(5th June 2010)
Saturday 29th May, during the trials for the Quintana Di Foligno, a horse was seriously injured;
taken to the veterinary clinic of Perugia University, Kalascian has been put down, while in Foligno the crowd keep on cheering and having a good time. The general exaltation probably increased even more when, in best tradition of cruel village fetes, another horse, Macho Vernacolo, broke his right foreleg.
Before stating our opinion, we are waiting for the results of the inspection ordered by the Health Minister’s task force for the animal welfare, which was announced with an official statement on 31st May.

In the meantime, we read on the Quintana’s official site that “There is great satisfaction among the organizers for the results of the inspections held by police and health authorities on the structures and grounds of the fair after what happened during last Saturday’s official trials.”
In particular, the President of the Ente Giostra Della Quintana, Domenico Metelli has declared: “I feel proud to lead an organization as the Ente Giostra Della Quintana, in whose DNA is evident the love for our town, for the fair, and for the horses, who are the essence of our tournament. We received compliments for our organization and for how every participant to the tournament and, by large, every citizen, contributes to the horses’ welfare.”

Evidently in Italy the concept of love for animals is open to various interpretations. For example, they could have tried to repair the damage to Kalascian’s leg, even if it would have been a desperate and expensive attempt at surgery. Why didn’t they even try? Perhaps because --even in case of successful recovery-- Kalascian would have never run in these folkloristic races again but would have lived the rest of his life at pasture, as fit for an animal of his species?
This one too is a characteristic of folkloristic races, tournaments and the like: when a horse breaks down, it’s almost always put down, even if it would be possible to save it. A clear demonstration that its life is valued by the organizers and spectators only in the measure it generates “spectacle” and thus money.

We are sure Dr. Salvatore Macrì, sent by the Health Minister’s task force (which was instituted by the Parliament member On. Francesca Martini “to guarantee the animals’ health and welfare against every kind of mistreatment and abuse, with the aim to reach the complete respect of the animals is our society”), will evaluate the situation with professionalism and won’t be fooled by nice speeches and expensive structures.
The horses’ welfare isn’t judged by these criteria, but by the condition of great stress, both physical and mental, these animal are forced to bear, and by the efforts required from them-- efforts that are so hard to greatly increase the chances of catastrophic injuries, no matter the “suitable” surface the horses are running over.

The people organizing these events play with adrenaline and fervour to attract the crowd; they talk of tradition, culture, history, involving the horses in these raving speeches as active participants.
But the horse welfare is a completely different thing. The horse is a prey animal and, as such, it’s terrified by crowded places, screams, loud noises, whirling flags and so on. President Metelli’s speeches about how nicely the horses are stabled, groomed and petted sound ridiculous to people with a minimal knowledge about equines.

So, once again, we appeal to the Health Minister to say that talking about horse welfare and the respect of its nature, means to really side with this animal, forgetting anachronistic concepts that are only useful to silence some people’s consciences and to fill someone else’ pockets.
On. Martini’s July 2009 Order is certainly a big step forward compared to the past but, as we can see, it’s not enough to talk about technical requirements. This kind of happenings implicitly carry the presupposition for horses’ mistreatment, and the right of these animal would be respected only with their abolition.