pony parties?

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happyhacking:)

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atm im desperate to leave my current job and get back to doing what i love and working with horses all day everyday. As we all know its not easy to make any money from horses. Do you think that there is a market for pony parties? would you have one for your child? Do you think that it would be possible to make money from it?
 
You would probably need to have a riding school licence to operate something like this, insurance , a very good base with excellent facilities such as kitchens for food prep, loos, very safe ponies as some kids will be very nervous, staff.
Its probably only something that could run alongside another business unless you were based in a very affluent area and then your overheads would be high.
 
Great idea...but I also think alot of sharp minded possible opportunists might see this as an excellent opportunity for yelling 'litigation time'...should anything happen to 'little Precious'! do your homework..and get insurance. perhaps you could run the business by hiring ponies & helpers to run via a riding school, so they get a regular insentive & you get reduced rates...& in theory make some cash...but you do all the arranging etc & make it special....prob not much in it unless you market it as a package..each child gets photo & a rosette or something
 
I went to a pony party when I was younger (over 20 yrs ago!), absolutely loved it, hence it being the only party from when I was a child that sticks in my head! However, this was before the whole compensation thing came about!!
 
I went to view a livery yard that did this as a side line a few weeks ago and asked about it because if it was very sucessful then there might have been conflicts with use of the school, kids running around etc.

It sounded like whilst they had a few party bookings every now and then and a few kids each weekend as they did a sort of pony club it wasn't a major thing so not sure it would have paid for the ponies keep if that's all they did.
 
I was thinking more along the lines of taking the ponies out to the clients rather than them coming to me as i would not be able to host the parties at the yard im currently at. So would be insurance, travel costs and costs related to the party (rosettes, carrots, certificates ect)
 
Taking the ponies to the clients limits the market somewhat as from past experience I'd say a fair few pony parties, are kids that haven't seen much of the countryside before.

Also the third party liability of taking a horse into a residential home would be a difficult one. Also the providing the helmets, a leader for said horse. CRB checks surely would be required in a job requiring going into the homes of children.

I think it's an idea that does exist already I certainly know or some, however they are run alongside riding schools with existing insurance.
 
I know of someone who does this and they don't have a riding school so must have got the insurance sorted out. They run a Shetland pony stud. They do the parties at their place and at the person's home.
 
while you might make some pocket money from this, I do not think it would be enough to survive on full time... lots of people do it over here, mostly weekend work. They take the ponies to the persons house in a trailer, saddle them up, and do the rides. You definitely would need insurances in place.
 
2 of my friends have done this but a mobile service by taking their ponies round to people's own properties, they assess the properties to make sure they are suitable and see if there are any hazards that need to be sorted first before they attend. They make about £200 + at a time, are fully insured and are very confident handlers, also it is wise to have a first aid certificate.Other than these there are no other restrictions to starting up this sort of business.
 
thanks everyone. defo going to look into it in a bit more detail. I know how much riding school insurance would roughly cost me if i were to do that do you think it would be more or less than that?
 
cremedemonthe said:
2 of my friends have done this but a mobile service by taking their ponies round to people's own properties, they assess the properties to make sure they are suitable and see if there are any hazards that need to be sorted first before they attend. They make about £200 + at a time, are fully insured and are very confident handlers, also it is wise to have a first aid certificate.Other than these there are no other restrictions to starting up this sort of business.
Click to expand...

Are you sure you don't need a Riding Establishment license from the council?

What is a “riding establishment”?

A riding establishment is a business which keeps horses either for letting out on hire for riding and/or which provides riding lessons in return for payment.
Do the regulations apply to all types of horses?

The regulations apply to mares, geldings, ponies, foals, colts, fillies, stallions, mules, asses, and jennets.
Are there any exemptions to the requirement to hold a licence?

There is no requirement to hold a licence where horses are kept solely for police purposes or by the Zoological Society of London, or kept by a university for the purpose of the instruction of students studying for an approved course leading to a degree in veterinary science. Where horses are kept on land occupied by, or under the management of, the Secretary of State for Defence there is also no requirement for a licence.
Can a licence be granted to anyone?

If a person is disqualified from keeping a riding establishment, a pet shop or an animal boarding establishment a licence cannot be granted.

If a person is disqualified from owning, keeping, dealing in, having custody of or transporting animals a licence cannot be granted.

A person who is under the age of 18 cannot be granted a licence.

False information given when applying for a licence

It is a criminal offence, when applying for a licence, to knowingly, or recklessly, provide false information or to make a false statement. Where a person commits such an offence they may be fined and/or imprisoned. In addition any licence granted may be cancelled and the person may be disqualified from keeping a riding establishment for such period of time that a Court considers fit.
What matters will a local authority take into account when deciding whether to grant a licence?

A local authority is required to obtain and consider a vet’s report before it is allowed to grant a licence. The vet must have inspected the relevant premises not more than 12 months prior to the application or since the date of the application.

When deciding whether to grant a licence the local authority will take into account the suitability of the applicant or his manager and the suitability of the accommodation and the pasture.

The local authority will want to ensure that there are adequate provisions relating to the health, welfare and exercise of the horses and that reasonable precautions will be taken to prevent the spread of disease and to guard against fire. The local authority will also want to ensure that the horses are suitable for the purposes for which they are kept.
Provisional licences

If a local authority is not satisfied that a permanent licence should be granted it has the power to grant a provisional licence for 3 months.

A person is forbidden from keeping a riding establishment under a provisional licence for more than 6 months in any one year.

Conditions of a licence

Every licence is subject to certain conditions even if these are not expressly set out in the licence itself. These are that any horses, found on inspection to require veterinary attention, will not be used until certified fit; that provision is made for the proper supervision of riders who require it; that the business will not be left in the charge of a person under the age of 16 years; that proper insurance will be held; and that a register of horses aged 3 years and under will be kept.

A local authority may specify additional conditions. For example, it may be a condition of the licence that an applicant must hold an Assistant Instructor’s Certificate, Instructor’s Certificate or fellowship issued by the British Horse Society or a fellowship of the Institute of the Horse.

If a person wishes to appeal against any conditions of a licence then they may do so by making an appeal to the Magistrates’ Court.

Where a person contravenes a condition of a licence they commit a criminal offence and may be fined and/or imprisoned. The licence may also be cancelled and the holder may be disqualified from holding a licence for such period as a Court thinks fit. Where a Court cancels a licence or disqualifies a person, it may suspend the operation of the order pending an appeal.
How long does a licence last for?

Any licence granted will, unless cancelled in the intervening period, need to be renewed on an annual basis.

If the holder of a licence dies the licence passes to his personal representatives for up to 12 months.

If a licence is refused can I appeal?

If a licence is refused the applicant may appeal to the Magistrates’ Court.
What are the consequences of failing to obtain a licence?

Where a person is required to obtain a licence and they fail to do so they commit a criminal offence and may be fined and/or imprisoned. They may also be disqualified from holding such a licence for such period of time that the Court thinks fit.
Inspections by local authorities and vets

A local authority has the power to inspect, or authorise a person from another local authority or a vet to carry out an inspection on its behalf, any premises at which it believes a riding establishment is being kept, whether licensed or not.

Where an inspection is carried out the inspector has the power to enter the premises and inspect the horses and things at the premises, for the purpose of making a report or in order to establish whether an offence has been, or is being, committed under the Riding Establishments Act 1964.

It is an offence to conceal, or cause to be concealed, any horse where the intention is to avoid an inspection of the horse, punishable with a fine and/or imprisonment. It is also a criminal offence to wilfully obstruct or delay such an inspector, punishable with a fine. In addition the Court has the power to cancel the licence and disqualify the person from keeping a riding establishment for such period as it deems fit.
Animal welfare and safety

In addition to the requirement to hold a licence there are a number of specific criminal offences relating to riding establishments. Where one of these offences is committed the Court has the power to fine and/or imprison the offender, cancel their licence and disqualify them from keeping a riding establishment for such period as it considers fit.
Offences relating to the welfare of horses

It is an offence to hire out a horse, or to use a horse for the purpose of providing riding lessons in return for payment or for demonstration riding, if the horse is in such a condition that riding it is likely to cause the horse suffering, or if the horse is less than 3 years old, is a mare heavy with foal, or has foaled within 3 months.

It is an offence to fail to provide suitable care for sick and/or injured horses kept for the purpose of hiring out, for the purpose of providing riding lessons in return for payment or for demonstration riding.

It is an offence to supply defective equipment, for a horse which is hired out, and which is likely to cause suffering to the horse.

Further offences relating to the welfare of animals in general were created by The Animal Welfare Act 2006.

Offences relating to the safety of riders

It is an offence to supply defective equipment, for a horse which is hired out, and which is likely to cause an accident to the rider of the horse.
Offences relating to employees of riding establishments

It is an offence to knowingly allow a person disqualified from keeping a riding establishment to have control or management of a riding establishment.
Click to expand...

http://www.inbrief.co.uk/animal-law/riding-establishments-act-1964-hiring-horse.htm

I think I'd ring the BHS legal line before starting up just to make sure because technically you would be hiring the pony out for use.
 
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