Riding Schools - problems on standards/ inspections

An old thread but a recurring theme.

Unfortunately the knowledge about riding schools held by local authority inspectors is very variable. Some know nothing about horses or riding establishments and on the other hand who are very knowledgeable, own horses themselves and compete.

In order to assist inspectors health and safety guidance was produced which will also help owners of yards. It is available for free download at:

http://www.cieh.org/policy/inspections_horse_livery.html

in addition there are two documents which all horse owners/keepers/yard owners all be aware of and read (both are free to download):

The Animal Welfare Act 2006

http://www.defra.gov.uk/food-farm/animals/welfare/

The Equine Welfare Compendium

http://www.newc.co.uk/highlights/new-welfare-compedium-launched/

With discussion regarding instructors the BHS is not the only organisation that runs examinations. There is also the Association of British Riding Schools (ABRS) - an organisation solely dedicated to supporting riding schools.

What is required is that a person should be competent in running a yard/teaching. Competence is accepted as a blend of knowledge, experience, training and having the right personal attributes. Whilst a qualification may demonstrate that someone has passed an examination it does not by itself show that somebody is competent. Indeed there are many "competent" trainers that have no formal qualifications.
 
KristmasKat said:
And what have you done?
Click to expand...

Having got no joy with RSPCA, somebody on here kindly used their contacts to report to the council inspectors.

To be honest nobody official seems to care, if it wasn't for the volunteers and those paying to loan the horses and then paying again for feed, who take the time to go and feed, most would be even worse.

I cannot imagine the level of mud fever, last year was bad enough without record rainfall. Again only the liveries/ loaners bothered to treat the rest just suffered.
 
Last edited:
Captainmouse said:
Having got no joy with RSPCA, somebody on here kindly used their contacts to report to the council inspectors.

To be honest nobody official seems to care, if it wasn't for the volunteers and those paying to loan the horses and then paying again for feed, who take the time to go and feed, most would be even worse.

I cannot imagine the level of mud fever, last year was bad enough without record rainfall. Again only the liveries/ loaners bothered to treat the rest just suffered.
Click to expand...


Would WHW not do anything? Or BHS? Thats awful for the poor horses, i'd like to think the clients wou;d at least notice and report or stop giving their money to such a poor establishment, surely?
 
I did speak to the relevant authorities and the licensing officers were due to undertake the annual inspection back in the autumn. I did ask them to keep me updated but they failed to do so. In fairness they had no need to report back to me as I had not seen conditions at the premises in person.

It is also relevant to remember that the premises would have prior knowledge to the inspection taking place. It is not unheard of for premises to remove horses that they don't want the inspectors to see.

If there is any indication that suffering is taking place at the premises, those people or the public who are witnessing the suffering MUST take the appropriate steps to address the issue.

This is what to do.

a) Contact the licensing officer at the relevant local Council. If you feel
officer level is not sufficient ask to speak to a manager.

b) Contact Trading Standards Animal Health officers at the relevant
County Council.

c) Contact the BHS, most riding schools seek BHS approval status.

d) Contact WHW.


The Riding School Establishments Act of 1964 and 1970 regulates establishments that let out horses on hire or use them for the purposes of providing, in return for payment, instruction in horse riding. That legal statement covers everything from a hack on a dobbin to a lesson on a grand prix horse belonging to Carl Hester.

Complaints will be taken seriously but the information needs to come from a party who has seen the situation and is able to give accurate information to the authorities. If the complainant is unhappy with the way the complaint is being handling just keep complaining and keep going higher every time.

With all due respect, raising the issue on a forum is not helping the animals. Please take the steps I have detailed above.
 
Sixteen Hands said:
An old thread but a recurring theme.

Unfortunately the knowledge about riding schools held by local authority inspectors is very variable. Some know nothing about horses or riding establishments and on the other hand who are very knowledgeable, own horses themselves and compete.

This is very true, and this is why it is law that a vet does the inspection. Very few licensing officers will even accompany the vet on the visits.

I have had some very amusing moments with riding school owners/managers who have viewed me as nothing more than the know nothing pain in the rear from the Council. Until they keel over backwards when I ask them to tell me how they are caring for the cushing pony, the lami, the heel mites etc.

I feel officers should have the relevant knowledge, after all, the officers role is to protect both the public and the riding school proprietor, the staff and the animals.
Click to expand...
 
Hi,
I`m trying to get my Riding School BHS approved, but am having problems with some of the compulsory elements. The main one, is that it says all hack escort staff must be qualified. But it doesn`t specify, now I know that the previous yard I worked at which was BHS approved, allowed people to take out hacks oncce they had their Riding and Road Safety. When I spoke to the BHS about this they said that all escorts must have the Equine Tourism Assistant Ride Leader qualification, which is done in addition to the Riding and Road Safety. Can anybody clarify this please? Does it just affect new yards, or will all yards have to have it when they are next inspected. It is a massive expense, and unfortunately it appears that AIs or Stable Managers still have to take this exam.
 
Captainmouse said:
I know this is an old thread, but is there an update?

There is a riding school/Livery yard locally, that doesn't worm regularly (if at all) uses lame horse in lessons, has more horses than acreage, the majority live out with NO grazing, they get a small quantity of mouldy hay (lasts 15 20 mins) no feed. They do not have automatic waterers so are reliant on trugs being refilled. Those that are in are fed mouldy hay and are bedded on a very small quantity of mouldy straw. Some stables are in a leaky barn with mud floors so the horses stand in muddy puddles.

They are not checked properly (dead horses in fields found by liveries). Lots of sickness and injury not picked up until very serious. Fields are very small so no room for horses to run about. And as the only grass is outside the fields the horses spend most of their time with heads thru fences, resulting in constant fence failure.

What can I do about this? They are inspected, I can only imagine they hide horses, especially the sick,thin, lame ones.
Click to expand...
Just wondered why people kept their horses on livery there if it's that bad...
 
I would go back and speak to the BHS again. Ask for more clarification. I would think any qualified instructor should be able to escort a hack. There has been a big campaign about turning the stage 2 into the assistant ride leader qualification but there is surely an element of grandfather rights?
 
Old thread I know but

UPDATE

The donkey sanctuary, WHW and ABRS are now investigating, they have been issued with an improvement notice and cannot operate as a riding school, The ABRS have withdrawn their 'approval'.

Anyone who wants to take their horses out of there can (although have been advised to be accompanied by the police)

better late than never
 
dragging this up to say I have heard, they were 'visited' yesterday They have been banned for life from trading as anything to do with equines so no livery and no school. The council are trying to get them banned for life from keeping equines as well. The horses in the worst condition will be removed from the premises and the remaining horses may or may not stay there but be checked daily by the blue cross. As there are about 80 horses, it will take a few days to sort out
 
Captainmouse said:
dragging this up to say I have heard, they were 'visited' yesterday They have been banned for life from trading as anything to do with equines so no livery and no school. The council are trying to get them banned for life from keeping equines as well. The horses in the worst condition will be removed from the premises and the remaining horses may or may not stay there but be checked daily by the blue cross. As there are about 80 horses, it will take a few days to sort out
Click to expand...

Do you know when and where the case was heard. A 'visit' yesterday would not give an instant ban.
 
no the article appeared end july beginning of august and mentions that they had been visited

quote
On July 31, Miss Franz was visited by the RSPCA and later by World Horse Welfare, Tunbridge Wells Borough Council and the Donkey Sanctuary.
unquote

the visit yesterday was a followup and stuff must have happened between times.
 
The solution to these issues is quite simple. A British Standard should be developed for the checking of riding schools. This would be quite specific as to what was checked and what was required etc. Those that check the riding school would be annually assesed to ensure they are doing it correctly and there would be one standard right accross the country. I would suggest that this issue should be addressed to the British Riding federation and all its member organisations.
 
OrangePepper said:
The solution to these issues is quite simple. A British Standard should be developed for the checking of riding schools. This would be quite specific as to what was checked and what was required etc. Those that check the riding school would be annually assesed to ensure they are doing it correctly and there would be one standard right accross the country. I would suggest that this issue should be addressed to the British Riding federation and all its member organisations.
Click to expand...

Already in place and called the riding establishment act. Inspection done by vet who has had Act training.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top