Extreme animal practices were once reserved for breeders of cats and dogs.

But images of this young colt have caused a stir in the world of horses, with veterinarians describing its โ€˜cartoon-likeโ€™ face as โ€˜horrificโ€™.

People attend a vigil marking the first anniversary of the liberation of the town of Bucha, amid Russia???s attack on Ukraine in Bucha, outside Kyiv, Ukraine March 31, 2023. REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach Bucha falls silent to mark a year since the city was liberated from Russia

El Rey Magnum is being dubbed the โ€˜king of horsesโ€™ by its American owner, who reckons it could fetch millions of pounds at auction.

Concerned animal experts have not been won over by the ownerโ€™s enthusiasm, and worry that the breeders have put the horseโ€™s breathing at risk.

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Equine expert Tim Greet told the Veterinary Record how he wondered whether it was a Photoshop joke at first.

Arabian horses are well-know for their concave faces (Picture: Getty)

He said: โ€˜But clearly it is intended to be deadly serious โ€“ which of course is what it is โ€“ truly horrific!

โ€˜I find the whole thing unbelievable. Arabians have always had a rather โ€œdishedโ€ face but this takes things to a ridiculous level.

People attend a vigil marking the first anniversary of the liberation of the town of Bucha, amid Russia???s attack on Ukraine in Bucha, outside Kyiv, Ukraine March 31, 2023. REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach Bucha falls silent to mark a year since the city was liberated from Russia

โ€˜Actually this deformity is even more significant for a horse than for a dog.

โ€˜Dogs like man can mouth breathe, but horses can only breathe through their nose.

โ€˜I suspect exercise would definitely be limited for this horse.โ€™

Arabian horses can fetch millions of pounds at auction (Picture: Getty)

President of the British Equine Veterinary Association, Jonathan Pycock, said: โ€˜This is incredible โ€“ itโ€™s almost cartoon-like. Quite freakish.

โ€˜My gut reaction is it is awful โ€“ I donโ€™t like the look of it. Itโ€™s not particularly attractive.โ€™

People attend a vigil marking the first anniversary of the liberation of the town of Bucha, amid Russia???s attack on Ukraine in Bucha, outside Kyiv, Ukraine March 31, 2023. REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach Bucha falls silent to mark a year since the city was liberated from Russia

Roly Owers, equine vet and chief executive of World Horse Welfare, said: โ€˜In a word this looks horrific.

โ€˜The foal in the video shows a markedly more dished nose even than its mother and has obviously been bred to achieve this.โ€™

Undeterred owner of the nine-month-old colt, Doug Leadley, believes Orrion Farms, which bred the horse, has come โ€˜close to perfectionโ€™.

โ€˜Often times youโ€™ll get the exceptional face that he has but they donโ€™t have a good body, they donโ€™t have good tail carriage, they donโ€™t hold their head high,โ€™ he said.

โ€˜He does all of that.โ€™

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