This is the moment a group of men allegedly forces a horse to drink beer as they celebrate it winning first place in an illegal horse race.

The incident, which took place in the municipality of Avia Terai in the north-eastern Argentinian province of Chaco, has caused outrage online.

The horse is said to have taken part in two races, one on 16th January and another on 17th January, and it is currently unclear on which of the two days the footage was filmed.

In the video, two men can be seen laughing and forcefully making the poor animal drink from bottles they can be seen holding and which allegedly contained beer, while people stand by and do nothing.

The horse reportedly won first place in the clandestine races the group organised.

The footage, which was recorded by the participants themselves and then shared online, caused outrage among netizens on social media.

Journalist Alejandro Ledezma described the incident as a case of animal abuse, saying that “the animals are doped and the abuse is visible to everyone, including the authorities, who turn a blind eye to it”.

Ledezma added that the horses are used in illegal races, adding that they are often killed or have their legs broken if they lose.

Local police arrested a 34-year-old man whose identity has not been disclosed, for an alleged violation of animal protection law.

Two other men have also been identified as participants in the event.

The police investigation into the incident is ongoing. It is unclear if all three of the suspects have been charged. It is understood that police are investigating other potential suspects.