A small village in Spain is turning up the heat.
San Bartolome de Pinares, a tiny community of about 500 residents about 60 miles outside of Madrid, hosted its annual Las Luminarias celebration over the weekend — a centuries-old tradition highlighted by horses galloping through a wall of flames.
The fiery spectacle has ticked off animal rights activists for years but locals live for it.
“In the old days, it was held because it was believed that the branches and the smoke blessed the horses and donkeys, which were used for farming, as a form of healing to prevent them from getting sick and to ensure they continued working in the fields,” said attendee Antonio Patricio, 62.
The celebration begins early, with locals piling up wood hours earlier.
Riders prepare their horses by wrapping their tails in fire-resistant tape and braiding their manes, wile some slap glaze on the manes to prevent them from catching fire while galloping through the flames.
Some of the horses are decorated with bright-colored ribbons or decorative headpieces.
Wine, beer and snacks flow throughout the festivities, which has become as ingrained in the culture of San Bartolome as their livestock and farming heritage.
Village residents said the ritual of Las Luminaries dates to a time when illness swept through the tiny community, and locals lit massive bonfires that they believed healed and purified their horses.
With Post wires
