Licence - Riding
Establishment
Licences to keep a riding establishment are issued under the
Riding Establishments Acts 1964 and 1970.
No person may carry on the business of a riding
establishment without first obtaining a licence from the Local
Authority.
A Riding Establishment is "the carrying on of a business of
keeping horses to let them out for hire for riding or riding
instruction".
A horse in terms of the Riding Establishment Act 1970 means
any of the following: - Mare, Gelding, Pony, Foal, Colt, Filly,
Stallion, Ass, Mule, Jennet
The documents below appear in Adobe® Acrobat® (PDF) format. In order to view them you will need to have Acrobat Reader installed. (Those with visual impairments may wish to investigate Access Adobe, which provides tools and information to help make PDF files more accessible.) Conditions
Licences are renewable annually. We will arrange for the
inspection of horses and premises by a veterinary surgeon to ensure
the welfare of the animals and that the accommodation is
suitable. You must also follow conditions that relate to the
management of the premise and disease prevention and control.
The vet must visit every two years however they may visit yearly at
the discretion of the licensing officer.
For more information download the following,
Licence Conditions and
information regarding offences and penalties (29 KB, 4
pages)
A licence will not be issued if the applicant has been
disqualified under any of the following acts,
- Riding Establishment Acts 1964 and 1970
- The Pet Animals Act 1951
- The Protection of Animals (Amendment) Act 1954 from having the custody of animals
- Animal Boarding Establishments Act 1963
Apply
To apply for the licence you will need to,
- comply with the licence conditions
- complete the application form (23 KB, 4 pages) (for both new and renewal)
- produce a current insurance policy renewal certificate
- pay the licence fee
Fees
Download a list of current licence fees (16
KB, 1 page)
You will also have to pay additional costs for the Authority's
vet to come out and inspect your premises and horses.
Useful Links
Copies of the Riding Establishments Acts 1964 and 1970
can be purchased from the Office of Public Sector
Information.
The Chartered Institute of Environmental Health have produced
a guidance booklet
"Health and Safety Guidance for Inspections of Horse Riding
Establishments and Livery Yards" to assist with the management
of safety risks within these premises and meeting the requirements
of a licence.
For further information refer to the British Horse Society
For further information contact the Licensing Team.