Starting in 2025, Paris intends to prohibit pony rides for kids within its public parks. This decision comes after a campaign by animal welfare advocates who contend that the treatment of the ponies is inadequate.
For many years, mostly on weekends and during school breaks, pony rides have been a common attraction in Paris parks, including Champ de Mars, Parc Monceau, and Parc du Luxembourg. Animal rights organizations have fought to outlaw the rides for years, claiming that ponies are forced to perform lengthy shifts without ever having their bit removed, are denied access to hay and fresh water consistently, and endure grueling hours on transport trucks before arriving in town.
“Ponies are not toys. These walks teach the kids nothing about them, and no emotional connection is made,” said Amandine Sansivens, a PAZ campaigner, who claimed that it merely transforms ponies into objects of amusement. Over 8,400 people have signed a PAZ petition to outlaw the rides. City Hall agreed this month to phase out the ride operators’ licenses after implementing a charter for the welfare of ponies in 2021. The director of AnimaPoney, Stephane Michaud, stated that his ponies only work 150 days a year. AnimaPoney once offered pony rides in various Parisian parks but has since closed half of them. At his Rambouillet pony center south of Paris, he stated that he began bringing ponies from the country into Paris in the 1990s because, at that time, ponies were housed in stables in the city in less-than-ideal conditions.
“I’ve worked with horses for 35 years, so I understand their demands. Everything they require is present,” he said. Parisians who were taking their kids on a pony ride questioned the prohibition. “This is a pleasure for the children,” said Celine Papouin, whose kid was seated on a pony in Parc Monceau with assurance. She mentioned that they thoroughly enjoy engaging with the horses. Meryem, 63, who was walking with two ponies on a leash, each pulling a grandson, stated that if the rides are outlawed, the city council needs to give a justification. She asked, “Are there any other activities we should discontinue? Like horse riding, police on horses, and the breeding of racing horses?”
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