Horse rustling, in which the horses are not stolen and ridden away, as in Old West horse theft, but where the horses are killed and butchered on the spot, turned into steaks and chops, and carried away in pickups and vans, is now a problem in South Florida. The reason: the area's Hispanic population, which includes communities of people with a taste for horsemeat, and communities of people with a taste for theft. USA Today actually says this in an article on the subject:

He said some butchers in Miami have stolen frozen horse meat in their stores for trustworthy customers. Sometimes the meat is sold in neighborhoods out of coolers.

The meat sells for $10-$20 a pound depending on the cut. It can be as high as $40 a pound when supply is short.

Couto said some Miami restaurants serve horse meat, which is considered to be sweeter, less fatty and higher in protein than beef. In European countries such as France, Italy and Belgium, the meat is seen as a delicacy.

It is also eaten widely in Central and South America, where it is believed to have medicinal value, Couto said.

Jaime Suchlicki, director of the Institute for Cuban and Cuban-American Studies at the University of Miami, said much of the demand is likely from Cubans immigrating to South Florida.

Beef is a rarity in Cuba, so Cubans often turn to equine dishes such as tasajo, which is made with cured horse meat.

However, people from many other Latin American and Caribbean countries also live in Florida.

"It may be Haitians," Suchlicki said. "There are a lot of Nicaraguans in Miami. A lot of Argentines." South Florida sees rise in illegal horse meat market, By Alan Gomez, USA TODAY

See also They Kill Horses, Don't They? (Mexicans, That Is.) and Hispanic enrichment and Florida horses, more recently by Patrick Cleburne.