Horses used to be super important in many parts of the world. They were woven into different cultures. So it won't surprise anyone if I tell you that there are quite a lot of laws about horses, from more recent laws about animal welfare and older laws about mere decency, to rules that make you think, ‘what happened that they had to write it down?’

So here they are: 5 Strange Horse Laws!

No hay bales on the ground!

For a long time in London, as a carriage driver, it was made difficult for you to provide your horses with enough food. You were only allowed to feed horses by hand! Throwing down a hay bale at your stand/rest area, so that your horse had something to nibble on while you take a break, was definitely not allowed.

In Argentina, horses have to wear hats!

Well, not everywhere in Argentina - just in the city of Rosario. And only when it's very hot! Whether this actually provides enough shade for our large, four-legged friends is up for debate...

Fire hydrants are not for eating

In Marshalltown, in the United States, you are not allowed to let your horse eat a fire hydrant. Considering vet bills are not cheap, I hope most horse owners try to avoid this, whether they are in Marshalltown or not.

A horse walks into a bar...

In Queensland, a state of Australia, every pub must have a place for guests to tie their horses to. This does make it a lot easier for riders there to find a suitable rest spot during their outdoor ride. 

Fashion rules are made to be broken

As long as you’re on horseback, that is! In parts of France women were not allowed to wear trousers for a long time - except under certain circumstances. One notable exception? Horseback riding. So, for a long time, a horse was the only fashion pass a woman needed to wear a pair of pants.


So this was not allowed in London for a long time!
Source: BLW@ wikimedia commons