Italian Horse Race

[SusieJane]

Not sure if you've seen this before...


http://my.break.com/media/view.aspx?ContentID=196198

 

[moodymare1987]

Omg thats totally wacky, haha that last corner was really sharp though dont you think? lost a few horses on that, xxx

 

[gemma1992]

OMG! That is cruel

 

[siennamiller]

this has been going for years. It is very controversial as horse and sometimes riders are killed every year. I believe it is run on the slippery streets with nothing put down and the horse are galloped flat out round corners etc
It is very cruel

 

[clipertyplop]

how awfull!!!!!!!! looks like it's being run on the streets, nothing short of barbaric

 

[PapaFrita]

Very famous and traditional horserace. I forget what it's called. Fecking horribleand barbaric. People have been trying to get it banned for a while now. People who winge about the Grand National should have a peek at what the Italians are up to :

I've remembered what it's called; it's the Palio. The city of Sienna is divided into sort of neighbourhoods, each of which draws a straw to see which horse they'll get. Jockeys are regularly bribed, get beaten if they lose, kick seven types of sh:t out of each other during the race... Never mind the horses...

 

[PapaFrita]

I believe they do chuck sand down, but it's cobbles underneath, so not much blinking good...

 

[SusieJane]

I couldn't believe it when I found it!

It made me feel sick.
And so much for EU regulations...
The spanish still have bullfighting
The Italians the palio

But bendover Britain bans hunting!!

 

[siennamiller]

I went to Siena on my honeymoon and I couldn't believe they ran the race there!! I was very shocked!

 

[Fairynuff]

Its a horrendous race and happens all over Italy, not just Sienna. The one in Sienna is nothing compared to the others . The horses are all TBs who for one reason or another have come off the racetracks. They are kept in the dark for days before the race and stuffed with wine, coffee and other stimulants. The race begins with all but one of runners having to walk up and stand at the starting rope. This usually takes 15 minutes as the horses mill around, buck, rear and try to piss off.The beating starts at this point! The horse thats not asked to go to the rope stands away from the rest and when all lined up he starts to gallop towards the rope. The rope falls to the ground and they are off! NO! They have so many false starts that the whole race can last for 40 mins from the start to the end.Every false start means the whole thing starts again .By the time they really do start racing most of them are hysterical and covered in froth. The races take place on piazzas with tight turns and often with no sand put down-they race on the tarmac or cobbles. Every year horses die in these races in the most horrible way-crashing into walls, cars, each other, resulting in broken necks, legs etc. If a horse needs to be put down its usually dragged onto a lorry and taken to the butcher to be slaughtered. I saw one being dragged onto a lorry by a rope round its neck, it was alive but had broken its back. I hope never to hear a horse scream like that again.ALL of them, if they survive, end up in the slaughter house.
PLEASE, do not go to these "traditional" races if you come to Italy. Mairi.

PS, they use donkeys in some regions

 

[MagicMelon]

Vicky19 - Did you actually find that funny??