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Plans to bring back a controversial horse show have been scrapped after public outcry. The show, which would have taken place in America, involved horses jumping off a 40ft platform.

Welfare groups immediately disagreed with the idea after it was revealed by the owners of Steel Pier in Atlantic City, New Jersey, that they intended to bring the diving show back. Within just one day, a petition against the show was set up and received 10,000 signatures. Steel Pier owner, Anthony Catanoso, said: “We felt that since Atlantic City is moving forward, we should move forward with it.

We should create new memories for visitors instead of recreating old ones”. Wayne Pacelle, president of the Humane Society of the United States, branded the idea “stupid” and said that it could result in horses being injured or killed. “This is a merciful end to a colossally stupid idea,” he said. “We are pleased so many citizens spoke up and urged that this spectacle never get off the ground.

Horse diving has the potential to frighten and injure and kill horses, and it rightly belongs in Atlantic City's history books.” Horse diving was created by Dr WF Carver, who came up with the idea after a bridge that he was travelling across whilst on horseback collapsed. He fell, along with his horse, 40ft into the river. His horse dived and they both made it back to the shore.

Dr Carver then looked into the possibility of training horses to dive and the shows were created, becoming popular in the early 20th century. It is not the first time that there has been an attempt to bring horse diving back. There were plans to reintroduce the show in the 1990s, but the idea was scrapped for the same reasons.

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