Horses wrestled to the ground and sheared in barbaric Spanish ceremony

Distressing footage of horses being manhandled and sheared at a traditional Spanish event known as the “Shearing of the Beasts” has been shared on social media.

Video from the ceremony, which took place in the village of Sabucedo, shows dozens of animals being wrestled to the ground before their manes are trimmed.

The 400-year-old barbaric tradition sees men, young and old, herd hundreds of wild horses from the nearby countryside into an arena, forcing them into submission so their hair can be cut.

At the end of the ceremony, horses are then reunited with the foals and released back into the mountains.