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The "Fiestas"
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The fiestas of Menorca that take place consecutively, during the summer, in all the towns of Menorca, are based on Sant Joan's very old fiestas (23 and 24 of June), of Ciutadella.
These that are also the first ones in taking place, have marked the rule to the rest of the towns of the island that have adapted the fiesta to their particularities.
The point in common of all the fiesta of Menorca is the horse that is also the center and main character.
These beautiful animals, have in Menorca an own race, the menorcan horse.
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The horses come out decked out to the streets, where they are encouraged by the insular youths so that they carry out jumps and try to stay the biggest time possible envelope their back legs. Their horsemen, well-known as
caixers, they are obligatorily in the case of the Fiestas of Sant Joan of Ciutadella peasants, except the Caixer Senyor
(representative of the old nobility), the Caixer Casat (chosen by the Caixer Senyor between the artisans or workers of traditional occupations of the town), and the
Capellana that represents to the clergy.
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In the other towns, the Caixer Senyor is substituted by the Caixer Batle
(the mayor of the town or sometimes a councilman), and it is allowed to participate in the party to all the citizens that have
horse.
Another aspect that differentiates Sant Joan's parties is the medieval games to horse (l'ensortilla, correr abraçats
, and ses carotes) that are carried out the day 24 of June.
Although it can seem that these parties, in those that the horses mix with the crowd while they carry out their leaps, they involve some danger, the certain thing is that it is not this way.
The horse is perfectly trained to avoid to harm to the present, and if a prudential distance is conserved the party i can be lived, as a menorcan more , without any danger.
The accidents that take place are produced in fact by the excessive consumption of alcohol that unfortunately is given among the
youths.
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