Yes, a small portion of glue is still made from horses, as their collagen is one of the main ingredients of animal glue. According to marketwatch.com, the global animal glue market will flourish by multiple million dollars by 2028 compared to 2021.
Where the global glue market in 2022 is $76.64 billion. If we compare the global glue market and the animal glue market, horses are used to make glue.
But it seems absolutely brutal to you that horses are used to make glue, right?
Yes, I also feel so. And for this, I researched horse glue history.
Are you eager to know horse glue?
Shall I explain my research?
The glue is made from boiling horses’ hooves, horns, hides, and connective tissue is defined as horse glue. It is also known as animal glue or hide glue.
No written record was found when the first horse glue was invented. But, as horse tooth derived glue was first detected around 6000 years before. So it was predicted that horse glue was invented approximately in 2000 B.C. However commercial horse glue was invented in the early 18th century.
How brutal you think about horse glue isn’t that much.
Too old, too sick, dying, or dead horses were sent to the glue factory to make glue.
Healthy, young, and active horses weren’t used to make glue, as they were still good to pull wheeled vehicles, carts, chariots, and wagons. Even, energetic horses were popular for racing, hunting, transport, or weapon of war.’
Some specific body parts of horses like hooves, horns, muscles, tendons, skin, or hides are used to make glue. Horse meat isn’t worthwhile to make glue, so it wasn’t used.
Since the horse is a large animal, you may wonder how people historically turned it into glue, even though they wouldn’t have that much technology. But, the interesting fact is that there is no need for any hard/tough skill to make it. Boiling is the main task of making horse glue.
In the glue factory, the workers break the horse waste parts (hooves, horns, muscles, tendons, skin, or hides) into small chunks. Then wash to remove dirt and soften them. Boil the chucks in high heat until liquefied, and then add acid to thicken the liquid like gel. Once the gel cools down, it becomes hard. This is how horse glue is made.
There is no quick/fixed/straightforward
answer to how much glue can be produced from one horse. It depends on the horse’s size, body parts, and collagen collection amount. As these are the main ingredients for the glue.
But, according to the glue factory, roughly 3.50 horses are needed to make 1 bottle of horse or animal glue.
Water-soluble adhesives or animal glues are mainly made from horses. This glue isn’t waterproof and as strong as super glue.
Bookbinding, woodworking, furniture, and musical instruments are some of the most common industries where horse glues are widely used. Besides these industries, horse glue is also used for antique restoration, piano repairs, and medical procedures.
No, horses aren’t killed to make glue because it is completely prohibited by U.S. law. A federal law was passed in 2007 that banned horse sales for human consumption or other commercial reasons. Though, the bill was passed 15 years ago. It is still effective today.
No, horses don’t still go to the glue factory in the USA. But dead, sick, and unwanted horses are sent across the border slaughterhouse and harvester for their valuable meat.
After passing the 2007 federal law against horses sold for human use, they stopped using horses for glue. So using horses for glue was stopped in the early 20th century. But, since still animal glue is available in the market. It isn’t 100% stopped.
Absolutely, Not. The U.S. government banned selling horses to kill them to make glue or horse meat for human consumption or commercial purpose.
No, Gorilla glue isn’t made from horses, gorillas, or other animals. After reviewing the Gorilla glue website, we have no evidence that Gorilla glue is derived from animals. Instead, it is made from polyurethane, isomers, and urethane prepolymer. It is, basically, 100% manmade glue.
No, Elmer’s glue isn’t made from horses. According to Elmer’s glue company, all glues are 100% chemical based and free from all kinds of cruelty. Polyvinyl acetate, Propylene glycol, and Polyvinyl alcohol are used to make this glue.
In recent years, a meme is a well-known word on the internet, especially for social media users. Many users create memes even about horse glue.
As horses are illegal to make glue, it isn’t available like regular glue. In most cases, you face difficulties finding them at your nearest hardware stores. However, you will easily find them online, as some online retailers and e-commerce sites like Alibaba, Amazon, and eBay sell horse glue from where you can buy it.
I hope your question, is glue still made from horses is cleared after reading my detailed article.