An unusual but interesting question that people sometimes ask is whether or not they can get a DUI on a horse. As we all know, riding on the back of a horse was one of the most common means of transportation prior to the invention of vehicles. Even with vehicles being widely available today, there are still quite a few people who get around by riding a horse. Interestingly enough, riding a horse on the street can be legal on certain occasions. With that in mind, it would make sense that it would be in the driver’s hands to operate and steer the horse in the right direction. This article is going to explore whether or not you can get a DUI while you are on a horse.
Can You Get a DUI on a Horse?
So, can you get a DUI while riding a horse and under the influence? Yes, you can certainly get a DUI for riding on a horse while impaired. Think about it like this: As the driver of the horse, you are in control of its every movement. As we all know, being impaired makes it hard to concentrate and make the right decisions on the road. Alcohol isn’t the only thing that can land you a DUI while riding a horse. Drugs of any kind that alter your state of mind are going to impair your driving in one shape or another. Keeping that in mind, understand that it is dangerous to operate any vehicle or horse while under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
Typically, people don’t ride on horses alone on the road. They usually attach a buggy to the horse and allow it to pull them. If you are on the road riding on the back of the horse, it is going to look suspicious to begin with. Also, if you are impaired, then it could increase your chance of falling off. Now that we have begun to list reasons why you can you get a DWI on a horse, let’s talk about more specific reasons in the next paragraph.
Why can you get a DUI on a horse?
So, now that you know that you can get a DUI for riding or operating a horse while impaired, let’s discuss more in-depth as to why this is. We already talked about the fact that as the driver, you are responsible for all of the movements of the horse. But, that doesn’t make any sense; won’t the horses just stay on the road? Not so much. Horses are simply going to move the direction that you tell them to. They are not aware of the meaning of our street signs and road markings. Now that this has been brought to light, consider a few of the mistakes that you could make while operating a horse while impaired on drugs or alcohol.
- Going to an area you aren’t supposed to: Being impaired can damage our decision-making skills. Think about what would happen if an impaired person were to drive their horses onto a highway or other busy road that they weren’t supposed to. This could cause a major wreck as it would be hard to spot the horse or buggy in the dark.
- Not stopping at a light or stop sign: Like we said before, horses don’t know what a red light or a stop sign is. As we all know, not stopping at a stop sign or running a red light are situations that call for a catastrophe. Unless the person controlling the horse is able to focus on the task at hand, the horse can put them into a dangerous situation.
- Running into traffic: Not only do horses not know how our traffic laws work, they also don’t know the fact that they would die if a car hit them. Being in busy traffic with an impaired driver is bound to create a confused and possibly nervous horse. If the horse gets scared and decides to flee, it could run right out into oncoming traffic.
Are the penalties the same?
After covering the reasons drunk horse riding can get you a DUI, one thing stands out. It is interesting that a horse is much like a car in the sense that without a sober driver, it cannot properly operate. With that in mind, it would seem reasonable to assume that someone opening a horse while under the influence would get the same penalties as someone driving a car while impaired. So, are the penalties the same? And is it illegal to ride a horse drunk? As it turns out, the answer to both questions is yes. Most states treat drunk horse riding just like they treat drunk driving in a car. Anyone who was pulled over while operating a horse while under the influence would go through the same process as everyone else. For those who are unaware, drunk driving typically lands people a night in jail and some other nasty consequences. Let’s discuss a little more about some consequences of DUI riding a horse.
Does a horse DUI go on my driving record?
As we talked about in the last paragraph, a lot of states treat DUI riding a horse the same way that they treat drunk driving a vehicle. With that in mind, it would be safe to assume that riding a horse drunk would go on your driving record. While the rules vary depending on the state, this could mean serious problems for you. Having a DUI on your record can prevent you from holding certain career positions. It can also mean that you are going to have to give up your license. All in all, it is a serious crime to commit. Riding a horse drunk has been proven to be dangerous and can put people in an unsafe environment. So, reading through this article, readers will wonder whether or not this really ever happens. Is this just one of those useless laws or does it really happen?
Does it really happen?
Surprisingly enough, it does indeed happen. There have been quite a few recent news reports highlighting certain persons who drove their horse on the highway or on the interstate. So yes, it does happen. Why would people ride a horse while they were drunk? Well, some people feel that they would not get charged with the same penalties if they were to drive a horse while impaired. With that in mind, some people may find it clever to operate a horse if they are drunk. They just assume that the horse will be able to navigate itself or that a cop simply won’t pull them over because they aren’t in a car. As we know now though, you can get charged in the same manner. Although this is something that you are going to see less often than drunk driving it still certainly happens.
More about getting a DUI on a horse
Let’s do a quick review of some other important things to note about riding a horse while impaired. First of all, let’s talk about how exactly a person is able to navigate and control the movements of a horse. Typically, horses will have a rope system around their head. The ropes extend and the ends are held in the driver’s hands. Using a pulling motion, the driver of the car is able to steer the horse in a certain direction. They are also able to command the horse to do things like stop, slow down, speed, up, etc. Essentially, it works like a steering wheel. Now that you are able to picture how a driver would steer his or her horse, it is easier to think about why the answer to the question: Can you get a DUI riding a horse? is yes. Not only could the driver have trouble steering the horse due to their inability to balance, they would also struggle to make well-thought-out decisions.
Quick review
All of that information was quite a bit to take in. In this paragraph, we are going to summarize and wrap-up the discussion that has been made thus far. Each question will be answered in a short yet concise excerpt.
- Is it illegal to ride a horse drunk: Yes, it is illegal to ride a horse while you are drunk or while you are impaired. The law has been set in place because studies and data have shown that it is dangerous and risky to operate a horse while impaired. Drunk horse drivers are much more likely to cause an accident than are those operating a horse while sober.
- Can you get a DUI while riding a horse: Along with it being illegal, you can also get a DUI for riding a horse while under the influence. Along with a DUI comes legal troubles and many other consequences. Getting a DUI is something that you should avoid at all costs. Now that you know that driving a horse while under the influence can land you a DUI, you should treat it the same as driving a car drunk.
- Why can you get a DUI on a horse: Each law in our system had to be thought out and backed by evidence and research. So, why can you get a DUI riding a horse? To put a long explanation into a few words, it is very dangerous. That point has been expressed clearly and thoroughly throughout the article. It is simply something that you should not do.
- What is a horse DUI like?: So, what actually happens if you get a DUI while on your horse? Well, the same thing that would happen if you got a DUI in a car. You would get in trouble with the law and would spend at least a night in jail. Sound fun? It isn’t. Imagine the embarrassment of going to jail and turning a fun night bad.
Hopefully, this article has given you some insight as to how the process of getting a horse DUI is. Now that we have answered the question, Can you get a DWI on a horse? you should be able to make the right decisions from now on. Just understand that it is a serious crime to operate a horse while under the influence. And, just imagine the damage you could do to yourself if you got into a wreck. While cars are designed to withstand impact, horses aren’t. Death is almost certain if a major accident occurs and the driver of the horse is launched from the horse or buggy.