Paris will ban pony rides for children in public parks from 2025 after a campaign by animal rights activists who claim ponies are mistreated, Reuters reported.
Pony rides are popular in Parisian parks such as Champs de Mars, Parc Monceau and Parc Luxembourg, especially on weekends and during school holidays. However, for years, animal rights groups have fought for this restriction, arguing that these animals must work all day without constant access to fresh water and hay.
Ponies are not toys. Children do not learn anything about them on these walks, an emotional connection is not created. Ponies are just objects for entertainment,” says Amandine Sansivens, an activist at the Animaux zoo in Paris.