It’s a tradition that dates back hundreds of years, where two stallions fight over a female to ring the Chinese new year. And when it’s the Year of the Horse, the fights are considered to be even more significant. They’re held in small villages across southern China and have been condemned by animal rights groups, including Hong-Kong based Animals Asia. But those who participate in the events defend the fights and insist they take care of the animals.

Tim Anderson final balanced rock stack in the Llano River. Tim Anderson, rock balancing “pro” from Pennsylvania, carefully worked to balance his stack on a dry spot in the Llano river Saturday March 12, 2016. He was an honored guest of the festival and enjoyed visiting Texas so he came for another year. The river was higher this year because of the rains so the balancers could not get to the better rock that were available last year. (Photo by Nell Carroll/American-Statesman)

“The Queen” painted fibreglass by artist John Humphreys is displayed backdropped by other works which feature in this year's Summer Exhibition on it's 250th year at the Royal Academy of Arts in London, Tuesday, June 5, 2018. The Summer Exhibition has been held since 1769, with around 1300 works on display this year and most of them available for purchase. It runs from June 12 until August 19. (Photo by Matt Dunham/AP Photo)

Lion dance with LED lights, perform on the glass deck of the King Power Mahanakhon building, currently Thailand's tallest at 314 meters (1,030 feet) tall, Bangkok, Thailand, Monday, February 4, 2019. Chinese will celebrate the lunar new year on Feb. 5 this year which marks the Year of the Pig in the Chinese zodiac. (Photo by Sakchai Lalit/AP Photo)

Participants perform parade in the street during Grebeg Sudiro festival on January 19, 2020 in Solo City, Central Java, Indonesia. Grebeg Sudiro festival is held as a prelude to the Chinese New Year, which falls on January 25th this year, welcoming the Year of the Rat. People bring offerings known as gunungan, including Chinese sweetcakes piled up into the shape of mountains, which are paraded in the streets followed by Chinese and Javanese performers. (Photo by Ulet Ifansasti/Getty Images)

A performer dressed as Empress Huang of the China's Forbidden City takes part in a musical performance at a shopping mall in Kuala Lumpur on January 22, 2017 as part of the upcoming Lunar New Year celebrations marking the Year of the Rooster. (Photo by Manan Vatsyayana/AFP Photo)

The Heavens opened as students from Wells Blue school year 13 pupils arrived at The Bishop's Palace in Wells, Somerset on June 30, 2022 for their end of year school prom. (Photo by Jason Bryant/Apex News)

A Saudi police officer receives emergency calls at a call center, ahead of the Hajj pilgrimage in the Muslim holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Tuesday, August 6, 2019. The hajj occurs once a year during the Islamic lunar month of Dhul-Hijja, the 12th and final month of the Islamic calendar year. (Photo by Amr Nabil/AP Photo)