Horses 'purified' by leaping over flames at Spain's Luminarias festival

Over one hundred horses jumped through bonfires in a purification ceremony on Wednesday during the Spanish festival of "Las Luminarias" in northwest Madrid. The traditional celebration takes place every January 16. According to tradition, the horses are 'purified' by the smoke and flames of the bonfires for the coming year. As part of the preparation, festival participants braided the manes of their horses to protect their hair from getting burnt.

Despite being criticized by animal rights groups over the years, one visitor to the festival told Reuters that the horses were not harmed, stating that they jump by themselves and nothing happens to them.