Influencer Faces Backlash Over Horse-Drawn Carriage Ride With Daughter
Animal activists criticize Ellidy Pullin's choice to use horse-drawn transport, citing welfare and safety concerns.
Influencer Ellidy Pullin, 34, has drawn criticism from animal activists after sharing a video of herself, her daughter Minnie, and her mother Karen enjoying a horse-drawn carriage ride during a European vacation.
The video, posted to Pullin's Instagram, showed the family on a carriage ride through city streets. Pullin stated that she and her family ensured the horses were "well looked after" and that her four-year-old daughter had "begged us" for the ride.
However, the animal activist account Warrior For Animals reshared the clip, labeling it "disappointing" and accusing Pullin of promoting horse-drawn carriages amid growing calls for bans on the practice. The account also highlighted "well known dangers of this industry where tourists have lost their lives too."
"Please, Ellidy, don't promote this animal cruelty. Horse drawn carriages are starting to be shut down around the world for good reason," the activist account stated.
In recent years, numerous cities and countries have enacted or considered bans on horse-drawn carriages due to animal welfare and public safety concerns. Belgium became the first European country to implement a national ban in March. Cities such as Beijing, Prague, Paris, Barcelona, Malaga, London, Oxford, Montreal, and Toronto also have restrictions or outright bans in place, alongside many local bans across the United States.
In 2021, Melbourne, Australia, banned horse-drawn carriages from its busy inner-city streets. The decision, announced by then-roads minister Ben Carroll, aimed to improve safety and protect animal welfare. Former Melbourne Lord Mayor Sally Capp supported the move, citing limited road and footpath space in the city center.
Pullin rose to public attention following the death of her former partner, snowboarding champion Alex 'Chumpy' Pullin, in 2020. She later welcomed their daughter, Minnie, in October 2021, conceived through posthumous sperm retrieval. Pullin is now engaged to Brock Wadsworth.