lj0429
Well-Known Member
Hi can anyone advise as to what vettings if any riding school horses are subject to? Like dp local authorities make them have the equivalent of a two stage annually as part of the licensing?
Riding school horses - vettings
- Thread starter lj0429
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SEL
Well-Known Member
They check eyes and watch them being ridden at walk & trot. Quick check of tack.
Although it's a few years since I had to ride a dozen ponies for a RS inspection so might have changed.
Although it's a few years since I had to ride a dozen ponies for a RS inspection so might have changed.
splashgirl45
Lurcher lover
They used to have each ones heart checked and trotted up many years ago but don’t know whether that still happens
AdorableAlice
Well-Known Member
The legislation requires the horses to have their eyes examined, heart listened to and soundness evaluated at the grant of licence and every 12 months thereafter for the life of the licence. The licence will be one, two or three years in length dependant on standards found at the inspection.
AdorableAlice
Well-Known Member
This information is incorrect under present law.
teapot
Well-Known Member
They are not ridden - it's eyes, heart, and a trot up as @AdorableAlice has confirmed.
lj0429
Well-Known Member
Thanks All.
Abacus
Well-Known Member
Someone I know who has a trekking centre said that the inspection is cursory at best.
Gamebird
Well-Known Member
The inspection is often quick, but I would be disappointed if it was cursory. The vets have to be experienced horse vets, and have been on a training course (and repeat the course every 5 years). Often due to time and numbers constraints (I have several establishments with 50+ horses to inspect at a time) you do have do be fairly speedy, but that does not mean that you are not looking. A casual observer might not realise that I am looking at farriery, lumps and bumps and skin conditions etc. My routine would be heart, scan microchip and eyes in darkened box, check corners of mouth for bit rubs, quick assessment of saddle and bridle fit and suitability (we are NOT saddle fitters, so this is mainly is the tack safe, and does it cause any obvious discomfort or fitting issues to the horse), look over farriery, BCS and for any obvious skin conditions, see horse trotted up, whip saddle off and palpate back and girth for rubs/sores. It is probably no more than 5 minutes per horse, plus notes, but should be enough to pick up any obvious issues that might impact rider safety or horse welfare.
It is not a perfect system, but I think that it is currently fit for purpose, and better since the recent legislation changes.
It is not a perfect system, but I think that it is currently fit for purpose, and better since the recent legislation changes.
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AdorableAlice
Well-Known Member
Depends where you are. All vets inspecting riding schools have to be on the approved list. A council cannot use a vet not on the list. The problems often seen will be licensing officers who are not equine experienced. I know of vets who have been met by officers in high heels and smart suits. One authority sends a food officer out and another who sends a HMO officer out. Personally I think that is an insult to the inspecting vet and the premise owner. One premises had a officer turn up and advise the vet that getting wet and walking through mud was not acceptable and simply returned to her car and left the vet to it.
The current legislation is pretty sound in terms of welfare, although I do think the weekly body scoring condition is over the top and could be better written. Many inspecting vets are expected to also undertake the licensing legal aspect, the report writing, improvement notices and scoring, which is totally unacceptable. I fully expect local authorities to find obtaining an inspecting vet for the hiring out of horses legislation to become every more difficult. Inspections take time and their time can be far more gainful doing clinical work. Vets also get challenged by licence holders, again this is unacceptable and any challenge should be directed at the licensing officer, but many are clueless. It is just yet another failure of government process and staffing levels. Central England has a very experienced licensing officer, but I can't think of anywhere else that does. Scotland and Wales have yet to adopt the current legislation and still run under the old 1976 Act.
Gamebird
Well-Known Member
The weekly condition scoring thing is an odd one. Two different parts of the legislation guidance state that 'body condition scoring should be carried our regularly [with no stipulation of a specific frequency]', then later it states that 'independent nutritionist advice should be sought alongside the weekly body condition scoring'. If it wasn't for the latter part I would be happy with recorded monthly BCS. As it stands it does rather contradict itself, so I think we all go with weekly to be on the safe side. Which is really too often. Like weighing yourself daily - a little pointless if you're trying to monitor trends over time.