Limited Liability

• Chapter 87 of the Texas Civil Practice & Remedies Code provides that equine professionals, including horse owners, trainers and barn operators, are not liable for any accident that may result from engaging in activities that make use of horses. This includes the use of the horse and buggy. The state enacted the law considering the inherent risks involved with using a horse. This law means that if a tourist rides in a horse-drawn carriage and the horse suddenly bucks, toppling the carriage and causing physical injury to the tourist, the latter cannot sue the owner or driver.
  
  

No Taking Pictures

• If you're traveling around Texas and happen to be in McAllen County, taking a picture of a horse might just be illegal -- at least if it's Sunday. In this county, it is against the law to take a picture of a horse on the Sabbath. The law dictates that violation can cost a minimum of $1.50 or a jail time of three days. Most people prefer the former.
  
  

Traffic Laws

• A horse, buggy and any large moving object can count as a vehicle in the court of law, all of which is applicable to Texas. In 2011, Austin police pulled over and arrested two men, one riding a horse while the other rode a mule, on suspicion of being under the influence. The men were escorted off of the animals and taken into custody for DWI, or driving while intoxicated. Other traffic violations, such as a wrong U-turn and running a red light, also apply to horse-drawn carriages. In Texarkana, an owner may not ride his horse and buggy at night without taillights.
  
  

Other Laws

• There's a few horse and carriage laws that make the previous ones seem relatively normal. In Temple, a person may ride a horse when entering a saloon, but may not ride a horse and buggy within the town square -- according to the law. In Waco, it is against the law to throw a banana peel onto the street as this could cause a horse to slip and the carriage to topple.