The 2025 Mardi Gras season is on the horizon. The annual celebration originated in 1703 in Mobile. The Port City has been partying each year since then— and marks the occasion with majestic parades, colorful floats and flying MoonPies.
This year, City of Mobile Animal Services Department will enforce new policies and requirements to ensure the safety of horses, riders and spectators during parades.
Among other changes, these new rules require parading horses to undergo a medical evaluation by a licensed veterinarian prior to participating. Additionally, participating riders must complete a training course covering basic riding and equestrian skills. Read the full policy here.
The City of Mobile Animal Services Department will host free training workshops this month and next month to ensure compliance with the new regulations. The events are made possible with support from local organizations like First Equine, Highlands Veterinary Clinic and Jones Farrier Service.
All evaluation and training sessions hosted by Animal Services will be held at the former Mobile Police Department Horse Barn, located at 1251 Virginia Street in Mobile.
Information on the dates, times and requirements for these events are as follows:
Saturday, January 25 —Highlands Veterinary Clinic
—Medical Evaluations: 8:00 – 10:00 a.m.
—Rider Training: 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Saturday, February 1— First Equine
—Medical Evaluations: 1:00 – 3:00 p.m.
Sunday, February 9— Highlands Veterinary Clinic
—Medical Evaluations: 8:00 – 10:00 a.m.
—Rider Training: 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Farrier Services: Jones Farrier Service will be available on-site during the January 25 and February 9 events from 8:00–11:00 a.m. to provide services such as foot and hoof care required for medical certification. Please note that the City of Mobile will not cover the cost of these services.
Horse Use: The City of Mobile will not provide horses for training. Attendees must bring their own horses to participate in the training sessions.
Participation: These events are specifically for riders and owners seeking to meet the requirements for Mardi Gras parades, not for general horse training. Prior registration is required, and registrants must specify which parades they intend to participate in and the organization hosting those parades.
Parking: Parking is available in the grass field at the corner of Virginia and South Ann Streets. The parking area will open at 7:00 a.m. on the day of each event and at 12:00 p.m. on February 1.
