logo
episode-header-image
Jun 2018
27m 48s

Pony Tales

Bbc World Service
About this episode

Should we eat more horse meat? In some parts of the world it is a food taboo, while in others people think little of munching an equine burger. Would it be better for our health and that of the planet if we ate more of it?

We’re at a pony auction in the English countryside where some rather hairy creatures are going for a song. Could turning them into sausages and steak be the best way to add value? From there we travel to Paris to find out why the French are losing their taste for horse meat, we find out if it could be more sustainable and healthier than beef, and examine the roots of the world's horse meat taboos.

Presenter: Emily Thomas

This programme first aired in October 2017

(Picture: Exmoor Pony. Credit: Getty Images)

Up next
Jul 29
Should I cut down on carbs?
Have you ever asked yourself: should I do Keto? Is white rice good for me? Am I eating too many carbohydrates? If so, then this episode of The Food Chain is for you. Carbohydrate-rich foods are everywhere and they’re delicious. But are they good for us? Carbs have a reputation fo ... Show More
26m 29s
Jul 22
When should I eat my evening meal?
When should you eat your evening meal? Is it really better to eat earlier, or does it depend on when you go to bed? And if you do have to eat late, is there anything you can do to reduce the impact on your health?In this episode of The Food Chain, Ruth Alexander explores what sci ... Show More
26m 29s
Jul 15
The rise of eating alone
Listener Melanie wrote into The Food Chain to ask us to make a programme about the rising numbers of people who eat alone. She told us she often dines solo and sometimes finds the experience daunting. So today Ruth Alexander hears from Melanie and from other solo diners – some wh ... Show More
26m 27s
Recommended Episodes
Jun 2023
Hooves Up!
<p>The girlies investigate a beloved middle school archetype — the horse girl. They explain the history of The American Horse™️, the women who protected them from extinction, and why love stories between girls and horses are so much more empowering than the heteronormative script ... Show More
1h 20m
Oct 2022
MIX | You Do What?! - Horse Trainer & Farrier| #MIXBreakfast
To be or not to be…That is the equestrian. The breakfast crew had a great time horsin' around for today's You Do What?! Aishah got to relive some great memories and try her hand at being a horse trainer while RD and Prem checked out what being a horse farrier is all about. 
4m 19s
Nov 2010
Why do girls love horses?
<p>Little girls and women seem to have an affinity for horses. But why? In this episode, Molly and Cristen discuss a variety of theories about why girls love horses, from the bizarre to the believable.</p><p> </p> Learn more about your ad-choices at <a href="https://www.iheartpod ... Show More
22m 40s
Oct 2023
cannibalism? and rural fantasies
In today's episode, Mina talks about how to launder your clothes, the ethics of wearing clothing made of human hair and also eating your friend's leg, urbanites cosplaying as farm girls (guilty), and the history of the dude ranch industry. Support the podcast on Patreon! Instagra ... Show More
1h 5m
Aug 2023
Why’s my horse eating that?
Farah talks about why your horse is eating that and her crusade on behalf of vilified plants. Plus more! 
33m 10s
Mar 2021
97: In A Horse Town
We set up outside a craft fair in a town built for horses and their equine-obsessed owners! Guests include a young aspiring photographer and certifiably jacked movie buff, a Honduran woman who is obsessed with her job making poke, and a young entrepreneur who started her own bust ... Show More
52m 56s
Oct 2025
651. The Ultimate Dance Partner
tail spinning
1h 8m
Mar 2023
Walloping
In today’s ‘mane’ episode, there’s no horsing around as we take gallop through the etymological equine world. Susie explains what the name Duncan and donkeys might have in common, why we might have ‘walloped’ instead of ‘galloped’, how ponies are linked to chickens and why we nee ... Show More
37m 34s