(A) Horses shall not be left untethered or unattended except when confined in a stable or other enclosure.
(B) While at work, rental horses shall be allowed to drink. However, a rental horse shall not be allowed to drink in large quantities unless it is first rested. Water shall be offered at frequent periods throughout the day or in the case of horses not at work, water shall be available at all times. Troughs shall be cleaned daily. Sufficient nutritional foods and water shall be provided free of dust, mold, vermin and other contaminants. Rental horses shall be fed at least twice daily with the larger feeding being provided after the horse has completed work.
(C) Certified weights of all horses and horse drawn vehicles shall be registered with the Department of Animal Control annually. At the discretion of the Department of Animal Control, when supported by the opinion of a consulting veterinarian, a rental horse within a business may be restricted in regard to pulling/riding capacity, based on individual characteristics and abilities.
(D) No rental horse shall be at work for more than eight hours a day. There shall be a rest period of 15 minutes for every two working hours. During such rest periods, the person in charge of such horse shall make fresh water available to the horse.
(E) Rental horses shall not be worked in temperatures below -10° F., with wind chill factor applied. At no time shall a rental horse be at work when the sum of the relative humidity and ambient temperature exceeds 160°. For the purposes of this division, temperatures shall be those measured downtown and broadcast by the local radio stations. An operator of a rental horse already at work at the time the temperatures reach the above-described conditions shall return the passengers to the point of loading and rest the horse in sheltered conditions. Thereafter, such horses may be worked only when the weather conditions once again reach acceptable limits.
(F) Rental horses shall not work on a public highway, street or path during adverse weather or other conditions which are a threat to the health or safety of the horse or the public. Adverse weather conditions may include, but shall not be restricted to snow, ice, heavy rain or other slippery conditions.
(G) Carriage companies shall equip all carriages/horses with a manure-catching device for use at all times while working.
(H) No horse-drawn carriage shall be driven at a speed faster than a trot at any time. All such carriages shall adhere to state law on slow-moving vehicles. No horse drawn carriage shall be operated between the hours of 7:00 a.m. through 9:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. through 6:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.
(I) Every horse whose use requires a license hereunder shall be examined by a veterinarian prior to its use in a rental horse business, and thereafter at intervals of not less than once a year. The horse shall be examined and treated for internal parasites. Its general physical condition shall be evaluated, which examination shall include, but not be limited to, inspection of teeth, hooves, and shoes, and for its physical ability to perform the work or duties required of it. The examination shall also include a record of any injury, disease, or deficiency observed by the veterinarian at the time, together with any prescription or professional recommendation regarding humane correction or disposition of the same. An Indiana health certificate containing the above information and signed by the examining veterinarian shall be maintained at the stable premises at which such horse is located, and shall contain the identification number, age, and condition of the horse.
(J) The rental horse business shall take immediate action to obtain veterinary treatment, care, and attention when any horse is or becomes sick, diseased, lame, or injured. If a horse dies while at work or in the stable area, or is involved in an accident resulting in an injury to a horse, the Department of Animal Control shall be notified immediately.
(K) A horse covered by this subchapter which is or becomes lame or suffers from a physical condition or illness making it unsuitable for work shall be removed from work by the rental horse business or may be ordered removed from work by the Department of Animal Control. In the event of a dispute regarding such physical condition or illness, the Department may require that a rental horse be examined by a veterinarian in order to determine its ability to safely work as a rental horse. The cost of any such examination shall be borne solely by the rental horse company. A horse which has been removed from work under this division shall not be returned to work until it has recovered from the condition which caused removal from work, or until such condition has improved sufficiently that its return to work will not aggravate the condition or otherwise endanger the health of the horse. A violation of this section shall be presumed if a horse is found at work in a sick or disabled condition within 48 hours after its removal from work for the same condition which caused such removal. Such presumption may be rebutted by offering a written statement from a veterinarian who examined the horse after the time of removal from work but prior to its return to work, which statement sets out the veterinarian's professional evaluation of the condition and his/her opinion that it was suitable for the horse to return to work prior to the expiration of the 48-hour period. This statement shall be carried with the horse during the presumed 48-hour recovery period, and provided to the Department of Animal Control upon request.
(L) Saddles, blankets, harnesses, bridles and bits and all other equipment shall be properly fitted to each horse and kept in good repair.
(M) Horses shall be kept clean while at work and in the stable. Horses shall be trimmed and shod a minimum of once every six weeks or sooner if necessary.
(Ord. 14-2004, passed 12-13-04) Penalty, see § 91.999