Yes, you can get a DUI on a horse in some places, but in others you cannot; it depends heavily on how your state or country defines a “vehicle” and whether DUI laws apply to animals or just motor vehicles.

How the law usually works

• In several U.S. states, DUI or similar laws apply to “any vehicle” or to anyone riding an animal on the road, so riding a horse while intoxicated can be charged like a normal DUI, with fines, possible jail time, and a criminal record.

• In other states, DUI statutes are limited to motor vehicles, so you might not get a technical DUI on a horse, but you can still be cited or arrested for things like public intoxication, disorderly conduct, endangering others, or animal cruelty if you ride drunk in traffic or create a hazard.

Examples and practical advice

• States such as California, Georgia, Florida, and Kentucky have been reported to treat drunk horseback riding as a DUI because their laws either treat horses as vehicles or give riders the same duties as drivers on the road.

• Some other states treat a drunk rider more like a public-intoxication or safety issue rather than a DUI, and a horse pulling a buggy or carriage is more likely to trigger standard DUI rules because you are then “operating a vehicle.”

What you should do

• Never assume a horse is a “loophole” to avoid DUI laws; courts have upheld DUI charges against riders in multiple states.

• Because the rules are very jurisdiction-specific and penalties can be serious, the safest course is not to ride at all when impaired and, if this is more than a hypothetical question, to speak with a local criminal-defense or traffic attorney for advice on your area’s exact law.