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Marbella cracks down on horse-drawn carriages with new animal welfare law
This summer, working horses will have to be provided with set breaks and shelter from the sun
Andalucía often experiences some of the most punishing heat during the height of the summer and each year, horror stories emerge about horses collapsing under the heavy carriages used to pull tourists around the cities.
Several provinces have introduced new laws on the working conditions of these animals in recent years. In Sevilla, for example, when the temperatures exceed 38ºC, horses and carriages must be taken off the road between the hours of 2.30pm and 7.30pm.
In October 2020, the government team in Marbella announced its intention to launch a plan to remove horse-drawn carriages from the streets altogether within three years. This never happened and today, there still aren’t any regulations on animal welfare in the Costa del Sol hotspot.
But that’s all set to change with new legislation concerning the treatment and conditions of working horses set to be approved in the next plenary session.
Rather than banning the practice, the document insists that horse and carriage rides are an important activity for holidaymakers and that the “cultural, historical and social warmth” of this tradition should be preserved.
The main improvement presented by the new ordinance is the inclusion of a chapter to guarantee the welfare of horses. All of the animals will have to undergo an official health check at least every six months (or more often if needed) and they won’t be allowed to work unless they’ve been given a veterinary certificate.
In addition, they must be registered in the General Registry of Livestock Farms (REGA). In general, working horses should be aged between 4 and 18, but owners can continue using a horse until it reaches 23 years as long as the animal has been certified fit and healthy.
Horses must be kept in perfect conditions of cleanliness, food and hydration and they must be protected against the weather with adequate rest areas.
Animals must be given a break of at least two consecutive hours in an 8-hour work day and the law establishes that "the use of the whip directly on the body of the animal is prohibited, as well as any physical punishment or practice that threatens its well-being."
The new law will be implemented in Marbella before the start of the summer.
Image: Archive
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