Rounding-up of wild horses in Galicia, Spain

Every year, crowds flock to the Spanish village of Sabucedo, for a tradition that dates back to ancient times - cutting the manes and tails of the wild horses that live in the mountains of Galicia in north-west Spain.

The origins of the ritual are unclear but according to legend, the rite dates back to the 16th Century when the people of the village were spared the plague by their patron saint Lorenzo and in return sent horses into the wild.

But the undoubted drama of the "Rapa des Bestas" is to animal rights activists a show of unnecessary brutality.

Pictures by Daniel Rodrigues.

Rain and mud played a significant role in this year's round-up, which is rare even for this verdant region of Spain. By the end, the villagers are exhausted and the horses return to the mountains for another year.

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