7/12/2006: Chinese horse fighting
 

http://cellar.org/2006/chinesefighting.jpg

xoB finds this shot of a horse competition in China, apparently part of their Xinhe Festival in Rongshui Miao Autonomous Region.

A little Googling shows that xenhi is the Chinese word for newly-planted crops, that the Miao is an ethnic group, and that the festival includes many less cruel activities as well. The link shows shots of "catching fish in the fields", which appears to be a happily ironic festival activity, a fertility practice, not some sort of schizophrenia.

As usual, we observe the gentle difficulty of highlighting such practices without necessarily enjoying them.

Crazy chink--... I mean, uh, crazy chinese ethnic group!

you know whenever i see things like this whether it be cock fighting or dog fighting it makes me sick to my stomache...i mean who in there right mind finds this entertaining....:mad:

WWE?

The website quote along side of the image says "People catch fishes in the fields ..." Reminds me of the menu at the Chinese restaraunt in my neighborhood that always describes shrimp dishes with phrases like "tasty shrimps..."

I guess it could be worse, we had one Chinese restaraunt in Houston that listed a dish as having children's breast as an ingredient instead of chicken breast! :D

How the hell do you encourage horses to attack each other???

Two studs. Mare in heat somewhere nearby. Sometimes the studs don't even need a mare for a reason to fight.
How do they encourage roosters in cock fighting?
Dogs in dog fighting?
It is the aggressive/competetive nature in many male animals.

Without commenting on this particular usage, I will use 5 pedantic points and point out that "fishes" is often correct.

"Fish" is the plural of fish when there are more than one of the same type of fish.

"Fishes" can be the plural of fish when you are talking about different types of fish, or heterogeneous fish generally.

I'm with you Highriskgeo. I hate seeing or reading about any animals (big or small, ugly or cute) forced to fight for the sick pleasure it brings to some people and their stupid cultures. I don't care if humans/people wish to fight, but for goodness sake don't force animals to fight for entertainment. Makes me sick and angry.:mad:

Horse Fighting
 

Horse fighting was popular among the Scandinavians; reading the Icelandic sagas and myths, one finds a culture devoted, dependent, and yet despicable, to its equines.

West or East: Wherever there are horses there is cruelty and beauty—their nature is like ours.

Welcome to the Cellar, sgr. :D
You're right, animal fights have been the pastime of many cultures. Common livestock in very poor cultures and specially bred fighters in wealthier ones.

Leah said they shouldn't be forced to fight but should have said they shouldn't be allowed to fight. All they need is an opportunity because it's their nature.

Boxers fight for sport and money, wild horses fight for sex. Horses are smarter.

Why does this scene look familiar to me? We haven't had this or something very similar as an IOTD before, have we?

Yes, but not quite as graphic. ;)

As an equine lover, this pic is painful for me to view - but if I take a second to put on a dispassionate overcoat, I think the photo capture of this moment is amazing.

welcome ajaccio! posting from Corsica (Corse)?

we also had a dog fighting IOTD.