual who shot a wild boar and then had the meat packaged so they could eat it.
Now, should high-quality protein such as horse meat be eaten? Apparently, people who have tried it said it tastes similar to beef. And if we don’t want to eat it, can it be sent to other countries that might need it? If laws could be changed, is this a good solution to a present problem?
Alas, these are all good questions that I don’t have any answers for. Each person has to make their own decision on this one.
Resource Sties: The Washington Post, Food Section, Aug. 6, 2025, “The Case for Eating Wild Horses Out West”, Bureau of Land Managment online website, and People who Eat Horse Meat in Wikipedia.
Note to Readers: Sorry I don’t have any photos in storage of a wild horse or a burro, but the rocking horse photo is kind of cute.
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