The Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018 Schedule 5 covers hiring out horses.

You may need a licence if you hire out horses for riding, or for instruction in riding, as a commercial business. This can include riding schools, loan horses, hunter hirelings, pony and donkey rides, polo instruction and pony parties where the ponies are ridden.

Pony party businesses where none of the ponies are ever ridden should be directed to the animals for exhibition page instead. Activities carried out solely for military or police purposes, and riding stables used solely for instructing university veterinary students, are not within this activity according to the statutory guidance.

Before you apply

Before making an application, please read the statutory guidance and prepare the documents, records and arrangements relevant to the horses, premises, staff and riding activities.

• read the hiring out horses statutory guidance
• consider using out checklist for hiring out horses to self audit that you have all the required policies or procedures
• make sure horse records are available, including each horse’s name, unique equine life number and microchip number
• prepare evidence that horses used for the activity are suitable and fit for the work they will do
• prepare written procedures for horse care, cleaning, disease control, transport, emergencies, pasture management and monitoring
• make sure veterinary arrangements, medication records, staff training records and public safety arrangements are available for inspection

Apply for a licence

Use our animal welfare licence application form to apply. The application does not currently have a save draft function, so you should have the information and documents you need ready before starting the application.

We aim to determine new licence applications within 10 weeks of receiving a complete application. Some applications may take longer where further information is needed or where an inspection is difficult to arrange. Existing licence holders should apply to renew at least 10 weeks before the current licence expires.

Apply for Animal Welfare Licence

Inspection

Hiring out horses requires veterinary involvement. The statutory guidance states that a listed vet must be appointed for the initial inspection, renewal inspection and annual inspection for the hiring of horses.Riding establishments require all horses to be inspected annually by an inspector and an approved vet appointed by the council.

The inspection should consider the horses, premises, staff competence, horse records, welfare arrangements, public safety arrangements, riding areas, equipment, pasture management and emergency procedures.

Please bear in mind that we will star rate your premises on the day of the inspection, those items furnished to the council after the inspection and not available on the premises during the inspection will NOT be taken into account for star rating purposes.

Guidance and useful information

Checklists, templates and records

Horse-specific documents

• Checklist for hiring out horses
• Horse list / horse records including name, unique equine life number and microchip number
• Evidence of veterinary suitability for any new horse added to the licence
• Pasture management plan
• Riding assessment and supervision procedures

Standard documents required by most licence holders

• Preventative healthcare plan template and guidance notes 
• Medication record
• Training policy and staff training record
• Isolation facilities template letter to be completed by veterinary practice 
• Nominated veterinary practice form

Key hiring out horses rules to highlight

• a licence may be required where horses are hired out for riding or instruction in riding as a commercial business
• examples in the statutory guidance include riding schools, loan horses, hunter hirelings, pony and donkey rides, polo instruction and pony parties where the ponies are ridden
• a listed vet is required for inspections for this activity, including initial, renewal and annual inspections
• the licence must clearly state the number of horses permitted at the premises used for the activity
• for each horse used for the activity, the council must record its name, unique equine life number and microchip number
• licence holders must inform the council of changes to the list of horses being used and provide evidence that a vet has deemed any new horse fit for the purpose
• staff must be competent, and at least one member of staff must have either a recognised qualification or suitable experience and training
• horses must be kept in a suitable environment and monitored for welfare, including appropriate stabling, turnout, shelter, bedding, water, feeding and care arrangements
• fields should be safe and securely fenced and should be managed through pasture management arrangements.
• The local authority is required to carry out one unannounced inspection during the term of the licence

Zoonoses and infection control

Zoonoses are infections that can pass between animals and humans. Exhibition businesses should consider zoonoses as part of their infection control procedures. We suggest that you examine the list on the Zoonoses - HSE page and consider all those infections relevant to your business. Particular care should be taken where multiple species are exhibited or where animals have direct contact with members of the public.

Fees, star ratings and licence duration

Fees are payable for the grant and renewal of a licence, veterinary inspections, variations and other matters where applicable. Hiring out horses licences are subject to the animal activity star rating system. Licences may be issued for one, two or three years depending on the star rating and risk assessment. New applicants are generally issued with a one-year licence initially because there is no compliance history available.

If you are unsure whether you need a licence

If you are unsure whether your horse-related activity requires a licence, please contact the Licensing team before you apply. We can advise on whether the activity appears to fall within hiring out horses or another animal activity licence category.