Palma horse carriages face phase-out call

Horse-drawn tourist carriages in Palma, Mallorca, face a call to be phased out. Animal welfare party Progreso en Verde urged Palma City Council on Tuesday, 29 September 2026, to set a timetable for ending the rides.

Europa Press

While the carriages remain in use, the party wants veterinary checks for the horses and enforcement of rules on animal welfare and carriage transport. It also wants the council to publish inspection results and say what action it takes when rules are broken. The horses’ shelter, rest, food and access to water must be guaranteed, it says.

Progreso en Verde points to traffic, noise, asphalt, high temperatures and exposure to tourists and vehicles as pressures on the horses. Party spokesman Guillermo Amengual argues that public money goes to other activities involving animals, while funding or political will for alternatives to the carriages appears to be lacking.

Mallorca horse-drawn carriages face phase-out call