Manizales Cabalgata Ruling: Alcohol Ban, Breathalyzers, Horse Welfare

Manizales cabalgata ruling: what the judge ordered

In a first-instance ruling, Manizales' Seventh Administrative Court (Juzgado Séptimo Administrativo del Circuito) banned riders from drinking alcohol during the city's cabalgata and required breathalyzer checks for participants. The judge did not ban the cabalgata itself. The court set conditions for it instead, and the first ride affected would be the Feria de Manizales cabalgata in January 2027.

Eje21 reported the decision on Oct 15, 2026, and it is not final yet. On Oct 19, La Patria reported that the organizer, Club Activo 20-30, is appealing the alcohol part before the Tribunal Administrativo de Caldas, the regional administrative court.

The orders, one by one

• No drinking for riders on the route.
• Breathalyzer checks for participants.
• A protocol at least two months in advance. For each cabalgata, the city government (Alcaldía) must set out the event's conditions, limits on participants and duration, visible ID for riders and control measures.
• Rider information collected in advance, so logistics and emergency care can be planned.
• Animal-welfare monitors (veedurías) who may step in when a horse is hurt.
• Sanctions and criminal complaints for conduct that may amount to animal abuse or abandonment.

Where the case came from

The case is an acción popular, a Colombian public-interest lawsuit, filed in 2023 against the city administration. Animal-rights city councilor Jhon Hemayr Yepes Cardona pushed it forward. During the case, the court had already imposed interim measures on alcohol and route logistics.

Yepes told Eje21 that no horse deaths were recorded at these rides in the last two years, and he partly credits the interim measures. He also said the monitors were not allowed in during the January 2026 feria.

The appeal: what's contested and what isn't

The club is not appealing the whole ruling. Its president, lawyer Felipe Zuluaga Gutiérrez, told La Patria that the appeal targets only the total alcohol ban, which the club calls unnecessary and excessive. The protocols and the animal-welfare rules are not being challenged.

The club points out that an earlier court decision had already set alcohol limits based on a report from Colombia's forensic medicine institute (Medicina Legal). Under that system, riders are tested and anyone over the limit is removed from the route. The club says the last two editions ran without major problems.

Why the club says 2027 is at risk

• The city allows up to 2,000 riders. About 1,200 rode in January 2026, and roughly 75% came from other cities.
• Running the ride costs 500-550 million Colombian pesos. That pays for street fencing, about 300 logistics staff, veterinary care and breathalyzer tests.
• The surplus funds much of the club's social work, which serves about 150 children in vulnerable neighborhoods.

Zuluaga argues that if the ban stands, fewer riders will sign up and the event won't cover its costs. No date has been set for the appeals court to rule.

What is a Colombian feria cabalgata?

A Colombian feria cabalgata is a parade of hundreds or thousands of riders through city streets. It often opens or anchors a town's festival. Colombian Criollo horses show off their smooth gaits (paso fino, trocha and trote y galope), as explained in our guide to the Paso Fino horse.

The Manizales ride is part of the January Feria de Manizales. According to Eje21, the city once held two cabalgatas a year, but the October ride ended six years ago, and the feria ride is the one that draws the biggest crowds.

In many towns, cabalgatas have long mixed horses, music and liquor, which is why welfare debates keep coming back to alcohol. For the wider tradition, see what a cabalgata is. For another recent Colombian debate about horses and tradition, read about the coleo ruling.

Why alcohol is a horse-safety issue

The horse isn't drinking, but it carries the consequences of a rider who is. Alcohol erodes a rider's balance, reflexes and judgment, and the horse pays for all three.

• Balance. A wobbly rider leans, loads one side and falls more easily. The horse carries that lopsided weight for hours.
• Rough aids. Drinking makes it easier to yank the reins, spur without need or push for speed on pavement.
• Judgment. A drunk rider misses lameness, fatigue or heavy sweating, and skips water stops.
• Crowds. Horses are prey animals, and fireworks, noise and packed streets put them on alert. A calm, sober rider is what keeps them steady.
• The public. A loose or bolting horse in a crowd endangers everyone.

There's a legal side too. Colombia's Law 1774 of 2016 recognizes animals as sentient beings, and Law 2455 of 2025 (known as Ley Ángel) toughened the Penal Code's animal-abuse penalties. Abuse that kills an animal now carries 32 to 56 months in prison (Article 339A), and abuse that seriously harms its health or physical integrity carries 20 to 42 months (Article 339C). Those penalties rise by one half to three quarters in certain cases, including when the abuse happens on a public road or in a public place (Article 339B). That's the framework behind the ruling's mention of criminal complaints.

Horse welfare rules for any cabalgata: a checklist

These practices make sense in Manizales or at any group ride, with or without a court order.

Before the ride

• A fit, healthy horse. If it isn't conditioned for several hours of work, skip this one.
• A calm horse. If it has never been out among noise and crowds, prepare it first with groundwork and desensitizing exercises.
• Shoes checked well ahead, not the night before. Ask your farrier how the horse handles pavement.
• A saddle and girth that fit, with no rubbing. Check the halter and headstall too. See tack and equipment.
• Planned transport, with rest on arrival. See our guide to hauling a horse long distances.
• Early registration and visible ID for both rider and horse.

During the ride

• A sober rider. It's the rule the ruling now requires, and the one that protects the horse most.
• Water and shade stops. Offer water every chance you get.
• An easy pace. Avoid galloping on asphalt or through crowds.
• A sensible length. If the horse looks exhausted, get off and pull out, even if the route isn't finished.
• A helmet for the rider. You may not see many at these parades, but it's the best protection in a fall. More at safety.

Signs to stop and find the vet

• Lameness or short, stiff steps.
• Heavy breathing that doesn't settle during a rest.
• Excessive sweating or, in hot weather, dry skin.
• Refusing to drink or eat.
• Looking at or kicking at the belly, lying down or rolling. These can be early colic signs.

If you see any of these signs, alert the event's veterinary team or welfare monitors and stop riding.

What to watch next

• The Tribunal Administrativo de Caldas. It will decide the alcohol appeal, and no date has been set.
• The city's protocol. It is due at least two months before the cabalgata. If the ride is held in early January as usual, that points to roughly November (our estimate, not an official date).
• Proyecto de Acuerdo 99. Councilor Yepes filed this city council bill on Oct 2 with its own rules for these events. Eje21 notes that the city's court-ordered duties stand whether or not the bill passes.
• The official 2027 Feria program, which hasn't confirmed the cabalgata date yet.

If you plan to ride in January, start conditioning your horse now, register early and plan on riding sober. To follow this story and others, check trends.