My Lovely Horse Rescue@MyLovelyHorseR
“A Few Good Men”
And the Need for Real Regulation of Horse-Drawn Carriages in Dublin
Today one of our co founders attended an important meeting in Leinster House to discuss the future regulation of horse-drawn carriages in Dublin and one thing became very clear:
Dublin Dublin City Council , An Garda Síochána, welfare groups, and responsible carriage operators must work together if we are serious about protecting horses and supporting the good carriage drivers that are being pushed out.
What stood out most is that there are a few good men, carriage drivers who genuinely care for their horses, who invest time, money, and effort into proper care, and who want clear rules and standards. These are the people we want to support and allow to continue their work responsibly.
Sadly there are bad guys operating on the roads, particularly around high tourist areas such as outside the Guinness Storehouse and other busy locations, poor horses worked for hours, unsociable behaviour, ill fitted tack in the horses and carriages that are not road worthy. Tourists are risking their lives daily and are being robbed with charges. 😡😡😡
The key issue, especially in Dublin, is a serious legal gap.
Right now, Dublin City Council has no legal power to license or regulate horse-drawn carriages operating in the city. Because outdated Victorian legislation placed authority with historic police commissioners, uncertainty now exists about who actually holds regulatory responsibility.
As a result, councils currently cannot:
• License carriage drivers
• Enforce competency or training standards
• Require vehicle safety and roadworthiness checks
• Set working-hour limits or welfare protections for horses
Government legislation has been proposed several times to fix this, but reforms have been slow and remain unresolved. Until this is corrected, enforcement is impossible and welfare standards remain inconsistent.
And while there are responsible carriage drivers, what has been reported and witnessed in parts of the city is deeply concerning.
Horses working long hours on hard roads, often in heavy traffic and noise, pulling carriage loads filled with tourists far beyond what should be expected day after day. Reports speak of inadequate rest, limited access to food and water during working hours, and animals pushed to keep going in all weather conditions.
For some horses, the day does not end with turnout in fields or proper recovery. Instead, they are brought back to small sheds or confined spaces in residential gardens, only to begin the same cycle again the next morning. When regulation fails, welfare suffers.
This is why rectifying the legal loophole is so important. Proper licensing and enforceable welfare standards would allow us to support the good carriage drivers while introducing zero tolerance for exploitation.
Our position is simple:
✅ Support the good people who care properly for their horses.
❌ Zero tolerance for those exploiting animals for profit.
This meeting was an important step, but real change now depends on legislation catching up with reality. Dublin needs clarity, accountability, and enforceable welfare standards for the horses, for the public, and for the responsible carriage drivers doing things the right way.
