Brutal Horse-fighting tradition

With wild, rolling eyes filled with a mixture of fear and hatred, nostrils flaring, blood already flecking their ragged flanks, two stallions rise on hind legs to fight each other in a dusty arena.

All around them as they bite, kick and snort, an excited, cheering crowd takes bets on who will win.

This horse-fighting tradition, celebrated by China’s Miao ethnic group in Rongshui county, Guangxi province, locals pointed out that it had been going on for 500 years.

The fighting, part of the summer Xinhe festival which asks for blessings on newly planted crops, such as corn, sweet potato and soya bean, is even included on some tourist itineraries in South West China.

One guide explains how two teams of horses, specially selected to be ‘plump, sturdy and energetic,’ are led to the arena and then pitted against each other one by one. They bite each other, turn their hooves and kick the other side heavily. The nervous and fierce fight makes audiences hold their breath or cheer and applaud loudly from time to time," says the guide.

If one horse falls down or runs away, the other one is declared the winner and another two take their place. The winning horses then fight each other. The last two battle it out to be champion.

While the losers are led away to lick their wounds, the sweat-soaked champion is draped in red while his owner ‘feels very proud for having such a brave and strong steed.'

More images after the jump.




Source:DailyMail
Images: NetEase
Tags: Horse | Fight | Contest