Mobile Launches New Rules for Riders and Horses in Parades
MOBILE, Ala.
November 28, 2024
For years, parades in Mobile often included horses, especially Mardi Gras parades.
Not many watching the parades gave thought to who was watching out for the animal’s well-being or asked if anyone had taken any training in caring for those horses or other animals walking the parade route.
In January, a video of a horse collapsing during a parade incited outrage from both the community and local animal advocates. They researched current laws and requirements for those who rode horses in the parades and found that almost no requirements of care or training existed.
While animal control officers were assigned to monitor the parades for the duration of the remaining parades, the city began looking and what should be done to ensure the safety of the horses, the riders and the public.
The city took notice as well and decided to put specific rules and laws in place to provide better care for the horses and education for the riders.
On Wednesday, the City of Mobile introduced these new requirements for horses used in Mardi Gras parades and their riders.
The new policies will require training for the riders and medical evaluations for the horses. The basic riding and equestrian training will teach riders how to identify when a horse is in distress or injured and how to handle those situations. Riders who fail to go through the required training and submit proof of their training will not be allowed to ride a horse in the parade.
Other cities have similar ordinances that specify specific training and care for the animals used in parades, carriage rides or any other public event.
Robert Bryant, City of Mobile Director of Animal Services, said that after the January incident, he knew that more had to be done for the protection of the horses.
“We came out with these new rules to kind of make sure that the horses are safe, the people are safe, the people attending the parade are safe, and, in general, make sure that everybody is doing what they’re supposed to be doing and not causing any problems,” Robert Bryant
Bryant says the city will also be taking a closer look at the medical care and status of the horses ahead of the parades. A licensed veterinarian will check that the horses are vaccinated and healthy.
“Last year we did pull a couple of horses off the route for some medical issues. This year we are going to do a medical evaluation, or have medical evaluations performed before the start of the season. That way, we can identify those problems and make sure they are not participating in the parades if they are not medically capable,” said Bryant.
The city will be hosting free training for interested riders along with free medical examinations for parade horses.
To view the complete policies for using horses during Mardi Gras parades, please visit the City of Mobile’s Mardi Gras Dashboard at www.cityofmobile.org/mardigras.
