I believe eating one's horse started about WW2, indeed the French apparently still do it which is not a surprise & have Horse Butcher Shops around the place still, & easily identified by having a Horse's head hanging on the sign board out front.
I suppose that is where the Pub name "The Nags head" started in the UK.
In Oz it was called "The Horses Arse".
TiC:Rolling:

