Horse-drawn carriage rides set to end in San Antonio by 2030
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A horse carriage in downtown San Antonio. Photo: Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
San Antonio's 160-year-old horse-drawn carriage industry will be phased out by 2030 under a five-year plan approved by the City Council on Thursday.
Why it matters: Supporters of a ban say horse-drawn carriages are outdated and inhumane, particularly in an increasingly hot city.
- But carriage operators say the horses are well cared for. They also warned that the ban would put the horses at risk of being auctioned off and cause personal financial hardships.
Catch up quick: District 2 Councilmember Jalen McKee-Rodriguez and District 3 Councilmember Phyllis Viagran filed a proposal in November 2022 to ban horse-drawn carriage rides and transition to electric carriages and pedicabs.
- There was immediate backlash from carriage companies.
The latest: The original proposal was a three-year plan to phase out the carriage rides by Jan. 1, 2028.
Yes, but: District 10 Councilmember Marc Whyte offered a compromise: extending the transition to five years, with a gradual reduction in operating hours starting in 2027, to give the five carriage companies time to pay off debts.
What they're saying: A lengthy list of animal rights advocates and small business owners, including some horse carriage operators, spoke up before the vote.
- Joe Straus Jr., a horse breeder and co-founder of the Retama Park horse racetrack, called the proposal to ban the carriages an injustice.
- "Government should not be the cause of financial ruin," Art Martinez de Vara, a lawyer representing four carriage companies, said.
The other side: Mariah Smith, an animal rights activist who in 2022 launched an online petition to ban carriages, countered arguments centered on the tradition of the attraction.
- "Just because something is a tradition or even a business doesn't mean it's right," she said. "Refusing to change because of tradition is very closed-minded."
What's next: Horse-drawn carriage businesses can operate as usual until June 2027, when schedules will be reduced by four hours as part of the phase-out. Hours will then be cut by an additional three hours between June 2028 and December 2029, according to the Express-News.