Riding Establishment Licences

Licence summary

To run a riding establishment (where horses or ponies are hired out for riding or used for riding instruction) in Westminster, you need a licence from the Licensing Authority issued under the provisions of the Riding Establishments Act 1964.

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 2006;

Applicants must submit the required fee with the applicaiton and comply with any conditions attached to a licence.  The fees list contains the current fee payable for each application type. 

Regulation Summary

A summary of the regulation relating to this licence is available here.  Further information on Riding Establishments and animal welfare is available from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs website.

Application Evaluation Process

Before deciding an application the Licensing Authority must consider a report from a 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 Licensing Authority will also take into account whether the applicant is suitable and qualified to hold a licence. They must also be satisfied of the following:

• 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 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;

• 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.

Will Tacit Consent Apply?

Yes - If an application is unopposed. This means that you will be able to act as though your application is granted if you have not heard from the Licensing Authority by the end of the target completion period.  The target completion process for this application type is 30 calendar days.

Apply Online

To apply online for a Riding Establishment licence please click on the link below. 

• Apply for a licence to operate a riding establishment

NOTE: Please note that when you click on one of the above links you will be redirected to the governments Business Link website.  If you don't have a Government Gateway account you will need to create one before you can proceed to the relevant form.  If you already have a Government Gateway account you will be invited to log in prior to completing the application.  This account is necessary as it will ensure that your details are pulled through to the relevant form and will enable you to track your applications once they've been submitted.

If you have any questions relating to the online application process or encounter problems during the online application process please contact the Licensing Service on 020 7641 8549 or email generallicensing@westminster.gov.uk.

Apply Via Post

If you wish to apply for a new licence to operate a riding establishment please download the forms below and complete them in full.

• Application for a licence to operate a riding establishment

If you have any questions relating to this application or how to complete the above form please contact the Licensing Service on 020 7641 8549 or email generallicensing@westminster.gov.uk. 

Register

A public register as required under the Riding Establishments Act 1964 is available to view at the Council's Offices during normal office hours.  To make an appointment to view the register please contact the Licensing Service on 020 7641 8548 or alternatively email generallicensing@westminster.gov.uk.

Failed Application Redress

Please contact the Licensing Authority in the first instance.

An applicant whose application is refused can appeal to the City of Westminster Magistrates' Court, 70 Horseferry Road, London SW1P 2AX.

Licence Holder Redress

Please contact the Licensing Authority in the first instance.

A licence holder who wishes to appeal against a condition can appeal to the City of Westminster Magistrates' Court, 70 Horseferry Road, London SW1P 2AX.

Consumer Complaint

We would always advise that in the event of a complaint the first contact is made with the trader by you - preferably in the form of a letter (with proof of delivery). If that has not worked, if you are located in the UK, Consumer Direct will give you advice. From outside the UK contact the UK European Consumer Centre.

The council operates a complaints procedure.  To view the complaints procedure or to make a complaint relating to the service you have received please click here.

Other Redress

If there is a concern about noise, pollution, etc please contact Westminster City Council's Environmental Action Line on 020 7641 2000 (24 hrs) or email environmentalactionline@westminster.gov.uk.  Also should one licence holder complain about another please contact the Council's Licensing Inspectors on 020 7641 3385 or email premiseslicensinginspectorate@westminster.gov.uk.

Trade Associations

Association of British Riding Schools (ABRS)

British Dressage

British Equestrian Federation (BEF)

British Equestrian Trade Association (BETA)