After thousands of people sign a petition to ban pony-painting parties, H&H asked welfare charities and those who offer the activity for their views
Welfare charities have given their take on “pony-painting parties” after 175,000 people (now 283,000) signed a petition calling on the government to ban the practice.
Supporters have described the painting of ponies as “disgraceful” and “demeaning” — but charities agree that as long as welfare is priority, there should not be any ill effects.
“While painting any animal is certainly not to everyone’s taste, we do not feel there is necessarily a welfare issue, provided the horses or ponies are not showing any signs of distress and the paint is non-toxic,” World Horse Welfare deputy chief executive Tony Tyler told H&H .
{"content":"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"}
This news story was first published in Horse & Hound magazine (30 August, 2018)
You may also be interested in…
More than 160,000 people have asked the government to ban the parties – but are they a welfare issue?
Credit: Jon Stroud Media
Tight nosebands, in particular the crank variety, have come under fire by riders and industry officials
The society received a number of written complaints from attendees who expressed ‘serious concern’ for the welfare of some of
Credit: Brooke
Equine welfare charity Brooke challenged the high street retailer to investigate the sourcing and treatment of the donkeys used as
Calls for the closure of Dublin's Smithfield horse market have been renewed following new welfare concerns
Horses are getting fatter, and the general public don’t realise what serious welfare concern it is, says leading equine charity
Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2025 with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now
H&H news editor
Eleanor is an experienced journalist who spent over eight years working for local and national newspapers before joining H&H as news editor in March 2016. Passionate about equine welfare and exposing the truth, Eleanor has reported on all aspects of the industry, from Brexit to anti-bullying campaigns, and from dressage rules to mules. Her sport of choice is showjumping, in which she competes her own horses, and she also enjoys reporting at local jumping shows through to international championships.
