Appleby Horse Fair: Time to Call a Halt to this Festival of Animal Abuse

Appleby Horse Fair takes place every June and attracts some 30,000 visitors who come to see horses being paraded, raced and bathed, and to get a taste of what they think is a Romany tradition that supposedly dates back to 1685.

The reality of this event is quite different. The Fair made national news in 2007 when one of the horses was drowned in the River Eden many of the riders seem to regard it as a macho challenge to completely submerge their horse under water. The river, whilst shallow at one side, has a steep ledge about half way across and horses easily lose their footing.

Animal Aid filmed at the 2009 Fair and captured many instances of animal cruelty. Please contact Eden District Council and demand that they ban the horse fair. Tradition is no excuse for animal cruelty. Visit our website http://www.animalaid.org.uk for contact details and more information.

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• Animal Aid
• Appleby
• horse
• fair
• Gypsy
• Traveller
• Romany

[annafanefjord]

Idiots!

They should try the same, fuckign bastards.

[Mdequifever]

this is abuse, not the fact that they're making them swim, just how they are going about it. There are plenty of other ways to get a horse in the water without kicking and beating on them. Personally, I want my horse to trust me and go into the water because they know I won't steer them wrong. It's not hard at all to get a horse to trust you enough to follow your lead through anything. All that hitting and beating is uncalled for! Oh and the dunking their heads under, that's just cruel.

[Ladycollies]

wtf ...

for what reason are they doing this?

[vito4355]

IGNORANTIIII ,BASTARDIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII ,BIFOLCHIIIIII ,BRUTTI COGLIONIIIII ,SHIT 

[Florence23456]

Qu'elle bande de sadik aller vous pandre si vous fete se si avec les chevaux



[SantaMariadeBuenAyre]

and that poor thing is pregnant! she need calm an comfort not been there fighting x her life, this is too bad..iam sad

[SantaMariadeBuenAyre]

leave the poor horses alone! you sick mthr fckrs!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[AnimalLeftist]

Horsemanshit is in the UK too. How sad. Although Nags2Bitches is probably loving every minute of it. Nothing like not being to let go of "traditions". This one could die, and every horse would breathe a sigh of relief. Those idiots jumping on their horses heads to submerse them? sickening.

[CanadianCowgirl1955]

@sisco23100 you're all idiots and animal abusers!!! karma will get you!!!

[CanadianCowgirl1955]

@13horselvr I'd love to stand on your back with a rope around your neck and see if you like the feeling of drowning...idiot!!!

[sexynellas]

dirty pikey filth 

[lauraogveraforever]

shitty people. I feel like drowning and torture them. idiots hate them. hate them hate them !!!!! they have no conscience in life!? They should be killed! Cant they think!? Stupid brain dead people!