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.
Animal Aid filmed at the 2009 Fair but is the same every year. Amongst the incidents captured were:
Terrified horses being repeatedly whipped, kicked, yelled-at, pushed and manhandled towards the river
Scared horses jumping out of the water and onto the river banks
Horses being ridden into the river and repeatedly kicked and shouted-at to move into deeper water
Horses thrashing about in the water and nearly drowning whilst having their reins held tightly
Horses being ridden into the deep water, and then the riders standing on their backs whilst the horses attempt to swim
Children kicking, whipping and shoving a miniature pony into the river
Watch Animal Aids footage here... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RzJ0jc_dbGg&feature=player_embedded
Horses & ponies, terrified & unwilling participants of "traditional" bathing in the River Eden at Appleby have drowned & horses have also been destroyed following injuries whilst being raced on Flashing Lane.
