...my treasures do not sparkle they clink,
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Death of the horse Raol at the Palio di Siena

22/10/2018

(22 October 2018)

Death of the horse Raol at the Palio di Siena. Accidents are the real incentive of this miserable show passed for tradition

After the umpteenth death of a horse at the palio di Siena, a couple of days ago – with the hunting images of its dangling leg following a multiple fracture as it is repeatedly hit by the other racing horses – the time will come for pressing charges to ascertain any liability and for expressing complaints against the moral responsibility of a town which is mortifying itself.

However, at this point indignation is no longer sufficient – it is imperative to stop this massacre. We can start by exposing the truth about this event that is promoted as historic and respectful of horses but that in reality is something else.

The palio di Siena is passed off as a tradition, but, in its current version, it retains nothing of its origins (provided that the original event might also have been questionable). Throughout the years, it has become a race in which the historical tradition is just a façade and instead each component is pushed to the limits towards pure competition and a victory which is tempting for the jockeys not only for the “cencio” but for much more. In addition to that, the current route has two impossible 90-degrees turns which result in an almost automatic triggers of clashes and falls – to call these accidents is pure hypocrisy.

The palio is broadcasted by Italian public television RAI, which is a full accomplice of this massacre and which is always extremely careful not to show the horses’ ruinous falls – as these are exiting for those in the square engaged in a sort of mass hysteria, but could upset and disturb those watching from home.

The palio is praised by journalists, politicians and other V.I.P, which are in the best cases not aware of its reality and at worst they are accomplices themselves. Someone would even want to nominate the palio as UNESCO heritage.

However, the public must be made aware that dozens of horses have died in Siena throughout the years and it remains unknown how many others have been victims of serious accidents. The public must also be aware that only a few horses get to race at the palio out of a multitude of horses that are trained throughout the year in race tracks that recreate piazza del Campo, to select the fastest ones: nobody knows what happens to those rejected. The jockeys that compete in Siena do this as a profession as they travel around Italy to compete in various “palii” and other events; they get paid to do this and in the large majority of cases have no relationship with the horse they are riding nor they are interested in protecting it from the risk of an accident – what matters to them is to push the animal as much as possible to win, without really worrying about the risk of crashing it.
In Siena, as in other traditional races, often the jockeys that are racing have been or are being investigated for doping, fraud and mistreatment of animals.
A horse pushed to fast gallop as it faces a 90-degrees turn is knowingly exposed to the risk of serious injuries, given its limbs’ anatomy. The so much boasted about anti-doping checks do not guarantee at 100% that prohibited substances are not used.

Accidents are the main attractive of the show in Siena. When the palio promoters in Siena state that horses are well treated they are not referring to the animal, but more to the instrument they will use for the race, as if they were talking of a motorbike for a Grand Prix. Siena will never give up its show; we can’t keep watching as we wait for the next accident to happen. We will raise awareness in the public opinion and promote a public action to push those concerned to stop this massacre.

VIDEO: accident horse Raol


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