The Rapa Das Bestas is an ancient horse wrestling festival in Galicia, Spain, where people gather some 600-700 untamed horses in a corral, and men and women of all ages brutally wrestle them to the ground with their bare hands to cut their manes and tales out and brand them. Townspeople claim they are doing it for the horses since many of these are wild horses; the branding is needed to ensure they are protected. Not only does the event cause great distress for the animals, if branding is needed, wild horses should be gently handled using humane chutes. Cutting of the horses' manes and tails removes the horses' natural defenses from flying insects. While the people of Galicia find see this cruel festival as a tradition, officials state that horse wrestling is a %u201Dpart of life%u201D.
This fiesta goes on for about three days starting the first Saturday of July. Please take action and demand a stop on this festival!
We the undersigned would like to draw your attention to the Rapas Das Bestas, the Spanish Horse Wrestling festival, held in Galicia every july. This is an event where some 600-700 horses, including stallions, mares and foals, are brutally wrestled down. The festival allegedly dates back to the Bronze Age, and was a demonstration of the village's independence, strength, and virility. Today, this is a primitive and barbaric festival that only demonstrates a lack of respect for animals and animal welfare.
Even though animals are not slaughtered during the festival, many horses do get injured, whether it is as a consequence of the horse wrestling, or a result of being confined in large masses in small spaces during the event. Cutting of the horses' manes and tails is unnecessary, as it removes the horses' natural defenses from flying insects. If branding is needed, wild horses should be gently handled using humane chutes. It would not only be much safer for both the horse and the handlers, but also less traumatic for the animals. There is no need to wrestle down the horse for this purpose.
You claim that it does not involve cruelty, simply because it does not involve killing. Horses are traumatized in the process. It might not be your intention to harm or kill the horse, but all this animal experiences is being chased down, brutally manhandled and forced to the ground. The vets and officials present cannot prevent the unnecessary distress and fear these animals go through.
I urge you to stop this barbaric festival. You consider this a noble tradition %u2013 there is nothing noble in taking advantage of sentient beings and putting them through such horrors. That it is a tradition doesn't mean that it still needs to take place.
Thank you for taking the time to read this letter.
