"Dozens of riders and horse-drawn carriages gathered in the Bavarian town of Spalt on Friday to take part in the traditional St Stephen’s Ride, marking the Second Day of Christmas. Footage shows locals on horseback riding from Spalt to Wasserzell, carrying flags as they galloped through the countryside. Upon returning, the riders circled St Stephanus Church three times before attending a church service during which the horses were blessed. “It's a lovely tradition. I always feel comfortable when the church riders circle the church and receive their blessing. […] Horses have been helpers and transporters to humans for centuries,” said Pastor Josef Mederer. Spalt’s mayor, Udo Weingart, said the event remains an important part of the town’s cultural identity. “Such a tradition must of course be upheld, which is exactly what the local history society in Spalt does here every second day of Christmas,” he said. Saint Stephen, one of the first ordained deacons of the Church and its first Christian martyr, is traditionally recognised as the patron saint of horses and, in some regions, livestock. Dating back to the 15th century, the St Stephen’s Ride has its origins in a pilgrimage between Spalt and Wasserzell, where locals sought blessings for their horses to ensure health and protection in the year ahead."