'You need a good horse'

Some travelers from Chinese cities, which have seen a rise in concern for animal welfare in recent years alongside a growth in pet-ownership, seemed more concerned.

"It's horrible to see the horses get injured, I don't like to watch," said 14-year-old Ma Jiasui, who had traveled to the village from a nearby province as part of a tourist group.

However, she added: "It's the Year of the Horse, and my surname means horse, so its special to see horse fighting this year."

Zhou Tingyi, a 63-year-old who presided over the competition with a white plastic megaphone, said: "We used to hold horse fights just once a year but now we do it more often. Because this is the year of the horse, we are even more happy.

"You need a good horse for fighting, it needs to be fat, it needs to have more energy," he added.

Horse breeders said that the ideal age for an equine pugilist was between four and eight years. Most animals do farm work when not fighting.

"Horse fighting is just for fun," said Pan Yinghong, who held his horse with a rope as animals neighed and whinnied.

The competitions are also about "glory", he added.

"If I win, people will think of me as a horse king, and its also good for attracting women."