Welcome to the West Devon Borough Council website.

Licence summary

To run a riding establishment (where horses or ponies are hired out for riding or used for riding instruction) in England, Scotland or Wales, you need a licence from the local authority under the Riding Establishments Act 1964.

Please contact West Devon Borough Council if you are thinking of letting other people use your horses or ponies.

You should not pay for lessons on anyone else's horse, unless they are licensed.  If you do and you have an accident, they may not be insured

We try to make sure that horses are well looked after, that the layout of the facilities are suitable, that staff are trained and properly insured, and we make sure that the operator has thought about dangers to the public using the facilities

Licences are usually valid for one year and should be on display.  We can issue provisional licences for up to six months.

Eligibility criteria

Applicants must be over 18 years of age. In England and Wales they must have not been disqualified:

- from keeping a riding establishment
- from keeping a pet shop under the Pet Animals Act 1951
- from having custody of animals under the Protection of Animals (Amendment) Act 1954
- from keeping boarding establishments for animals under the Animal Boarding Establishments Act 1963
  under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 from keeping or owning animals, being able to influence how animals are kept,       dealing animals or transporting or being involved in the transporting of animals
- from owning, keeping dealing or transporting animals under the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act

Applicants must pay any required fee and comply with any conditions attached to a licence.Before a licence is granted or renewed the horses and premises must be inspected by a veterinary surgeon who is qualified to inspect horses. The Local Authority also needs to be confident that the licensee is a competent person to run such an establishment.

Regulation summary

The relevant legislation relating to this licence is the Riding Establishments Act 1964.

Application evaluation process

Before deciding an application West Devon Borough Council are required to arrange for and consider a report from a suitably qualified  veterinary surgeon or practitioner detailing whether the premises are suitable for a riding establishment and detailing the conditions of the premises and any horses.

The Council may return with the vet to re-inspect if we get complaints about the condition or care of the animals.

As part of the application assessment the Council will take into account the following:

- whether the applicant is suitable and qualified to hold a licence.
- that consideration will be given to the condition of the horses and that they will be maintained in good health, kept physically fit and where the horse is to be ridden or used during riding instruction, be suitable for that purpose
- that the animals feet will be trimmed properly and that shoes are fitted properly and are in good condition
- that there will be suitable accommodation for the horses
- that for horses maintained on grass there is suitable pasture, shelter and water and that supplementary feed will be provided as and when needed
- that horses will be provided with suitable food, drink and bedding materials and will be exercised, groomed, rested and visited at suitable intervals
- that precautions will be taken to reduce the spread of contagious or infectious diseases and that veterinary first aid equipment and medicines will be provided and maintained
- that appropriate procedures are in place to protect and remove the horses in the case of a fire and that as part of this the name, address and telephone number of the licence holder is displayed outside the premises and fire instructions are displayed
- that storage facilities for forage, bedding, stable equipment and saddlery are provided.

In addition to any other conditions a riding establishment licence must be subject to the following mandatory conditions:

- that any horse inspected by an authorised officer and found to need veterinary attention will not be returned to work until the licence holder has obtained a veterinary certificate confirming the horse is fit for work
- that a horse will not be let out for hire or for use in instruction without the supervision of a responsible person aged 16 years or older, unless the licence holder is satisfied the rider doesn't require supervision
- that the business will not be left in the charge of someone under 16 years of age
- that the licence holder holds indemnity insurance in respect of personal injuries
- that the licence holder keeps a register of all horses in their possession that are three years old or younger and that the register is available for inspection at all reasonable times

Target completion time

Once West Devon Borough Council has received the completed application and associated supporting documents (if required) from the applicant the target completion time will be 28 days.

Will tacit consent apply?

No. It is in the public interest that the authority must process your application before it can be granted. If you have not heard from the Council within a reasonable period, please contact us. You can do this online if you applied through the UK Welcomes service or use the contact details below.

Apply online - available from end December 2009

Apply for a licence to operate a Riding Establishment
Application to change a riding establishment licence

Forms by post

Please telephone or email Environmental Health to request an application form.

Fees

Please click here to view current licence fees.

Failed Application Redress/Right of Appeal

Please contact the Council in the first instance.

Any person who is refused a licence or  who objects to a condition attached to a licence can appeal to the Magistrates court ; the court may give such directions as it thinks proper in relation to the issue of a licence or the issue of a condition.

Contacting Environmental Health & Licensing

You can contact our Environmental Health & Licensing Section via the Council's main number, 01822 813600, or email us via eh@westdevon.gov.uk.

Complaints

If  you wish to make a complaint of any kind about a Pet Shop within West Devon please contact us.

If you are not happy with the service the Council has provided with regard to your application, please contact Environmental Health & Licensing in the first instance, and we will try to resolve any concerns  you may have.

The Council also has  a formal complaints procedure, please use the relevant link to the right of this page if you wish to make a formal complaint about our service.  Alternatively you may wish to write and send your letter by recorded delivery.

If your complaint is still not resolved, if you are located in the UK, Consumer Direct will give you advice.  From outside the UK contact theUK European Consumer Centre.

Trade Association

Association of British Riding Schools (ABRS)
British Dressage
British Equestrian Federation (BEF)
British Equestrian Trade Association (BETA)
British Horse Society