The first Palio took place in 1633, after bull-fighting was outlawed. The races were a way to bring everyone together and a way for the neighborhoods to compete in a less serious and safer manner. Later, the amount of neighborhoods shrunk from over sixty to only seventeen because of land disputes. With this change, the Palio became a way to express their rivalries safely! These rivalries still continue today, typically with the neighbors that border each other. For example, my professor makes a sour expression when the She-Wolf neighborhood is brought up because she is from their rival, the Porcupine. During the races, she cares that the She-Wolf team loses almost as much as the Porcupine group winning! This sentiment is seen all over Siena in regards to the neighborhoods.
The Palio is not overtly attached to the environment, but the horses involved are very important to Sienese culture. They take amazing care of the horses here. They are all kept in stables both in and outside the city depending on the time of year. Each week, a stablehand stays with one horse each for 24 hours, four days a week, to make sure that they are safe and properly cared for.
