Apply for a licence to hire out horses
The licence is valid for 1, 2 or 3 years. We will then determine the cost and length of your licence.
You must renew your licence before it expires to continue to run the business.
The application fee for a licence to hire out horses is £364.00
What information you will need to apply
- Number of stalls and boxes
- Dimensions of the yards
- Land use
- Managers details
- Emergency key holder details
- Veterinary details
- Liability Insurance details
- Details of any disqualifications, convictions and offences
- A debit or credit card to make payment
Conditions
We will inspect your premises before giving you a licence. We may also carry out additional inspections any time after it’s granted.
Inspections will be carried out by a qualified Inspector from the local authority and a veterinarian who is registered to carry out inspections by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeon’s (RCVS)
You’ll need to show us that you can meet the licence conditions, for example by showing that your horses are:
- kept in suitable accommodation
- given adequate food and water
- visited and exercised regularly
- protected from pain, suffering, injury and disease
- protected in case of an emergency, like a fire
- looked after by people who are trained to care for the horses
You’ll also need:
- to keep any records ready for inspection, for example a register of all horses kept on the premises that are hired out
- public liability insurance to cover injuries to or caused by people hiring your horses
- to display the licence clearly on the premises
If an inspector thinks a vet should check one of your horses, you must get a certificate from the vet to show that the horse is fit before returning them to work.
Restrictions
You will not get a licence if you’ve committed an animal welfare offence or if you’ve been banned from:
- hiring out horses
- selling pets
- boarding cats or dogs
- breeding dogs
- keeping or training animals for exhibition
You may not get a licence if you’ve committed other offences.
You cannot leave anyone under 18 years old in charge of the riding establishment. Riders under 16 years old should be supervised, unless you’re sure that they do not need it.
