Palma struggles to end horse-drawn carriages: majority, but no final resolution

Between hoofbeats and the council chamber: why Palma's carriages are not history yet

On a warm afternoon in the old town, the clatter of hooves still sounds familiar: on the Carrer del Sindicat, at Plaça Major, outside the café where locals sip their espresso. For some it is postcard idyll, for others the sound of a problem that cannot be argued away: animal welfare, tourism image and the rights of people who have lived off the carriages for generations.

Politically the debate is in motion: in the city council a majority is seen as willing to abolish or severely restrict the horse-drawn carriages, as reported in Palma Struggles to End Horse-Drawn Carriages: Majority but No Final Decision. On the cobblestones, however, little has changed so far. This is less due to a lack of empathy than to legal, financial and social entanglements that are often overlooked.

The licence trap: why simple solutions don't work

A core problem are the concessions that were previously granted for life. These papers are tradable and have a real market value. Experts estimate around €300,000 per licence. With currently 28 carriages, that adds up to a buyback need of about €8.4 million – money the city cannot just pull out of thin air. Palma wrestles with ending horse-drawn carriages.

Legally such licences are hard to challenge: expropriations would trigger lengthy court proceedings. There are also transition rights for heirs and possible compensation claims. That explains why voices in the town hall may press morally for the end of the carriages, but slow down when it comes to implementation.

What is rarely discussed: insurance, heat and grey areas

Aside from the big numbers there are technical and everyday problems: How are horses insured when they are involved in accidents? Who pays for injuries to tourists or pedestrians? Climate also plays a role: on extremely hot days (which are becoming more frequent in summer) horses suffer massively – an aspect many tourists do not see when they ride through the alleys for two hours. Palma orders medical checks for carriage horses — turning point for horse-drawn carriages?.

And then there are the grey areas: some drivers work with informally loaned horses or sublet rights. Inspections are personnel-intensive; municipal veterinary checks do not take place daily. From visible romance this quickly becomes a problem when an animal collapses or an accident occurs.

Alternatives on the table – and the political stumbling blocks

Variants are being discussed: a complete buyback of the concessions against compensation, a long-term ban with transition periods, or exchange for other concessions (for example taxi licence models). Technically, electrically powered carriages have already been tested on Mallorca – quieter, emission-free, without animal suffering, as outlined in Palma and the Horse Carriages: Between Nostalgia, Costs and a Change of Heart.

But practically the situation is deadlocked: carriage drivers resist electric conversions, seeing their cultural know-how and income threatened. An exchange offer – taxi rights in return for giving up carriages – sounds pragmatic, but creates new conflicts of interest with taxi operators and would require additional regulation.

A realistic roadmap: steps Palma could take now

The political majority is only the beginning. For rhetoric to become real change, Palma needs a realistic, financially considered plan. Proposals that belong on the table now:

1) Phased buyback: priority for the oldest, highest-risk licences; financing via a time-limited tourism levy or reallocation of parking revenue.

2) Social safeguards: retraining programmes for drivers, support for new businesses or inclusion in cooperatives so that livelihoods do not suddenly disappear.

3) Pilot projects for electric carriages: test visible alternatives on main routes, combined with an information campaign for visitors – preserving the city experience without animal suffering.

4) Stricter controls: regular veterinary checks, heat-protection rules (ban on rides at extreme temperatures), mandatory insurance and GPS tracking to monitor routes and rest periods.

5) Transparent dialogue: a roundtable with the administration, the veterinary authority, those affected, animal welfare organisations and representatives of the tourism sector, moderated by an independent body.

Conclusion: politics needs courage – and a plan

Palma stands at a point where symbolism and reality meet. Hoofbeats cannot be banned by majority vote as long as financial, legal and social questions remain open. Those who only loudly demand that the carriages "must go" overlook the people behind the horses – and risk ending up changing nothing at all. After Two Collapsed Horses: Palma Faces a Decision — Rethinking Carriage Rides.

An honest compromise would not be a retreat from animal welfare, but an exit furnished with figures, timelines and perspectives. Until then the carriages will continue to roll through the alleys, the clatter will remain – and so will the discussion. Palma orders medical checks for carriage horses — turning point for horse-drawn carriages?.