A tourist attraction in Xi'an, China, halted operations after introducing a ride that used live horses in a moving "carousel" format, which sparked accusations of animal abuse.
According to reports from Chinese-language media including Hong Kong's Sing Tao Daily on the 12th, a tourist site in Xi'an recently unveiled an experiential ride dubbed the "live horse carousel" ahead of Lunar New Year.
Six horses were fixed at intervals to a metal structure to move in a circle, and when tourists mounted the horses, staff guided the animals' walking. The experience lasted about 5 minutes and cost 30 yuan (about 6,000 won). After operations began on the 6th, crowds flocked to the site, leading to lines to board.
But sentiment shifted rapidly as related videos spread online. Critics said, "Wouldn't the horses get dizzy if they keep going around?" and "It's inappropriate to use animals as rides," with some also denouncing it as horse abuse in the "year of the horse." Others countered that "Horses have long worked alongside people, so the criticism is excessive."
The attraction had initially planned to run the experience through March 8, but suspended the program temporarily as the controversy continued.