Animal Welfare Advocates Slam “Cruel” Horse Training Practice
Animal welfare advocates strongly criticized an incident in Misamis Oriental involving a horse seen running while tied to a moving pickup truck.
The video, recorded by motorists on February 3, 2026, quickly spread on social media and sparked public concern. The footage showed the horse, later identified as Kabang and estimated to be three to four years old, running along the Gingoog–Claveria–Villanueva Road while attached to the vehicle. In another part of the video, the horse was seen lying on the road, which led many viewers to believe it had collapsed from exhaustion. However, the owner, Jose Castro Jr., said the horse was only resting and denied any form of abuse.
Despite his explanation, several animal welfare organizations expressed strong opposition. Groups such as the Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) said the method used was not a proper or humane way to train a horse. According to PAWS, experienced trainers and veterinarians confirmed that horses are normally trained in controlled environments, often in enclosed spaces where their movement can be safely managed.
They also believe that the horse may have collapsed due to extreme fatigue or a possible health issue. PAWS stated that the situation could be considered a violation of the Animal Welfare Act and expressed plans to hold the owner accountable.
PETA shared similar concerns, describing the act as cruel and pointing out that the horse’s heavy breathing in the video appeared to be a sign of serious exhaustion. A veterinarian who reviewed the footage noted that the animal’s reaction did not look normal and that horses undergoing proper training are usually allowed to stand and rest safely, rather than being pushed to the point of lying down on the road.
Meanwhile, Castro stood by his actions and explained that the activity was part of controlled training. He said he has over a decade of experience training horses for racing and that the exercise was meant to test the horse’s endurance and slowly introduce it to road conditions. He added that horses sometimes lie down to rest and that this behavior can look alarming but is natural. He also claimed that the video did not show the full story, saying the horse stood up again after a few minutes. Still, many netizens remained unconvinced and continued to question the method used.
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