Horses and humans interact in a variety of ways such as competitive sports and non-competitive pursuits in the field of agriculture, entertainment and warfare. Although various breeds have been domesticated, a wide variety of techniques, equipment and accessories has been employed to control and protect them from harm. Rearing horses does not only provide pleasure to owners but also a great deal of money as there has been a substantial market for horses and products derived from horses.
The animal which has been long priced due to its strength, speed and beauty is used in the production of certain antitoxins such as botulinum antitoxin to fight clostridium botulinum toxins found in food poisoning and wound infections in neonates, tetanus antitoxin for Clostridium tetani, rabies antitoxin for rabies infection and among others. Moreover, with the increasing threat of biological attacks with the use of botulinum, studies on how to develop more potent antitoxins for it have been intensified including the use of human and equine derived antibodies for post exposure prophylaxis. The equine derived antitoxin is developed from the plasma of horses that have been immunized with each subtype of botulinum toxoid and toxin. From the pooled plasma from different horses, antitoxins are further developed to come up with more antitoxins for specific types of toxins.
Horse meat, because of the role of horses as companions and workers, is mostly considered as a taboo food due to some cultural and religious issues and origins thus the development of aversion to the consumption of it. In some countries in Central Asia, Europe and South America however, horse meat is a significant culinary tradition to them. In Japan for example, horse meat served as Basashi is eaten raw. English-speaking countries such as Ireland do not consume horse meat because to them, horses, just like dogs are considered as pets.
Even after death, horses continue to serve mankind as horsehides provide a good quality of leather, the hooves are made into excellent quality resin-glue, its placenta, know to have cellular metabolic properties, is the main ingredient in some beauty products that help relax tight facial muscles and prevent the appearance of blemishes and freckles.
Horses, whether raised to become farmhands in cattle-raising, for entertainment purposes or slaughtered for its meat for the growing international export market, need to be supplied with their needs that vary from gastronomic to health maintenance to be able to perform and become what they are expected to be. As technology has become so advanced, answering and catering to their needs can become as easy as sitting down from your own easy chair and items will be delivered right in front of you at your very own doorsteps.