Riding School Licence: 8 Essential Checks for a Top Star Rating

In England, a riding school licence is the council licence for “hiring out horses”. You need one when your business hires out horses for riding or riding lessons. A listed vet inspects before the council grants it, and then every year. The council also gives you a star rating from one to five, as well as a licence of one to three years.

Who needs a riding school licence?

The licence follows the activity, rather than the name on your sign. Defra’s statutory guidance says all businesses hiring out horses for riding, or for instruction in riding, need a licence. The RCVS also lists riding schools, trekking centres and mounted pony rides as typical examples.

However, some activities sit outside the rules. For example, the guidance lists these exemptions:

• Pony parties where nobody ever rides the ponies.
• Activities carried out only for military or police purposes.
• Stables used only to teach university veterinary students.
• People who occasionally lend a horse, even for a small fee, when they make no profit.
• Anyone whose trading income stays below the HMRC trading allowance, which is £1,000 a year.

Livery works differently. A yard that only cares for owners’ horses is not hiring out horses, so it does not need this licence. However, once you teach lessons on your own horses, you do. Our guide to running a livery yard business also covers the livery side.

How to apply for a riding school licence

Each council runs its own process, but the steps are broadly the same:

1. Before anything else, contact your council’s licensing team and download the form.
2. Gather your documents, such as insurance, your emergency plan, the horse register and staff qualifications.
3. Pay the application fee, then wait for the council to arrange the inspection.
4. Then prepare for a visit from the council inspector and a listed vet from the RCVS list.
5. Finally, receive the decision, along with your star rating and the licence length.

Timing also varies by council. For example, Chelmsford City Council says it acknowledges applications within three working days and arranges an inspection within ten weeks. So apply well before you plan to open or renew.

What a riding school licence costs

Councils set their own fees, so the total depends on where you are. In fact, Defra’s licensing guidance only says that fees must be fair and reasonable. For example, here are three published fee lists:

So budget for the council fee, the vet’s time and every annual vet inspection as well. Also check your own council’s page before you apply, because many councils update their fees each financial year.

Beyond the licence fee, budget for the things the conditions require, such as:

• Public liability insurance that meets the licence rules.
• Fire detection in the stables, as well as first aid kits for people and horses.
• Riding hats that meet current safety standards, plus regular safety checks.
• Staff training, for example towards a Level 3 qualification.
• Time each week for records, especially the daily workload log.

Riding school licence conditions inspectors check

The statutory guidance for hiring out horses sets minimum standards, so every licensed yard meets the same baseline. In short, inspectors look for safe horses, safe riders and good records. Key conditions include:

• Insurance: public liability cover for injury to clients and others, displayed clearly at the yard.
• Person in charge: never leave anyone under 18 in charge of the activity.
• Supervision: a supervisor aged 16 or over goes out with hired horses, unless the rider can safely ride alone.
• Licence holder: a formal qualification or enough proven experience in managing horses.
• Horses: none under 3 years old, no mare heavy with foal and no mare with an unweaned foal.
• Records: a register of every horse with its passport details, as well as a daily workload record.
• Hats: riding hats that meet current safety standards, worn at all times when mounted.
• Emergencies: a written emergency plan, fire detection in stables, yearly drills and a key holder nearby.

Staffing also matters. At least one member of staff needs a relevant Ofqual-regulated Level 3 qualification. Otherwise, they need suitable experience and training.

Preparing for your riding school licence inspection

A calm, organised visit makes a good first impression. So prepare in three parts: your paperwork, your yard and your horses.

Paperwork. Keep one folder, either printed or digital, with everything the inspector may ask for:

• Your insurance certificate, as well as the current licence when you are renewing.
• The register of horses with passport details, plus the daily workload records.
• Your written emergency plan, fire drill records and the key holder’s details.
• Hat safety check records and any risk assessments.
• Staff qualifications, training records and the rota.

Yard. Walk the site as a first-time parent would. Check fencing, gates, tack, first aid kits and fire detection in the stables. Then fix small faults before the visit, because they add up on the day.

Horses. Make sure each horse looks fit for its work, and keep farrier, dental and vet records up to date. Also check that the workload record matches what the horses really do.

Star ratings and licence length explained

Every licence comes with a star rating from one to five. The council works it out from two things: your risk level and your welfare standards. For example, a business with UKAS-accredited certification and at least a year of compliance counts as low risk.

Higher-risk businesses, however, get lower ratings and shorter licences. Meanwhile, four or five stars need all the required higher standards, plus at least half of the optional ones. Examples from the guidance include:

• Individual turnout paddocks for each horse.
• Checks on horses out of hours, between 6pm and 8am.
• A separate area where the vet can examine horses.
• Individual health plans with monthly body condition scoring.

If you disagree with your rating, you have 21 days to appeal, including weekends and bank holidays. So read the inspection report as soon as it arrives.

The rules in Wales and Scotland

The 2018 regulations only cover England, so the rules differ elsewhere. In Wales and Scotland, riding establishments still need a licence under the Riding Establishments Acts of 1964 and 1970, as the RCVS explains.

• The local authority issues the licence after a vet’s inspection and report.
• That vet must belong to the RCVS/BVA inspectorate of approved vets.
• Full licences renew every year, after a fresh inspection.
• Councils can also grant a provisional licence under the 1970 Act.

So the core idea stays the same across Great Britain: a vet inspects, and then the council decides.

Using your riding school licence to win riders

Your licence and star rating prove that a vet and the council have checked your yard. Councils should also list licensed businesses and their ratings on their websites, so careful parents can look you up. So your own website should show the same facts first.

• Licence and rating: your council, licence number and star rating on the home and lessons pages.
• Lesson booking: riders pick a lesson type, a date and a time, then pay or send a request.
• Rider guidance: what to wear, hat rules, age rules and any weight limits, in plain words.
• Instructor profiles: qualifications and experience for each coach, so riders can choose well.
• Approvals: any BHS or ABRS approval you hold, as well as a link to the scheme.
• Reviews: genuine Google reviews from riders and parents, because parents trust other parents.

We used the same thinking for Paul Cornish Dressage, a coaching site for a dressage trainer and British Dressage judge. Clear service cards lead riders to private coaching, online training and clinics, so each visitor finds the right next step. You can also see more on our equestrian websites page, or read our guide to choosing a web designer.

If your school is in west Hertfordshire, our local pages for Tring and Berkhamsted also show how we work nearby.

Riding school licence FAQs

Do freelance instructors also need a riding school licence?

Not usually when they teach riders on the riders’ own horses, because no horse goes out on hire. However, when you supply the horse for a lesson as a business, the licence applies. So check with your council when your set-up mixes both.

How long does it take before you get a riding school licence?

It depends on your council, so ask early. For example, Chelmsford aims to inspect within ten weeks of an application, so leave plenty of time before you open.

How can I check a riding school’s licence before booking?

Look at the council’s public list of licensed businesses, since Defra’s guidance asks councils to publish ratings online. A good school will also show its licence on its own website.

Does a livery yard also need a riding school licence?

Only when it hires out horses for riding or lessons. Looking after owners’ horses alone does not count as hiring out, so the licence does not apply.

Do I need to display my riding school licence?

Yes. The guidance says you must display a copy of the licence clearly at the premises. The same goes for your insurance certificate. Showing both on your website as well builds trust before the first visit.

What does a riding school website cost when you want booking?

Our Starter site costs £499 £424.15 for 3–5 pages, while Premium at £899 £764.15 adds online booking by date and time. Premium is also our most popular choice, and you can compare both in our shop or on the Premium website page.

Sources

• Hiring out horses licensing: statutory guidance, GOV.UK
• Animal activity licensing process: statutory guidance, GOV.UK
• Legislation.gov.uk: The Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018
• RCVS: Hiring out horses in England
• RCVS: Licensing riding establishments in Scotland and Wales
• Chelmsford City Council: Horse riding establishment licences
• Colchester City Council: Animal licence fees
• Rother District Council: Hiring out horses
• GOV.UK: Tax-free allowances on property and trading income