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Residents urge town to allow horses in parades; mayor says event insurance and registration determine participation
Summary
Multiple residents and equine-business owners urged the Coupeville Town Council to allow horses in local parades and events. Mayor Hughes said animals are allowed in registered, insured events but that some informal parades and market spaces restrict live animals for safety and insurance reasons.
Dozens of residents called on the Coupeville Town Council on June 24 to reverse what they described as a de facto ban on horses in some community events and to clarify town rules for animals at parades and festivals.
The requests centered on Red Locke, owner of Big Red Barn, who said she had been told her horses could not participate in this year’s Bridal Parade after she and others had sought to join. "When asked permission, the mayor had informed me that there were too many complaints ... that it was too much of a liability," Locke told the council during the public-comment period.
Why it matters: Speakers said horses are part of Coupeville’s rural and cultural heritage, draw large, positive public interest and support local equine businesses and youth programs. The discussion prompted the mayor to explain how event sponsorship, registration and insurance determine whether…
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