Spain celebrates the annual Las Luminarias festival with horses leaping through flames.
Imagine watching hundreds of horses leaping through flames. That’s exactly what happened in the Spanish village, San Bartolome de Pinares, during an annual festival.
A few thousand people gathered in the village northwest of Madrid for what is commonly known as the annual Las Luminarias festival.
The streets were lit up by numerous bonfires as riders took turns riding their horses through the flames. The objective of the ritual is to purify and protect each horse involved. Residents seem to appreciate the spectacle.
This festival takes place yearly on the eve of Saint Anthony's Day, who is Spain's patron saint of animals.
The event has been criticized by animal rights groups over the past years, but organizers say they take precautionary measures, like braiding horses' manes and covering their tails to protect them from being burnt.
More than a hundred horses and their riders participated in this year's event.
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