Horse riding tours in sea in Antalya spark outrage

ANTALYA

A tour agency organizing horse riding tours in the sea of one of the country’s tourism hotspots, Antalya’s Alanya district, has sparked outrage among animal rights activists, with experts warning that it could pose serious damage to the horses.

The incident became a topic of conversation as footage of tourists mounted on a horse and strolling about in the sea shared on social media sparked discussion.

“They force the horses to swim in the deep water. This is a form of torture for the animals. It is imperative that the authorities take control of the situation and conduct inspections,” said Murat Karabayoğlu, the head of Antalya Chamber of Veterinary Surgeons.

Noting that this issue poses harm to animal welfare, Karabayoğlu underlined that they vehemently oppose such activities.

The head of an Antalya stray animals' association, Arife Yanık, further emphasized that these activities could even lead to the death of the horses.

Yanık noted that though horses are fond of swimming, the fact that they are forced to execute the activity with a weight on their back multiple times a day in the salt water could lead to major problems.

“Since a tour firm arranges it, scores of tourists are likely to participate in the activity and it is seriously unhealthy for the horses. It's no different than riding in a horse-drawn carriage,” she explained.

Yanık highlighted that the activity is in violation of the applicable law, adding that it is forced labor.

“Furthermore, forcing these animals to labor constantly under extremely hot weather is cruel from a humanitarian standpoint. We want whoever providing this service to put an end to this,” she said.

Noting that individuals and businesses make profit by forcing the horses to work excessively, Yanık stressed that it is not only animal abuse but also a violation of animal rights.