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Secrets of the Fiaker
Where tradition is at home. Before the carriages can be seen in the city center, their day begins in the peace and quiet of the 11th district. During this experience, we invite you to come to where our horses sleep, eat and are cared for. It is an honest look behind the facades of a centuries-old tradition.
The start in the stable: Your experience starts right in our stables. We'll show you what animal welfare and horse care mean at Fiaker Paul. They smell the fresh hay, see the careful preparation of the carriages and learn everything about the training of horses and coachmen. We answer the questions that otherwise often remain unanswered.
The soul of the job: Learn more about the craft of a coachman — from caring for the harness to etiquette on the trestle. We will show you our modern stables, which combine tradition with the latest animal husbandry standards. This is the basis for everything we present in the city.
The way to the city: After the tour, take a seat in the carriage. But not in town, but right here at the stable. The trip takes us from the 11th district on an unusual route to the historic center. Experience the transition from “working Vienna” to “glamorous Vienna” up close.
The final passage: When we reach the first district, you have gained a completely new perspective on the team. You now know who the animals are and how much passion goes into every detail. The trip ends in the heart of the city, while the knowledge of what you have experienced has an effect for a long time.
Ihre Reservierung gilt für die gewählte Dauer. Der Preis versteht sich pro Kutsche und ist unabhängig von der Personenanzahl (bis zu 4 Erwachsene und 2 Kinder). Für weitere Details beachten Sie bitte unsere allgemeinen Geschäftsbedingungen.
The Well-Being of Our Horses is the Basis of Our Family Tradition and Our Daily Work. Our philosophy is based on respect and species-appropriate husbandry. We ensure this through strict standards:
- Limited working hours and regular, long breaks.
- Constant supply of fresh water and high-quality feed.
- Regular Veterinary Checks and Hoof Care.
- Spacious stables and daily exercise in the countryside.
- Strict compliance with the “heat-free” rule in summer. For us, our horses are members of the family. You are welcome to contact a Convince stable management of this personally.
No — carriage rides in compliance with all legal requirements cannot in fact be described as animal cruelty, even on warm summer days in Vienna, according to independent institutions such as the “Veterinary Office of the City of Vienna” and the “University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna.”
This claim is supported in particular by a statement from the Veterinary Office Vienna in a Court case against an NGO clearly. In it, the Vienna Veterinary Office claims that since records of accidents/incidents involving fiaker horses began around 20 years ago, it has been proven that not a single horse has collapsed due to “heat.”
The city's veterinary office is required to check every incident involving horse-drawn carriage. In general, the Veterinary Office is increasing the intensity of health checks on fiaker horses on particularly warm days, above 30 degrees.
In addition, the VetMed University of Vienna 2025 has the result of a 2024 self-financed study entitled”Study on heat stress and heat tolerance in Viennese fiaker horses“published. In the study, a total of 58 horse-drawn carriage (including many of our horses active in the city) were accompanied for one year and 764 scientific surveys were carried out.
In particular, the following parameters were collected (morning + afternoon at the warmest time of the day):
- Respiratory rate
- pulse rate
- body surface temperature
- Stress hormones in faeces
- general behavior
Key findings:
The results provide important data on the individual heat tolerance of fiaker horses in Vienna.
The horses showed no clinical signs of heat stress over the course of the entire study.
The documented reactions to temperature differences support the assessment that fiaker horses are physiologically well adapted to heat.
Further studies and expert opinions:
- A similar study was also published in 2009:”Heat measurements in fiaker horses“— Here too, the study came to a similar overall conclusion. However, the study was criticized by NGOs in the past as “out of date.”
- Another study on heat compatibility in carriage horses was also carried out in Mexico:”Study on the effect of heat on carriage horses (Mexico)“(English)
- Dr. med. vet. Hans Christ:”No danger for horse-drawn carriages“
- Dr. Kaun:”Only horse expertise can help“
-”How do the horse-drawn carriages do in the heat“
- Dr. med. vet. Isabella Copar:”Even after a warm day, 90 percent of the animals are not wet from sweat even in the area of the reins“
Vienna has some of the strictest animal welfare laws in Europe. From a temperature of 35 °C (Innere Stadt measuring station), there is a legal driving ban, the so-called “heat-free”. If the measurement value is reached, all horse-drawn carriages must leave the city center and go home. Carriage rides that began before reaching 35 degrees Celsius may be completed by law. If your trip is cancelled due to heat, we offer free cancellations or refunds.
If the heat regulations are not complied with, entrepreneurs and coachmen face severe fines of several thousand euros.
We strictly comply with these guidelines and are guided by scientific studies from relevant areas, such as the study by the Vetmeduni Vienna, which show that horses do not suffer from heat stress when taking breaks and taking water supply. In addition, our coachmen regularly check our animals and know them very well. Should a horse's health be affected in any way for unexpected reasons - this can be identified early on by our expert staff and appropriate measures can be taken quickly.
As the only horse-drawn carriage company in Vienna, this experience offers you an unadulterated look into our stables, behind the scenes of our craft and the age-old horse-drawn carriage tradition. The approximately 90-minute tour starts in the morning directly in our stable in the 11th district. You'll learn everything about our horses, animal welfare, care and the over 300-year history of the Viennese horse-drawn carriage before taking the carriage straight to the city center.
