• Famed breed of Spanish horses may be destined for butcher's block

    Laura Leon / AP

    A mare, a ''Pura Raza Espanola," or Pure Spanish Breed, runs next to the stable at "La Yeguada de Cuatro Vientos" ranch in Almonte, in southern Spain's Andalusia region on April 8. Barring an unlikely reprieve, the purebreds at this ranch will be turned into horse meat for export in the coming months.

    Laura Leon / AP

    A Pure Spanish Breed horse rears up inside a stable at La Yeguada de la Nobleza ranch in Almonte, Andalusia, Spain.

    By Alan Clendenning, The Associated Press

    The southern Spanish region of Andalusia, famed for flamenco and Moorish castles, is also home to a legendary breed of horses that carried conquistadors into battle in the Americas, featured in Hollywood epics and more recently became trophy acquisitions for Spaniards during a giddy economic boom.

    On his grassy ranch in the territory's heartland, 73-year-old Francisco Mesa breeds these ''Pura Raza Espanola" - Pure Spanish Breed - horses with a passion that comes from years of pampering the elegant beasts known for their intelligence and affection for humans. He enters a muddy pen and is immediately surrounded by mares and foals who nuzzle him with tenderness, oblivious of their almost certain fate: the slaughterhouse. 

    Barring an unlikely reprieve, Mesa' purebreds will be turned into horse meat for export come July. They are victims of a wrenching economic downturn that has wiped out fortunes, turned housing developments into ghost towns and left more than a quarter of the population out of work. Read more here 

    Laura Leon / AP

    Butcher Manuel Delgado prepares a piece of a ''Pura Raza Espanola,'' Pure Spanish Breed horse meat, at a horse meat butcher in Camas, Spain.

    Laura Leon / AP

    Breeder Francisco Mesa places his hand on the back of one of his Pure Spanish Breed horses at "La Yeguada de la Nobleza" ranch on April 8.

    Laura Leon / AP

    Sculptures of horse heads decorate the main entrance of "La Yeguada de Cuatro Vientos" ranch, belonging to breeder Francisco Jose Rodriguez, in Almonte, Andalusia, Spain, on April 8.

    Laura Leon / AP

    Pure Spanish Breed mares, belonging to breeder Francisco Jose Rodriguez, walk in a field at "La Yeguada de Cuatro Vientos" ranch in Almonte, Andalusia, Spain, on April 2.

    Laura Leon / AP

    A Pure Spanish Breed horse belonging to breeder Francisco Mesa at "La Yeguada de la Nobleza" in Almonte, Andalusia, Spain, on April 8.

    Previously on PhotoBlog:

     

     

  • Horse loggers forgo heavy machinery to protect nature

    Jeff J Mitchell / Getty Images

    Simon Lenihan, a full time commercial horse logger, removes a Scots Pine tree from the Balmoral Estate with Sultan De Le Campagne, a 15 year old Belgian Ardennes horse, on Dec. 11 in Balmoral, Scotland.

    The Prince of Wales is the Patron of The British Horse Loggers, an association that works to promote horse logging and support professional horse loggers. The horses working at Balmoral are being used in place of large timber machines to minimize any damage to vegetation, soils and water-tables.

    -- Getty Images

    Jeff J Mitchell / Getty Images

    Simon Lenihan, a full time commercial horse logger, removes a Scots Pine tree from the Balmoral Estate with Salome Du Pre Renier, a 4 year old Belgian Ardennes horse, on Dec. 11 in Balmoral, Scotland.

    Jeff J Mitchell / Getty Images

    Simon Lenihan, a full time commercial horse logger, removes a Scots Pine tree from the Balmoral Estate with Sultan De Le Campagne a 15 year old Belgian Aldennes horse on Dec. 11 in Crathie, Aberdeenshire.

    Jeff J Mitchell / Getty Images

    Simon Lenihan, a full time commercial horse logger, removes a Scots Pine tree from the Balmoral Estate with Sultan De Le Campagne, a 15 year old Belgian Ardennes horse, on Dec. 11 in Balmoral, Scotland.

    Jeff J Mitchell / Getty Images

    Simon Lenihan, a full time commercial horse logger, removes a Scots Pine tree from the Balmoral Estate with Salome Du Pre Renier, a 4 year old Belgian Ardennes horse, on Dec. 11 in Balmoral, Scotland.

  • How many men does it take to wrestle a horse?

    Miguel Riopa / AFP - Getty Images

    Aloitadores struggle with wild horses during Shearing of the Beasts in Sabucedo, some 25 miles from Santiago de Compostela, on July 9, 2012. Hundreds of wild horses were rounded up from the mountains to be trimmed and marked.

    Men known as Aloitadores struggle with wild horses during the 400-year-old horse festival called Rapa das bestas, or Shearing of the Beasts, in Sabucedo, Spain, on July 9, 2012. According to typicallyspanish.com, the festival in Sabucedo was first documented at the beginning of the 18th century. Through this, the locals were able to keep an eye on the animals and maintain the horses' hygiene. Both locals and tourists herd the horses and bring them down from the mountain, but only the local Aloitadores are allowed to wrestle and trim the animals.

     

    Miguel Riopa / AFP - Getty Images

    Miguel Riopa / AFP - Getty Images

     

    See more photos of the Rapa das bestas festival on PhotoBlog

  • Spanish villagers partake in Shearing of the Beasts

    Dennis Doyle / Getty Images

    A horse rears its head as it's rounded up on the eve of the Rapa Das Bestas or "Shearing of the Beasts" festival on July 6, 2012 in Sabucedo, Spain.

    During the first weekend of July hundreds of wild horses are rounded up, trimmed and groomed in different villages in the northwestern Spanish region of Galicia as part of a 400-year-old festival call Rapa das Bestas or “Shearing of the Beasts.”

    Miguel Riopa / AFP - Getty Images

    A villager rounds up wild horses on the hills of Sabucedo, Spain during the Rapa das Bestas on July 6, 2012.

    Miguel Vidal / Reuters

    Participants grab a wild horse during Rapa das Bestas in Sabucedo, Spain on July 6, 2012.

    Miguel Vidal / Reuters

    A participant of Rapa das Bestas cuts off the mane of a wild horse in Sabucedo, Spain on July 6, 2012.

    •Sign up for the msnbc.com Photos Newsletter

  • Swimming horses race across Venezuela's Apure River

    The Associated Press reports from Apure, Venezuela — At the blast of a whistle, a half dozen horses plunge into the Apure River and set out for the distant shore in a unique annual spectacle commemorating a historic battle.

    Thousands of cowboys and their families gather to watch each year on the anniversary of a 1819 battle fought by soldiers led by independence heroes Simon Bolivar and Gen. Jose Antonio Paez.

    Paez and about 150 soldiers swam across the river alongside their horses, then attacked and defeated a force of more than 1,000 Spanish troops who had been sent to quash their rebellion, which eventually led to independence.

    Today, only the horses do the swimming, as competitors in canoes guide them across the river. Read more.

    Ariana Cubillos / AP

    Horses jump into the Apure River during a weekend of traditional horse races across the waterway in San Fernando de Apure, Venezuela.

    Ariana Cubillos / AP

    A man jumps off his canoe to run for the finish line with his horse during a race across the Apure River in San Fernando de Apure, Venezuela.

    Ariana Cubillos / AP

    A girl watches horse races across the Apure River in San Fernando de Apure, Venezuela.

    Ariana Cubillos / AP

    Horses reach the shore led by horsemen as they dash for the finish line during a weekend of horse races across the Apure River in San Fernando de Apure, Venezuela.

    Ariana Cubillos / AP

    Cattleman Eduardo Contreras celebrates after winning one of the horse races across the Apure River in San Fernando de Apure, Venezuela.

  • Lifeguards Household Cavalry prepare for diamond jubilee, Olympics

    Peter Macdiarmid / Getty Images

    The Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment (HCMR) exercise their horses at first light in Hyde Park on March 28, 2012 in London, England.

    The Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment (HCMR) is preparing for ceremonial duties during celebrations to mark HM Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee in June, 2012. The mounted regiment will provide a Sovereign's Escort from Parliament to Buckingham Palace. This will involve 116 men and horses riding fore and aft of the carriage carrying the Sovereign. In addition, the State Trumpeters of the Household Cavalry will be playing fanfares in St. Paul's Cathedral during the Jubilee Service and the double mounted band (53 musicians and horses) of the Household Cavalry will be marching the processional route in advance of the Escort. 

    Ben Stansall / AFP - Getty Images

    A member of the Household Cavalry washes down his horse as they prepare for the Major General's inspection and the state celebrations for Britain's Queen Elizabeth II's diamond jubilee.

    Ben Stansall / AFP - Getty Images

    Members of the Lifeguards Household Cavalry perform morning stable duties as they prepare for the Major General's inspection and the state celebrations for Britain's Queen Elizabeth II's diamond jubilee.

    Alastair Grant / AP

    Corporal McCabe, a farrier with the mounted regiments of the Household Cavalry, shapes a horse's shoe, during a media day at the barracks in London.

    Andy Rain / EPA

    A farrier of the Household Cavalry places a horse shoe at Hyde Park Barracks in London, Britain.

    Suzanne Plunkett / Reuters

    A State Trumpeter of the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment arrives at the Hyde Park Barracks in London March 28, 2012.

    Peter Macdiarmid / Getty Images

    Riding boots and a ceremonial sword await cleaning at The Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment Hyde Park Barracks.

    Ben Stansall / AFP - Getty Images

    Members of the Lifeguards Household Cavalry prepare for the Major General's inspection and the state celebrations for Britain's Queen Elizabeth II's diamond jubilee.

    The Household Cavalry and King's Troop at the first full rehearsal for Trooping the Colour 2010 (The Major General's Review).

    The mounted bands of The Life Guards and The Blues and Royals lead the Household Cavalry down The Mall from Buckingham Palace to Horse Guards Parade where the salute was taken by Maj. Gen. W G Cubitt CBE, Major General Commanding the Household Division.

    The video also shows The King's Troop, Royal Horse Artillery [02:43] returning down The Mall to Green Park where, on the Queen's official birthday, they fire a gun salute. The troop dates from 1946 when King George VI decided that a horse troop should be retained for ceremonial duties.

    •Sign up for the msnbc.com
    Photos Newsletter

  • Blazing saddles in Spanish festival for patron saint of animals

    Pedro Armestre / AFP - Getty Images

    A horseman jumps over a bonfire in the central Spanish village of San Bartolome de Pinares to open the celebrations for the feast of Saint Anthony, patron saint of animals, on Monday Jan. 16, 2012.

    Daniel Ochoa De Olza / AP

    A man rides a horse through a bonfire in San Bartolome de Pinares, Spain, Monday, Jan. 16, 2012.

    By James Cheng

    On the eve of Saint Anthony's Day, hundreds ride their horses trough the narrow cobblestone streets of the small village of San Bartolome during the "Luminarias," a tradition that dates back 500 years and is meant to purify the animals with the smoke of the bonfires and protect them for the year to come.

  • Jim Urquhart / Reuters

    Horses are driven through the town of Three Forks, Montana, during Montana Horses' spring drive, April 23. About 350 horses were involved in the drive.

    Montana Horses spring drive celebrates the old West

    By Rich Shulman

    It's kind of sad that this is only done as something to attract tourists. Of course, if the price of gasoline goes much higher . . .

  • Hat time at Grand National Ladies' Day in Liverpool

    Tim Hales / AP

    A race goer arrives at Aintree Ladies' Day at the Grand National horse race meeting at Aintree racecourse in Liverpool, England, on Friday April 8.

    Andrew Yates / AFP - Getty Images

    Fine Parchment (C) ridden by jockey Peter Toole jumps over the 'Water Jump' during the John Smiths Topham Steeple chase on the second day of the Grand National meeting at Aintree Racecourse in Liverpool, north-west England on Friday.

    Tim Hales / AP

    Racegoers cheer during Aintree Ladies' Day at the Grand National horse race meeting at Aintree racecourse on Friday.

    By Elena Grothe

    According to the AFP: Friday is traditionally "Ladies' Day" at the annual event which culminates with the Grand National's four and a half mile steeplechase race on Saturday.

Older posts