Spared from slaughter, horses get new lease of life
Print Edition
CONSIDERED taboo in many parts of the world, eating horsemeat remains sufficiently widespread in Italy for the country to have to import live animals destined for the slaughterhouse.
And contrary to popular perception, not all are tired old specimens on their last legs, according to a horse-loving couple based in the country village of Vigone near Turin in northern Italy who are seeking to raise awareness of the trade with neighboring France.
In the last four years, Tony Gerardi and his wife Miky Daidone have saved around 40 healthy young horses from the butcher’s knife by training them for roles ranging from ploughing up fields to helping hyperactive kids to learn how to concentrate and relax.
“People think that slaughtered horses are all mature adults, even old and worn out,” Daidone said.
“But in the vast majority of cases it is young horses that are eaten because their meat is more tender.
“That’s why every year there are thousands of colts and fillies imported from France to be slaughtered in Italy.”
Gerardi and Daidone know they are not going to stop the trade. Instead their goal is to demonstrate a practical alternative through their “Save the Working Horse” project.
Once they have someone willing to take a horse, they make a date with local importers to select the animal which will get a last-minute reprieve.
Daidone admits the selection process can be difficult. “Obviously we can only take one at a time and the others will go to the slaughterhouse. But that is how it is and not all of the horses have the psychological or physical characteristics required for a working life.”
They are not, she says, out to change the world. “As far as I am concerned, people can eat what they like and it is not realistic to try to ban something that has been done for so long.
“Rather the concept is to try to make people revalue these animals and say, “Look: see what they can do’.”
Most of the horses they take are of the Trait Comtois breed, a medium-sized French working horse that was used in the cavalries of Louis XIV and Napoleon and is famed for its docile temperament.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
