Some of the most brutal handling of horses I've ever seen was when the Colorado fish hatchery people loaded the horses they had bought at the sale barn. This was a few years back, okay, quite a few, but it really turned me off for taking horses to slaughter. On the other hand I've known a few horses I would take to slaughter myself but I still wouldn't brutalize them.
On the third hand there are way too many neglected, starving horses that no one can do anything with.
On balance "humane" slaughter, whatever that is, together with humane handling, I know what that is, seems to be the only answer. I would never send my horses off like that however.
I've had horse meat and don't like it much but it may be psychological.
