Licence - running a horse riding establishment – licence requirements

What sort of authorisation do I need to run a riding establishment?

If you want to manage riding stables in the Maidstone Borough, to loan out horses or ponies to the public or to offer riding instruction, you need a Horse Riding Establishment Licence from Maidstone Borough Council.

You must abide by any conditions we apply to your licence.

Before applying to run riding stables, you will need to arrange for the appropriate Planning Consent or Change of Use Certificate to operate your premises. This can be a long and complex process, and we will not be able to process your licence application until you are able to include such proof of consent in your application.

Legal Regulations

The operation of horse riding establishments is regulated under the Riding Establishments Act 1964.

Am I eligible?

Anyone applying to run a horse riding establishment must be over 18 years of age. Also, you must never have been disqualified from:

Keeping a riding establishment
Keeping a pet shop under the Pet Animals Act 1951
Having custody of animals under the Protection of Animals (Amendment) Act 1954
Keeping animal boarding establishments under the Animal Boarding Establishments Act 1963
Keeping or owning animals, or managing the care, transport or sale of animals under the Animal Welfare Act 2006
Keeping or owning animals, or managing the care, transport or sale of animals under the Animal Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006

Your premises must also be suitable for all aspects of the operation of your business.

How much do licences cost?

The licence fee is dependent on the number of horses kept at your yard. The same licence fee applies for a new licence, a renewal, or a change of licence. Please see the tariff below:

Up to and including 10 horses: £708.00

11 horses and more: £913.00

What do I need to include with my application?

As part of your application, we need to see evidence that you have

A detailed plan of your premises including all relevant features, such as public areas with access and emergency access, horse accommodation, schooling and exercise areas, water and electricity access etc., and storage areas. If you need any advice on preparing these plans, please contact us.
Public Liability Insurance to the value of at least £5,000,000
Any certification that your riding instructors and/or yard managers may have
Your planning certificates allowing you to use your premises exactly as you intend

We strongly recommend that you arrange appropriate insurance to fully cover your stock, including any possible expenditure on veterinary bills in the event of ill-health or accident. If you employ anyone in your business, including volunteers, you must also obtain appropriate Employer’s Liability Insurance.

The application form also asks for a detailed register of horses which you intend to hire out for work or teaching at your premises, including gender and age of your animals. Any horses kept on the premises must have full horse passports, including youngsters under three years old.

Also, we advise you to be aware of your obligations to protect children from harm in the running of your business. This is particularly important when operating potentially dangerous activities. Full guidance to your business’ legal obligations to protect children is available via the Charity Commission website. These obligations apply equally to private businesses as to charities.

Apply online for a new licence or a licence renewal

You can apply to run a riding establishment, or renew your current licence online.

You will be taken to an online payment facility at the end of your application to pay the appropriate fee. All of the above documents can be attached as scans/electronic copies, or you can post hard copies to:

The Licensing Team, Maidstone House, King Street, Maidstone, Kent, ME15 6JQ.

Alternatively, please contact the Licensing Team on 01622 602727, and they will post you paper copies of the forms to fill in and return to us with a cheque for the fee. Please make cheques payable to Maidstone Borough Council.

How often do I have to renew my licence?

Riding establishment licences must be renewed annually, with payment of the renewal fee. We send out reminders towards the end of the year, and inspections will be arranged within good time. You need to include the same documentation as above.

How do I apply to change my licence?

You can apply to change your licence to run a riding establishment online. If you have made any changes to your stock, your insurance, your certification or to the layout of your premises, you need to include copies of documents demonstrating this with your application.

Fees apply as for new applications. If you are only making minor administrative changes to your details, please contact us in the first instance, as there may be no charge.

Any substantial additions or changes to the layout of your premises may require planning permission. If this is so, we cannot proceed with your application unless a copy of the relevant consent is included.

What happens next?

Once everything has been received, applications will take 40 calendar days to process. During this time, we recommend you stay in touch, as the full assessment may take longer if there are any problems with your application. Also, the clock can stop if we need further information from you.

We will contact you within 3-8 days of receiving your application to arrange a pre-inspection visit (if applicable) which will take place within 10 days of receipt. A pre-inspection visit may be offered to ensure that there are no avoidable issues that could prevent the licence being granted.

A formal inspection by Council officers and a veterinary inspector will then be arranged. This will usually take one day. Council officers will assess whether the premises are fit for purpose and appropriately maintained, and assess the standards of the application against the requirements of the legislation. The veterinary inspector will consider the condition of any horses and whether they are fit for work.

In the interest of animal welfare and public safety, you may not operate your business until we have fully processed and granted your licence. Likewise, for applications to change or renew your licence, you may not consider your application successful until we confirm it. All inspections by a veterinary inspector and duly authorised Council personnel must be carried out in full before you can proceed

How are riding establishment licence applications considered?

Further information on the assessment process and conditions that may be applied to your licence is available in our information sheet.

What happens if there is a problem with my application?

If we issue you with a notice that your application has failed, you may be able to appeal. What happens if I want to dispute the outcome of my application gives information and advice on this.

If you are unhappy with the service you have received from Maidstone Borough Council, you can view our complaints policy or make a complaint.

What do I do if I am concerned about something at a riding establishment I have visited?

General information for dissatisfied customers is also available in the What happens if I want to dispute the outcome of my application information sheet.

If you have seen something at riding stables which gave you cause for concern over animal welfare or public safety please contact us immediately using the details to the right of the screen.