River Sofia
The Horse Easter is a long-awaited holiday, especially by boys and young men. On St. Teodor’s Day in Bulgaria, the traditional kushii are held – the Bulgarian version of horse racing. Hence the second popular name of the holiday, which for centuries in folklore has existed as Horse Easter or St. Teodor’s Day.
Men are starting to prepare for the holiday at sunrise. The beautiful manes and tails of the horses are woven into braids, in which colorful beads, tassels and flowers are added… Before the race, horses go to the drinking pool.
And it is the turn of the kushia/ horce race, full of many emotions, desire to win and real competition between the participants and their horses.
The competition on the Horse Easter is watched by the whole village and always turns into a real holiday in which the adrenaline reaches its highest point of the year.
The winning horse from the kushia is awarded with a wreath and bridle, and its owner with a shirt or towel and together with the other participants, they go around the houses to finish in the yard of its owner, where a festive dance takes place.
