The organisation had strong words for organisers who are determined to continue racing horses in peak summer hours.

“A tradition which is considered justifiable because it has been practised for 500 years. It seems we have forgotten that these beautiful creatures existed in the wild for about 50 million years before our interference,” the group said.

The activist group stressed that using traditions and cultural practices as a justification for animal mistreatment are “poor excuses often used for atrocious acts that should have long been stopped”.

“In that same line we could justify the tossing of newborn babies from 15m height in India; The amputation of fingers for grieving relatives of deceased people in Papua; The Blood Fiesta in Spain where bulls are stabbed to death and even have hot wax poured over them,” ALM said.

“Cannibalism, infanticide, female circumcision, foot-binding… can you imagine living in a world where nothing ever changes, in the name of ‘tradition’ and ‘culture’?” it questioned. 

It also addressed how traditions always had a beginning at some point or another, but that doesn’t mean they can’t evolve into more sustainable ones.

“It is time we start creating new traditions, that do not include any form of slavery, exploitation, and cruelty,” it concluded.

A few days before the race, the Leone Philharmonic Society appealed for the protection of these traditional practices, stressing that they have been ongoing for the last 500 years, leading to a widespread discussion on the topic. 

This comes as horse-driven carriages and horse racing continue to be at the centre of controversy, now even on an international level, after a horse collapsed in New York City over the last few days.

What do you make of the animal activists’ call?