Horse ride in the sea in Alanya sparks outrage: “Animal Cruelty”
In Alanya, a district of Antalya, a tourism company organizing horse rides in the sea has drawn criticism from animal rights advocates. President of the Antalya Chamber of Veterinary Surgeons, said, “They are forcing the animal to swim in deep water. These animals are not meant to carry people while swimming. This is animal cruelty.”
A social media post by the company, which offers sea, safari, and horse tours for local and international tourists, has caused widespread backlash. One of the posts shows a female tourist riding a horse in the sea, with the water level reaching the horse’s mouth and nose. The footage shows the horse struggling, prompting a flurry of comments like, “Where are the animal lovers? Why are you silent?” “This is torture, shameful,” “If even a drop of water gets in the horse’s ear, you won’t be able to get it out, it could die,” and “You’re drowning the horse.”
“They Are Forcing the Animal to Swim in Deep Water”
The same person emphasized that the scenes were far from innocent, explaining, “They are forcing the animal to swim in deep water, which is a form of cruelty. Authorities should regulate and monitor such activities. These horses are not designed to swim while carrying a human on their backs. Constant exposure to such conditions in deep water is harmful to their welfare.”
He went on to say, “These are leisure horses, rented from farms or meant for walking on land. As long as the beach isn’t rocky and the horseshoes are properly maintained, there’s no issue. However, making horses swim in deep water while carrying a person is entirely inappropriate. While all animals can swim, they should not have to do so under such conditions, which compromise their welfare.”
“The Horse Could Collapse from Exhaustion”
The president of the Antalya Candost Association on the other hand, pointed out that while horses enjoyed swimming as an exercise, this should be limited. “With saltwater and rough waves, frequent exposure to such conditions will tire the animal. As it’s a tour company, many tourists will want to participate, and this repeated activity is not healthy for the horse. It’s no different from the use of carriages, and the horse could collapse from exhaustion.”
She also stated that forcing horses to carry people in the sea violated Law No. 5199 (Animal Protection Law). She added, “Under this climate and heat, constantly working these animals is cruel. They can enter and exit the water, but continuous movement in the sea or sandy areas is overly exhausting. Just as we successfully campaigned to ban horse carriages, we call for the end of this practice.”
Currently, horse rides are offered in both beach and forested areas in Alanya, with packages priced at around 1500-1600 TL. Many travel agencies include horse rides in their Alanya tour packages.
