Riding Establishments

Under the Riding Establishments Acts 1964 and 1970, any premises carrying on the business of providing horses for hire or riding instruction, must hold a riding establishment licence.

Licences are renewable annually. The Council arranges for the inspection of horses and premises by a veterinary surgeon to ensure the welfare and safety of the horses, riders and the public.

Anyone who operates a riding establishment must be suitably qualified and experienced. The licence will be issued subject to compliance with the licence conditions and upon production of a copy of a current insurance policy certificate.

The Council has riding establishment licence conditions and an application form;

• Riding Establishments Licence Conditions (PDF Document, 1.3 Mb)
• Riding Establishments Application Form (PDF Document, 0.1 Mb)

When applying for a licence, a completed licence application form must be accompanied with the appropriate fee which is currently £71.00 + vets fee.

For new riding establishments, planning permission may be required. Further information can be obtained from Planning Services.

Also under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs have produced Codes of Practice which includes the welfare of horses and can be found at http://www.defra.gov.uk/publications/files/pb13334-cop-horse-091204.pdf