Project in development
The Chevaux du Monde Park is a project currently under development. It aims to imagine a space entirely dedicated to horses, donkeys, and mules, within a natural, educational, and respectful environment. Through immersive trails, thematic exhibitions, and a wide range of activities, the idea is to help visitors better understand the diversity of equines around the world and the richness of the bond between humans and horses.
In this first version of the project, we are considering a park open to the public from March 15 to December 15, with the capacity to welcome up to 1 million visitors per year. The rest of the year would be devoted to animal rest, site maintenance, and preparation for the next season.
The ambition is to create a calm environment, on a human scale, inspired by the spirit of a village, where horses could live peacefully. Animal welfare lies at the heart of the concept: everything is designed to respect the rhythm and the needs of the equines.
Here are some of the activities we envision for this project:
Movement within the Park would be provided by horse-drawn carriage, for a peaceful and coherent immersive experience aligned with the project’s values.
The Chevaux du Monde Park is still an idea, but we hope it may one day become a lively, educational, and respectful place for both children and adults.
As part of this developing project, we are considering structuring the Park around 12 thematic villages, each dedicated to a specific type of equine. Each village could accommodate about 30 horses, donkeys, or mules, housed in individual or paired stalls depending on their needs.
This organisation would group equines according to their origin, function, and history, in order to offer a pedagogical approach to their diversity without disturbing their welfare.
Each village would have outdoor paddocks where the horses could rest and relax. These green areas would also allow visitors to observe the animals in a natural setting, encouraging both contemplation and learning.
If brought to life, this organisation would aim to provide an immersive and educational experience while maintaining a high level of respect for animal welfare.
As part of this developing project, the selection of planned breeds is based on a rigorous approach, grounded in reliable resources and a documented methodology. Many books and websites deal with horse breeds, but they are sometimes incomplete or influenced by commercial interests.
The aim here is to build a serious working base, relying on recognised references in the field of equine diversity.
Several ancient breeds are now threatened by modern crossbreeding and the growing genetic uniformity found in breeding systems.
One possible direction for the project would be to prioritise breeds that have existed for at least 50 years. This criterion would help ensure genetic stability and historical recognition.
It would also contribute to the preservation of equine biodiversity, highlighting breeds that are sometimes forgotten or weakened by performance-driven breeding choices.
At this stage, this remains a research and thoughtful selection phase. This work could lay the foundations for a future awareness-raising space dedicated to the richness and diversity of the world’s horses.
In this developing project, we envision a park hosting around 360 equines: horses, donkeys, and mules. Their feeding would be organised with strict attention to both animal welfare and daily logistics.
As an indication, each equine would represent an overall cost of around €45,000 including purchase, housing, and transport. This estimate underlines the importance of precise and respectful management.
Rather than relying solely on industrial feed, the project would favour a more natural approach, inspired by older practices:
The daily feeding plan would include an organic mash prepared on site, made from cooked barley, rolled oats, bran, chopped straw, and molasses. Once a week, cooked flax seeds would be added to help maintain healthy digestion.
The project aims to rely on organic products from local partnerships. Hay, straw, and grains would come from agricultural agreements with producers committed to a sustainable approach.
This would combine nutritional quality with a reduced environmental impact.
In this perspective, equine manure could be used for the cultivation of organic Paris mushrooms. This ecological process could be presented to visitors in an educational space dedicated to circular farming.
In this project, feeding the equines would not only be a necessity, but also an educational and ecological dimension, where tradition and innovation meet.
The Chevaux du Monde Park plans to welcome around 300 horses, 30 donkeys, and 20 mules, carefully selected in their countries of origin. Each equine represents a tradition, a culture, and a story.
The acquisition expedition would span several continents:
The journey would begin in France and gradually expand worldwide, following a respectful and collaborative approach.
In Europe, procedures are simplified thanks to harmonised health protocols. Outside the EU, additional precautions would be necessary, including quarantines and special authorisations.
Each country, breed, and situation requires careful preparation to guarantee both the animals’ health and their traceability.
Each equine would be photographed from all angles for a detailed documentary record. A DNA sample would also be taken to help build a unique scientific genetic database.
These missions are much more than purchases: they would be cultural and scientific expeditions. They would help promote traditional breeding, preserve breeds, and create lasting ties with local communities.
Through these international exchanges, the Park could become a true living encyclopaedia of the world’s equines.
As part of the Chevaux du Monde Park project, we wish to highlight the great diversity of donkey breeds found around the world. Around 190 are currently recorded, although this number remains debated because of many historical crossbreeds and the lack of consolidated genetic data.
This distribution remains approximate and continues to evolve as research progresses. The lack of pedigree tracking in some countries makes precise identification difficult.
In Europe, three countries stand out for their conservation efforts:
Other Western European countries often have only one identified breed, without a structured monitoring or preservation system.
In this first version of the project, the idea would be to gather around 20 European donkey breeds, mainly from France, Italy, and Spain. This would help highlight the genetic and cultural diversity of animals that are too often overlooked.
Donkeys have long been companions in work and daily life. This project aims to improve public awareness of their role in history and to contribute to their preservation.
As part of this project, we plan to welcome several types of equine hybrids, especially the mule, born from a jack and a mare. The reverse cross, between a stallion and a jenny, produces a hinny, usually smaller.
Mules and hinnies have 63 chromosomes, between the horse’s 64 and the donkey’s 62. This odd number makes them sterile, yet it has not prevented humans from relying on them for centuries because of their versatility.
These animals combine the hardiness and patience of the donkey with the strength of the horse, making them especially well suited to demanding environments.
Mules are often described as having a steady temperament. They can remain calm while still being energetic enough to perform a wide variety of physical tasks.
The project draws inspiration in particular from the Poitevin Mule, born from a cross between a Poitevin Draft Horse and a Poitou Donkey. This lineage has been officially recognised since 2002 and has had official pedigree monitoring since 2022.
Organisations such as the American Donkey and Mule Society help promote these hybrids. Today, they can still be found in agriculture, tourism, and even in certain forms of competition.
In our project, mules would be presented as examples of ingenuity and adaptability. Their history and their uses could offer valuable insight into both past and present rural practices.
