(25th May 2012)

The decision of the Palio of Legnano organizers to make children riding ponies run in the oh-so-called “Provaccia” (read the press conference - in Italian - here), demonstrates how the “tradition” so many times evocated to justify the horses’ exploitation in this kind of events, is just an excuse: what really matters is to create spectacle in order to attract people and money.

The use of animals in the “palii” is anachronistic and the majority of the Italian citizens consider it outdated too, also and especially in the light of the many incidents resulting with dead horses, sacrificed for entertainment’s sake.
Legnano too should consider this change, instead of introducing highly harmful initiatives like this one: making 9 to 12 children run in a palio means to teach them to use the animals, instead of teaching them to know, understand and respect them.

Italian Horse Protection launched months ago the campaign NOPALIO, supported by several Italian and foreign associations, to ask for the ban of the use of animals in the “palii”. You can sign the online petition here: www.nopalio.it