Animal welfare
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María Albarral
Marbella
Friday, 7 March 2025, 13:37
Marbella town hall has submitted proposals for new rules and regulations concerning horse-drawn carriages, which are still a popular tourist attraction in the Costa del Sol town. Although authorities plan to fully ban the activity within the next 20 years, the new by-law aims to ensure animal well-being, including no whipping while providing the service around the town, two hours of rest during an eight-hour day, proper care for the animals and regular veterinary check-ups.
"We continue to make progress in our commitment to guaranteeing sustainable, safe tourist transport that complies with current regulations. The new regulation is a fundamental step in the modernisation of the horse carriage service, aiming to improve both the working conditions of professionals in the sector and animal welfare, as well as the experience of users," said municipal spokesperson Félix Romero.
The regulation has a new section which bans whipping the animals or any other type of punishment that is detrimental to the horses' welfare. It will also require a rest period of at least two hours per eight-hour day.
Another aspect of the by-law requires the perfectly clean and healthy state of the horses. They must be fed and hydrated during service. As per protocol, the age of animals in service must be between 4 and 18, even though a horse up to the age of 23 can continue to carry out the service, as long as the correct sanitary and technical revisions are done on a regular basis.
To be able to operate, every horse carriage operator will have to present an official veterinary certificate at least every six months or when justified for inspection reasons. Everybody who offers the service must also be registered in the Registro General de Explotaciones Ganaderas (REGA). Those that do not comply with these new regulations will be subject to penalties classified as "very serious".
In addition, the municipality will provide stations equipped with protection against adverse weather.
Tourist attraction
Horse-drawn carriages are considered a tourist attraction and are qualified as a "service of public interest", subject to municipal licensing. The new permits will be valid for a maximum of twenty years, "guaranteeing that free competition is not restricted beyond what is necessary to ensure the amortisation of the investments made".
Licence holders will have one year from the approval of this ordinance to regularise and update the conditions they offer. "We have worked hand in hand with associations in the sector, animal protection organisations and mobility experts to achieve a balanced regulation that preserves tradition, boosts economic activity and ensures sustainability," said Romero, highlighting the importance of the by-law to both support the touristic value of the activity and prevent animal welfare neglect.
According to the new regulations, the price for a half-hour ride will be 30 euros, 50 for one-hour rides and 60 per hour for event or celebration hires. The by-law, which was submitted on Monday, will be on public display for 30 days for anyone who wants to review it and provide feedback.
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