Horses – the forgotten victims of bullfighting
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What is a bullfight, and who suffers in the bloody so-called sport, asks Maria Lopes.
In Anglo-Saxon countries bullfighting is regarded as a sport, perhaps due to lack of knowledge.
It is, after all, banned throughout the UK and the Commonwealth nations, as well as most of Europe. In countries where bullfighting is allowed it is increasingly becoming recognised as sheer barbarity. This savagery involves two beautiful animals, bulls and horses. While the bulls are guaranteed to die, the future of the horses is often no brighter.
Bullfights take place in three European countries, France, Portugal and Spain and in some parts of Latin America. In some states of North America a form of bullfight is permitted but the animal is covered with velcro and the spears used are imitation.
It’s commonly believed that in Portuguese bullfights bulls or horses don’t suffer, unlike the Spanish versions. This is unfortunately a myth since the suffering is the same in both bullfight styles.
The only difference is that in Spanish bullrings the bull is killed in the ring instead of in the slaughterhouse when the “entertainment” is over.
Every year more than 50,000 bulls are killed in bullfights in Europe alone. Countless horses die or suffer severe injuries.
Bullfighters claim that bulls bred for bullfights are aggressive and fearsome animals. This is also untrue. They fight because they are fighting for their lives.
But bulls are not the only creatures to suffer in bullrings. The tormented bull does not understand that it is the man on the horse’s back that is causing his pain, only that he is in agony. He therefore sees the horse as his enemy as much as the man.
It’s not unusual for horses used in bullfights to be so badly gored by the bulls that they have to be killed, but only after they have been dragged from the ring and the view of the spectators.
Spanish bullfights also employ “picadors”, men on horseback armed with spears.
These horses are often gored even though they are protected by what is termed a “peto”, or a protective cape. These petos often do little more than hide the horses wounds.
The horses are blind-folded to prevent them from becoming terror stricken at the charge of the bull. It is commonly believed that their ears are stuffed with cotton-wool to prevent them from panicking and their vocal cords cut to stop them screaming with fear at the bull’s attack.
This is the fate of these beautiful animals. To be used to entertain a crowd that lusts for blood and claims that bullfighting is a tradition and “cultural heritage”.
What about the brave matadors, picadors and their ilk? Bullfighters are rarely injured and seldom killed in the ring. With their armoury of weapons to weaken the bull until it can no longer fight, their lives are not at great risk. In fact, in the last 50 years only 10 bullfighters have been killed worldwide.
Should you ever find yourself in a country where bullfighting is practiced, please do not be tempted to attend one of these sadistic displays. The continuation of bullfighting depends on government subsidies and the tourist industry. Don’t be an accomplice to this savagery by supporting it with your dollars.
Maria Lopes is the Co-ordinator of the International Movement Against Bullfights
© www.iwab.org 2006 This article may not be reproduced in any form without prior permission.
Further information: International Movement Against Bullfights. Read the “ongoing campaigns” section
Originally published on Horsetalk.co.nz in June, 2006
How can there be no comments. This is pitiful. Add to that blindfolding an animal who has demonstrated its innate bravery and loyalty to its rider is criminal and cowardly.
this has to stop how inhumane on both animals, these people that attend something like this are not of human beings but monsters.
I am feeling very bad for those animals they are beautiful loyal and what we humans are doing with them this is not bravery this is cowardliness
I’ll comment. Money is evil. People will do almost anything for money. Including the suffering of animals. People will spend money on just about anything. Including watching animals suffer.
What is wrong with the public who want to pay to condone abuse of innocent animals? I am sickened. Shame on all of them. I am not religious but I do believe in a judgement day.
Honestly, this is a much better cause to be up in arms about than the horse-slaughter debacle!
How disgusting that this can go on in modern society.
The way people justify things by “tradition” is really shameful.
Thank you for publishing this article. Bull “fighting” is a shameless display of mental illness. I will happily boycott touring any country which promotes this infantile and attention-seeking sadism for profit, as well as boycott that country’s products and services.
Please send your complaints to the spanish government to help stop this abuse and we can also help by not huying Spanish goodx and produce
Yes good plan lets do it
I was saddened and disgusted after reading about this vile disgusting treatment these poor animals suffer at bull fighting what type of sick excuses of human beings can allow and take part in this happening and for these scumbag people who watch this disgraceful act of barbaric torture is vile this should be banned
Absolutely disgusting. This is an atrocity and evil beyond words.
disgraceful
Subsidized by the EU, Spanish Cultural Heritage, :-((((((((
Just disgusting how those animals are treated!!! 🙁 I hope the assh*les that perform those barbaric acts to those animals, both horses and bulls feels the same pain someday!!!
Slaughter, goring by bulls, tripping, soring, round ups, culling, PMU “farming” . . . Just a few of the many inhumane things that humans do to horses. One worse than the next. Why? For “entertainment” and profit. We will be judged for this in the end. All human wrongs against horses must end now.
You are absolutely correct!
We all will face our maker for all wrong doings .
This is an atrocity and sadistic !
People (if they can be called that) who participate in this are no better than the Nazis or Romans.
over a century after Mark Twain wrote “A Horse’s Tale” showing the cruelty to both horses and bulls in this barbaric “entertainment” still this goes on ! “The horses are blind-folded to prevent them from becoming terror stricken at the charge of the bull. It is commonly believed that their ears are stuffed with cotton-wool to prevent them from panicking and their vocal cords cut to stop them screaming with fear at the bull’s attack.
This is the fate of these beautiful animals. To be used to entertain a crowd that lusts for blood and claims that bullfighting is a tradition and “cultural heritage”.” this is the essence of the article what more needs to be said to abolish this practice once and for all ? As to Caitlin’s strange remark “this is a much better cause to be up in arms about than the debacle of horse slaughter” what in the hell are you talking about ? Do you think because there aren’t ringside seats built for people watching what goes on in horse slaughter plants it is any less painful and terrifying for the horses ?
What a disgusting cruel way to treat horses,they did not ask to be stabbed with bulls horns,just made to work,why do they have to involved in this outdated spectacle,if these people want to fight bulls get on with it if you think that is fun and sport,leave any other animals out of it.
Signed & shared
STOP WITH THIS STUPIDITY OF MAKING THIS TO ANINALS!
While I lived in the Azores I saw several bullfights. However, what I saw there, was not like what I see here and have seen on tv in Spain. On my island, the bulls are revered because they drove away the nazi’s during the wars. So they don’t die or get hurt.
They put the bull on a rope, like 100 feet long, and have maybe 4-5 guys holding it. They paint two lines, one at one end of the street, and the other about 1/2 mile away at the other end. Then they turn the bull loose. Its got free reign to run up and down the street while people attempt to touch it, hands only, on its forehead. They are allowed to run into yards, houses, over fences, vehicles, anywhere they want to go. The guys on the rope just pull it back when it actually goes INTO someones home or store so they can get it back out.
During SanJoaninas, they attach darts on the bull until its tired, then have men hold it by the horns and tail before they bring cows in the arena to lure it back out. The closest thing I saw to the ‘running of the bulls’ was during the festival called “free bull” where its the same as the roped bulls, except no rope and many bulls…sometimes 4 or more at once. All the streets are cobblestones so the bulls tend to slip a bit, but on the sand the bulls had the advantage for sure. Their horns are corked so there aren’t any massive gorings, but LOTS of trampling. I never saw a bull get killed. Though I did still feel badly for the animals….still forced to ‘perform’ for humans. I just wanted to pet one… then I remembered it was a bull.
So I’m not saying that bullfighting is a sport, or even humane, but I am saying that the Portuguese, and specifically the Azores, bullfighting isn’t as bad at the rest.
This is evil. For the horses and the bulls. For a matador, with a red cape to stand and face the bull is one thing. But to allow horses to suffer, and bulls to be speared, is barbaric. These (men) have only proved that they are cowards. I suggest a boycott of products and tourism in the countries that continue to allow this cruelty.
Spain (and any other country that participates in this), it’s time to end this barbaric “sport”. Really, who today finds this entertaining or acceptable?
Sick. Beyond belief…
I cannot believe such barbaric so called entertainment still goes on, there are only two casualties in this cruel sport neither will win, only a horrific death, its gut wrenching i only wish the tides could be turned so the people who cause the pain to these poor animals, suffer the same cruelty that they impose, perhaps only then they would see what they do is a cruel misjustice, and I would forward the blame to the leader of any country allowing such neanderthal entertainment to exist.
This is no sport!!!! These people need to be arrested and put on display for us to throw rocks at!!!!!!
Boycott the countries that put on bullfights
This has reduced me to a blubbering mess at work right now. I literally cannot comprehend the reason why human beings (no, make that monsters) in this day and age are subjecting these poor defenceless animals to such violence. I hope there will be divine justice for these beautiful animals and I will be boycotting ever going to Spain until this sadistic sport is permanently banned. RIP beautiful horses and bulls. I am ashamed to call myself a human…please know we are not all like those who make you suffer.
Horrible but Bullfighting is found only in Latin countries, including South America.
I do not think Anglo Saxon countries have ever practiced it – nor have the Viking cultures…certainly not during the last five hundred years.
Viking cultures practiced horse fighting instead.
My maternal relatives come from Spain and this is a shame for me. I am disgusted by the horrid cruelty and bloodlust of my own people. This needs to be stopped. The Inquisition is a terrible part of our heritage too. Should we bring back the torture dungeons because of that? This is not worthy of heritage!! It needs to stop!!!!
Every single human who has their hand in the pot of this cold-blooded entertainment are followers of satan. Hopefully their actions will come back ten-fold either on this earth (allowing their flesh to feel the pain these creatures of God felt during their massacre) or furevermore in their afterlife. (Yes, “Fur”evermore). I’m praying for the day mankind will stop these killing sprees!
I am an Anglo-Saxon in an Anglo Saxon country and nobody i know will have never regarded it as a sport, it has always been regarded as an abhorrent cruelty
this is unfair, the horse is unarmed against the horns of the bull.
damn you spanish retarded pygmies!!!
My vegan friends, some of whom love bacon, join me now in not going to anymore of these BARBARIC shows 🙂
disgusting – i have written to the spanish embassy – please do the same!
I have written to the spanish ambassador and the Queen and my European M.P
Yes I know but I just felt so outraged at this disgusting practice. Please write to the above, we have to take action, not just on here.
This is disgusting and very sad to see these animals treated this way , something must be done to stop this cruelty .
Only God in the name of Jesus can save these magnificent creatures (also the bulls) since political corruption.
I guess if you like propaganda, then this aritcle fills the bill. The value of a picadors horse used in Spanish, Portugease and French bullfights, at least in the major venues, is well over 200,000 Euros. The horses are especially raised and trained to counter the charge of the bull, since a horse has a natural tendency to run away from a charging bull, and are protected by nearly 250 kilos of kevlar padding designed to protect the animal from the bulls horns.
Photos used in this piece are a bit misleading, especially the one of the horse being gored. This happened during a rejoneadore, a bullfight from horseback, Portuguese style. These animals are typically valued at more then 250,000 Euros each. One dying in the Plaza de Toros is highly unusual, and expensive.
Yes, there was a time in Spain, Portugal and France when the horses where not protected, but that was some time ago, now nothing more then a part of a sad history.
I saw a video on facebook yesterday that I will never be able to unsee.
I dare you to search horse vs bull, watch til the end of SEVERAL videos, and then claim how valued their horses are.
I saw a rider walk up to his DISEMBOWELED horse, cut the girth to get his saddle and walk away from it while it lay violently twitching until it died. These sick bastards don’t value ANY form of life.
There’s an awful lot of bullshit in this story. Don’t believe every overly emotional thing you read. Go get first-hand facts.
You know what…one more comment. For the people who are buying into this propaganda…start by going into the wild and stopping mountain lions from hunting horses and other prey. You want to talk about brutality. The lion slowly tears the horse to shreds with its claws and teeth. What do you think about that? Is that barbaric? What are we going to do about it? Or do you feel that a horse being shredded to death is a part of nature and should be left alone? Go solve that issue first because for those of you who live in the city and suburbs and are completely disconnected from the realities of nature, that brutality has been going on for millenia. Bad mountain lions. They need to be outlawed. Write to the National Parks Service. Write to the National Wildlife Foundation. Somebody stop that barbarism.
So just because a lion gores an animal OUT OF NECESSITY FOR SURVIVAL, we’re expected to cause even more suffering on this planet and cause intentional harm? Should we accept people killing their own kind too since it happens in nature? I can’t believe how heartless some people can be. Really, it shocks me.