If the horse doesn't stand well, then there is a hook used to hold the terrified equine's head in place. The horse is then moved onto the kill floor, where it's throat is then slit. The head is skinned, then removed and the lifeless shell of the equine is then gutted and slit in half. The half carcasses are then moved and the next horse is processed. There are those who believe that there is no difference between cattle and horses, that they are both livestock and are slaughtered accordingly.
Some people think that horse slaughter is necessary for population control.
That is far from true. In California, legislation known as Proposition 6 was passed, which makes it illegal to slaughter horses for human consumption. Reports concerning overpopulation of equines have not been made in CA since the passing of that legislation. Horse slaughter exists in the U.S. only because there is a foreign market for horse meat. The slaughter houses are all foreign owned and cater to an elite group of Europeans and Japanese overseas who pay top dollar for choice cuts of horse meat.