Is This Life?
Thousands of horses in the Philippines are being maimed and wounded in illegal fights run by a crime syndicate betting ring.
"These tournaments are truly barbaric," said Andrew Plumbly, of the UK-based welfare group Network for Animals that has been campaigning to end the savage contests.
"Our vets have seen horses being kicked in the head so hard that their eyes have popped out of their sockets," he said.
Thousands turned up for a three-day fight festival at a market town deep in the jungles of Mindanao Island.
The government banned this spectacle 10 years ago but it is still widespread.
The horse fighting season lasts all year. Thousands of animals are maimed. Some die from their injuries.
Throughout the fight, a mare in season is tethered in the ring. Her presence encourages the sexual rivalry between the fighting stallions.
