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Categories: Horse News

Animal Welfare Groups Outraged by China???s Horse Fighting Events

According to United Press International (UPI), graphic images published in the British newspaper Telegraph on Nov. 30 depicting organized horse fights in China “have sparked an international outcry.”



Several animal rights groups have described the photographs of the practice as barbaric.



According to UPI, horse fighting has been a Chinese tradition for up to 500 years. Events are listed on some tourist itineraries in certain parts of China. Horse fighting is also legal in the Philippines, Indonesia and South Korea.

Horses that do not immediately fight each other are whipped, or gunshots are fired to provoke them, the Telegraph said.

Abigail Boatwright

Abigail Boatwright is a freelance writer and photographer based in Texas, and is the editor of Horse Illustrated’s sister publication, Western Life Today.

View Comments

  • I can not stand people that would do something like this! It's just like dog fighting I don't like that either.. I think that they should put a stop to them doing this in China! Anyone in their right mind would see that there is nothing so great about animals trying to kill each other. Sure horses are going to fight but that's only to see who is going to be boss. Horses should not be put together to do something like this I think that everyone should stand up and fight for the right that horse needs to have they have the right to have a good life too!

  • I htink that horse fighitng should be banned and we need to get better force over there to get it stopped! horses have helped us for hundreds of years and this is the thanks they get! I have my own horses and i would do this!! It is cruel, wrong , and the peolpe doign it are just full of stupitity!!!!!

  • the u.s.a kills tons of HUMANS in many countrys...and their people enslave and chop up and eat animals when they dont have to. Until you stop that the people you bwant to stop willnot take you seriously :)

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