Hiring out horses

Guidance notes for hiring out horses

Application form - Hiring out horses

A licence is required for a business of keeping horses to let them out on hire for riding, or for use in providing instruction in riding for payment, or both. Premises where the horses are kept for military or police purposes, or a university providing a veterinary course, are exempt.

Establishment proprietors must have a current certificate of public liability insurance.

Note that a veterinary inspection is required annually, whatever the duration of the licence.

In scope criteria

Activities that fulfil one or more of the following criteria are subject to licensing:

1. Businesses which hire out horses for riding or for riding lessons. This includes riding schools and those that hire out horses, trekking, loan horses, pony parties (but only where the ponies are ridden), hunter hirelings, polo/polocrosse instruction and pony hire, pony and donkey rides.

Out of scope criteria

Activities that fulfil one or more of the following criteria are not subject to licensing:

1. Businesses that run pony parties where none of the ponies are ever ridden – these should be licensed as animal exhibits under Schedule 7 of the regulations.
2. Activities that are carried out solely for military or police purposes (e.g. riding stables that are used exclusively for these purposes).
3. Riding stables that are used exclusively for instructing veterinary students at university for the purpose of their course.
4. Individuals who occasionally lend a horse, even if a small fee is charged, where there is no profit made and no intent to make a profit.

Looking for licenced premises that hire out horses?

Please click the button below to view riding establishments licensed by the council:

Licensed riding establishments