I took this image in April 1975 at a bullfight in Madrid, Spain. Unlike the familiar Matador fighting the bull from the ground, this event featured horse-mounted Picadors who repeatedly thrust swords (picas) into the bull to weaken his neck muscles. This gets the bull to lower his head exposing the back of his neck for the final kill. Once completed, a team of horses drags the bull from the arena in preparation for the next match.

While bullfighting has much ceremony and honor for both the men and the bull, it is a bloody, gory sight for most Americans. The bull may fall to his knees and get up numerous times as he becomes progressively weaker from the exertion and loss of blood. The Spaniards found it very exciting, loudly cheering for a valiant fight or booing if the Picador took too long to kill the bull.  As the picture demonstrates, there is also danger to the horses, although I don’t recall one injured during the fight I attended.