First, the political/regulator class bans the slaughter of horses for dog food (according them, years ago), then they okay the large scale slaughtering of horses to feed you.
http://www.foodstandards.gov.uk/news/newsarchive/salamisurvey171203"No more horsing around with salami
Wednesday, 17 December 2003
A UK-wide investigation carried out by the Food Standards Agency suggests that consumers should no longer be concerned about the problem of salami containing undeclared horsemeat and donkeymeat"
Horse meat faces ban in Italy The Telegraph By Nick Pisa in Rome
6:20AM GMT 08 Feb 2010
Excerpt:
"Italy is the largest consumer of horsemeat in Europe with more than 48,000 metric tonnes eaten every year and it is a common dish among youngsters because of its high iron content."
It’s been reported that a horse meat slaughter house in being built near Springfield, Missouri. There is local opposition, tho.
When I was stationed in Italy, I lived with an Italian family. The nearby horse meat house, was called the Cavalli....(horse) in Italian. Since I lived with them, I would assume at some point I ate horse meat, since I ate most dinners with them.