Horses and Buggies on the Road
Minn. Stat. 169.522 — the triangle, or a black one by permit, and a lamp seen at 500 feet
A person riding an animal or driving an animal drawn vehicle on a roadway is subject to the traffic chapter's rules for drivers, except those that by their nature can have no application, and a buggy driver must also meet the emblem, lamp and lane rules the section names.
Who handles this in Minnesota: legal aid programs and the state offices, listed in the Minnesota directory.
The triangle, or the black one. Every animal drawn vehicle displays the triangular slow moving vehicle emblem. With a permit from the commissioner, an alternate emblem may be used, a dull black triangle with a white reflective border, if the regular emblem is carried and displayed from sunset to sunrise and whenever visibility is poor, and at least 72 square inches of red reflective tape is fixed to the rear.
An animal drawn vehicle carries an identification lamp or lamps showing its presence, visible from at least 500 feet to the front and rear. The lamp may be powered by the vehicle's own movement. A buggy used only between sunrise and sunset in good visibility, or never on a public road, is exempt.
Whether the impaired driving law reaches a rider is not settled by these sections. A particular ticket is a question for a licensed Minnesota attorney.
Sources for this section (3)
- Minn. Stat. 169.035 — Exemptions and applications, and transportation by animal
- Minn. Stat. 169.522 — Slow moving vehicle emblem
- Minn. Stat. 169.58 — Identification lamps, and animal drawn vehicles
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of September 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Minnesota attorney.