The horse meat I had was in France. When I had it, it was a cutlet / steak type cut, simply pan seared. It was very lean, and aside from a minerally livery flavor similar to hangar steak, it was in my experience, otherwise bland.
Edited to add: raw meat dishes use the leanest cuts because no one wants to eat raw waxy pieces of fat. Hence the use of tenderloin, and hence the importance of the strong flavored and savory accoutrements (most Steak Tartare dishes in restaurants are criminally under-seasoned.)
So given horse meat’s ultra leanness and its slightly gamey flavor, I do agree that it would be best enjoyed in raw preparations. And if my food history memory serves me well, I do believe that Steak Tartare in France was originally prepared with horse meat, pre WWII.
