In Switzerland you can buy it at a regular grocery stores. I don't even think it's that expensive, and you can see on the packages that a lot of it comes from North America. Even though North Americans don't EAT horse meat, they surely do export it.

Yes, its true that CAFOs and battery cages are cruel, but the fact that they are still legal in the U.S. doesn't in any way make eating horse meat ok, as you seem to imply. I think most readers would have appreciated if you went more into depth about how horses are treated in the horse meat industry. Since you didn't, I will:

Most horses destined for slaughter are sold at livestock auctions or sales. These often include stolen pets. The cruelty of horse slaughter is not limited to the act of killing the animals. Horses bound for slaughter are shipped, frequently for long distances, in a manner that fails to accommodate their unique temperaments. They are usually not rested, fed, or watered during travel. Economics, not humane considerations, dictate the conditions, including crowding as many horses into trucks as possible.

Often, terrified horses and ponies are crammed together and transported to slaughter in double-deck trucks designed for cattle and pigs. The truck ceilings are so low that the horses are not able to hold their heads in a normal, balanced position. Inappropriate floor surfaces lead to slips and falls, and sometimes even trampling. Some horses arrive at the slaughterhouse seriously injured or dead. Although transportation accidents have largely escaped public scrutiny, several tragic incidents involving collapsed upper floors and overturned double-deckers have caused human fatalities, as well as suffering and death for the horses. Under federal law, horses are required to be rendered unconscious prior to slaughter, usually with a device called a captive bolt gun, which shoots a metal rod into the horse's brain. Some horses, however, are improperly stunned and are conscious when they are hoisted by a rear leg to have their throats cut. In addition, conditions in the slaughterhouse are stressful and frightening for horses.

Yep, you've alienated this reader. For those humane-minded folks against the cruel treatment of animals killed for the meat trade, here are some ways we Americans can help prevent horse slaughter:

Individuals can support organizations such as The Humane Society of United States that work toward the goal of ending horse slaughter. One of our goals is to reduce the callous overbreeding of both sport horses and pleasure horses so that older, injured or surplus animals will no longer be viewed as expendable. A reduced number of surplus horses would result in a sharp decline in the profits of the horse meat industry because the cost of obtaining each horse would rise due to decreased availability. This would force slaughterhouses to scale down their operations and eventually shut down. Horse owners should think carefully before breeding a mare and consider adopting their next horse from an equine rescue organization.

Horse owners can plan for their animal's eventual death by setting aside funds for humane euthanasia by a veterinarian, if it becomes necessary. Menopausal women on hormone replacement therapy can ask their doctors to prescribe one of the many safe and effective, FDA-approved alternatives to Premarin®. (Contact The HSUS for a free brochure detailing these alternatives.) Finally, individuals can work within their home states to pass laws that afford stronger protections for slaughter-bound horses.

According to a Dallas Morning News article from March 7, there is an investigation of alleged environmental violations at the horse slaughter plant in Illinois. This industry doesn't sound very "eco" to me.