Horse riding establishment licence (hiring out horses)

All activities involving hiring out horses for riding, or instruction in riding, need a licence if they're carried out as a commercial business.

An activity is a business if it makes any sale, profits or earns any commission or fee from the activity.

The cost of a licence is £533 plus vet charges for the first inspection. We will only ask you to pay the fee once we are satisfied we have all the required documentation.

Licence conditions

When you apply you will be prompted to upload your procedures or provide information to prove that you can meet the licence conditions. This includes:

• Ofqual level 2 higher, or clear evidence of knowledge and experience
• Staff training records
• Written training policy for all staff and annual appraisals
• A plan or record of the type of food, quantity and frequency each horse receives
• Feed and water intake must be monitored, and any problems recorded and addressed
• Enrichment plan
• Processes in place to meet the needs of new and young horses (must include appropriate training, slow introduction to different noises and sights that will be part of their daily routine and workload)
• Policy for monitoring the introduction of new horses to existing groups
• Cleaning procedures
• Transportation procedure (if applicable)
• The prevention and control of the spread of disease procedure
• Monitoring and ensuring the health and welfare of all the animal’s procedure
• The death or escape of an animal procedure
• A biosecurity plan agreed with vet. This must include the ability to isolate a horse for up to 21 days.
• A preventative plan for effective grassland management and use of current anthelmintics (treatment of parasitic worms) alongside faecal egg counts, where needed.
• Routine and documented treatment must be in place for internal and external parasites
• Records of prescription only medications given must be recorded in horse passports by the vet or owner, where required
• There must be a preventative fire risk assessment that includes a location map showing access and exits for people and horses. Entrances and fire exits must be clear of obstructions at all times. Emergency drills must be practiced regularly and recorded with any failings noted and addressed in the procedures.
• The licence holder must have an appropriate formal qualification, or sufficient demonstrable experience in the management of horses
• The frequency of trimming and shoeing for each horse must be recorded and available for inspection
• A register of all horses kept for the licensable activity on the premises and each horse’s valid passport showing its unique equine life number and microchip number.
• Veterinarian details
• Preventative healthcare plan agreed with appointed veterinarian.
• Appropriate isolation in self-contained facilities must be available for the care of sick, injured or potentially infectious animals. If the isolation facility is at another location, such as a local veterinary practice, you must provide evidence that this is ready to use (for example, a letter from the practice).

This list is not exhaustive and extra documents may be required - read the government’s hiring out horses conditions in full for details of all documented procedures.

How to apply

Apply online

Read our privacy notice which tells you how we use your data.

What happens next?

We will review your application within 21 days. If you have not provided your procedures or proof that you can meet the licence conditions with your online application, we will ask you to send these to us.

When we are satisfied we have all the required information we will contact you to pay the licence fee in full.

Once you have paid, we will arrange for an inspector to visit your premises to check that you meet the conditions of the licence. A veterinary surgeon will also be present.

Following this inspection and if all the minimum standards are met, we will issue your licence. This will tell you how long your licence will last and what your star rating is, based on the government criteria. We aim to issue the licence within 10 weeks of receiving the application.

Appeals

If we have made a decision to refuse, vary, suspend or revoke a licence, you can appeal to the General Regulatory Chamber of the First Tier Tribunal.

Star ratings

After inspection, each premise will receive a star rating between 1 and 5, with 5 being the highest rating. To achieve the best possible rating, you will need to have covered all the standard conditions, including all required consents, policies and procedures.

To meet the highest rating, certain higher standards must be met.

Higher standards (required)

• There must be an option for a permanent individual turnout paddock or pen. This will give horses their own area for grazing or turnout if needed because of ill-health or domination by other horses.
• Horses must be inspected at least once out of hours, for example, between 6pm and 8am.
• All horses must have a structured management and care programme to include their exercise needs. It should include suitable alternatives for those not able to exercise, such as extra grooming or physiotherapy.
• Each horse will have its own specific care plan detailing their age and any health-related conditions.
• Records must show individual monitoring and training plans for horses with training needs to improve their use within a riding school. This must be accompanied with evidence of regular and effective checks with the saddler for comfort and fit.
• Initial assessments must be carried out for new riders. The details of the assessment must be recorded.
• A documented risk assessment must be available for all equipment. Examples include horse clippers, horse walker, yard blowers, arena levelling equipment and any extra therapy-based machines or equipment.

Higher standards (optional) 50% required

• A competent person must be on site at all times.
• There must be a separate secure, clean and well-lit veterinary inspection area for safe access to inspect a horse.
• There must be a separate well-lit, lockable, purpose-built feed room with water available and additional storage for supplements.
• Independent specialist nutritional advice must be sought when appropriate for individual horses. This must be documented alongside their weekly body condition scoring. Records must show the individual health plans and monitoring for horses in connection with their dietary requirements.
• There must be a legible and up-to-date feed chart on display that informs people of the correct feeding amounts for individual horses.

Licence variation

To vary your licence please email Environmental.Health@liverpool.gov.uk with your proposals. We will then contact you to pay the licence variation fee. 

On receipt of payment, we will review your proposals and arrange a site visit if this is required, depending on the variation.

If you need further information, please contact us.