In preparation for the 2025 Mardi Gras season, the City of Mobile is introducing new policies and requirements to ensure the safety of horses, riders and spectators during parades.
Mobile Animal Services Department has developed new policies for next year’s parades in coordination with local veterinarians and other community partners. Among other changes, parading horses will be required to undergo a prior medical evaluation by a licensed veterinarian, and riders must attend a training course covering basic riding and equestrian skills to parade.
The medical evaluation will ensure that all parading horses are vaccinated, in good health and can safely bear the weight of their assigned rider and equipment. The training will ensure riders in Mardi Gras parades have basic riding skills, can recognize when a horse is distressed or injured and know what to do in those situations.
All riders will be required to submit proof that they have completed a qualifying training course or complete a course hosted by the city prior to the 2025 parading season.
During Mardi Gras, Animal Control Officers, veterinarians, and officers from the Mobile Police Department will monitor the health of participating horses before and during each parade.
All riders and horses must comply with these new policies to participate in any parade. Any horse without proof of medical clearance or an appropriate tag is subject to be removed from the route at any time.
The city reports the Animal Services Department has proactively met with several riding organizations and vendors to ensure these changes are understood and implemented.
Prior to the parading season, Animal Services will host FREE training for interested riders and a “Field Day” offering FREE medical examinations for parading horses. Details will be announced soon.
