Brutal Battle of the Stallions

Brutal battle of the stallions: Horses kick and bite each other in horrific bid to win the heart of a mare as cheering crowds bet on the outcome in China 

• By Chris Summers For Mailonline,www.dailymail.co.uk
• July 12th, 2016
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 Fights between stallions have been a tradition during the Miao people's Xinhe Festival in China for 500 years

 Gamblers bet on the outcome of each fight and the stallions are essentially fighting over a mare, who is 'in season'

If you have ever seen two men fighting over a woman then you will understand the primordial emotions which are driving these horses to bite, kick and 'punch' in horrific contests which attract considerable gambling in China.

In the West dog-fighting and cock-fighting have long ago been outlawed but these fights between stallions in Guangxi, southern China, date back 500 years.

It is one of the highlights of the Xinhe Festival, a tradition of the Miao people, one of China's many ethnic minorities.

The festival takes place every year, starting on the sixth day of the sixth month on the Chinese lunar calendar.

Horses are usually placid creatures but these stallions are driven wild by the sight of a mare 'in season'.

The mare enters the ring and, flattered by the interest in her, dances around in front of the two rival males.

The beasts then battle to be the alpha male and the contests, which involve kicking, wrestling and biting, attract big wagers from gamblers who can earn around 10,000 yuan (£1,134) from victory for their horse.

Animal rights groups have been campaigning for an end to the fights but the organisers insist the horses are treated well. 

A horse lays into its rival by biting it during one of the clashes in Peixiu village

Ow! Get off! As one horse rears up its rival grabs its front leg in its teeth and holds on for dear life

Horses' back legs are notoriously powerful, so it is common for them to kick out at their rivals

Driven wild with desire for the mare, the sexually frustrated stallions lash out at each other

Gambling is a passion in China and naturally the spectators bet on the outcome

The horse fights are a tradition of the Miao people's Xinhe Festival. There are around nine million Miao in southern China

These horses face off before the fight gets under way. The organisers insist the animals are well cared for

The contests take place in a specially built arena in Peixiu village, which dates back hundreds of years

The Miao spectators have been joined in recent years by foreign tourists