Activists block horse-drawn carriages to Morskie Oko as dispute over fasiągi reignites

Protest at Palenica Białczańska

On Saturday, 8 August, activists from the Dla Zwierząt movement and the Dolnośląski Inspektorat Ochrony Zwierząt (DIOZ) gathered at Palenica Białczańska, the starting point of the trail to Morskie Oko, to demand the complete withdrawal of horse-drawn carriages known as fasiągi. Protesters argued that horses are forced to work up to a dozen hours a day, that carriages are routinely overloaded, and that the average working life of a horse on the route is about three years. Krystyna Pietruszka, representing DIOZ, described the situation as the torment of horses and dismissed the relevance of veterinary assessments.

I came here to prevent the abuse and torment with particular cruelty of horses and to stop this financial procedure. We are not interested at all in examinations of horses and any doctors.

The atmosphere was tense from the start. Protesters attempted to block departing carriages, with one demonstrator lying on the asphalt. Police intervened and separated protesters from the carriage drivers. Around 11:00, between 150 and 200 tourists were waiting for rides, forming a queue several dozen metres long. Despite the protest, tourist interest in the horse-drawn transport showed no visible decline.

Clashes, medical incidents, and a fallen horse

During the demonstration, a woman among the protesters fainted on the road. Police provided first aid before TOPR rescuers and an ambulance from Zakopane arrived. Separately, one of the horses pulling a carriage stumbled and fell near the leśniczówka Wanta; a veterinarian was called to examine the animal. DIOZ later published a video on Facebook showing a lying horse and claimed that a horse had died on the route, accusing police of inaction. Zakopane police spokesperson Roman Wieczorek stated that officers received the report after 13:00 but had no confirmation that a horse had died at Palenica Białczańska.

Wozaków's response and regulatory framework

Andrzej Mąka, head of the Stowarzyszenie Wozaków, rejected the accusations, stating that every horse cleared for transport passes annual veterinary examinations including orthopaedic assessments. Of 282 horses tested this year, only two were not cleared for work. He said the Tatra National Park (TPN) regulations limit each horse to two trips per day, mandate rest breaks at Włosienica and upon return to Palenica, and cap passengers at 10 per wagon.

Previous prosecutor investigations did not confirm charges of horse overloading. Equine medicine experts cited in the articles noted that observing an animal after exertion is insufficient to assess its condition, and detailed examinations found no evidence of muscle damage, dehydration, or metabolic disorders linked to overloading. The Chief Veterinary Officer stated that horse-drawn transport may operate legally if regulations are followed. The Polish Horse Breeders Association also opposed eliminating the transport, arguing that demand for working horses helps sustain cold-blooded and draft horse breeding.

What happens next

Activists announced further protests under the #NieJeżdżęFasiągiem campaign, including demonstrations at the Ministry of Climate and Environment and at EU institutions in Brussels. A next protest at the trail is planned for 15 August. The petition circulated during the demonstration also demands the dismissal of TPN director Szymon Ziobrowski and climate and environment minister Paulina Hennig-Kloska. Meanwhile, TPN is developing electric transport: four electric buses currently operate on the route, with plans to purchase 16 more. The horse-drawn route is set to be shortened this year, with horses covering only the first, least steep section.