Photo: CFP

Many Chinese netizens expressed sympathy for riders and their horses at the Tokyo Olympic Games after some photos and clips showing the animals becoming spooked by a giant sumo wrestler statue went viral on Chinese social media on Wednesday night. 

The photos reveal that the course for the equestrian completion has been decorated with Japanese accessories including a miniature Japanese palace, taiko drums and a board with the face of a Japanese geisha whose eyes seem to stare back at ­viewers. However, the most talked about decoration is a statue of a lifelike sumo wrestler who seems ready to attack anyone that crosses his path.

Some riders have complained that the statue, which stands next to a hurdle, is distracting their horses. 

"I did notice four or five horses really taking a spook to that," 17-year-old British rider Harry Charles told the Associated Press.

"Poor horses! Those vivid decorations are quiet frightening to a human, let alone an animal," a Chinese netizen wrote on Sina Weibo.

"Is this because of cultural differences? I can't see the beauty of the hurdles, but was freaking out when looking at the photos at midnight. The face of the Japanese geisha reminds me of Japanese ghost movies," another netizen said.

"The design of such a venue is unprofessional and does not take into account the nature of horses. They might set scary obstacles on purpose, and the Japanese riders can take advantage of that," another posted.