Riding establishment licence

Licence summary

To run a riding establishment (where horses or ponies are hired out for riding or used for riding instruction) in Sevenoaks District, you need a licence from Sevenoaks District Council.

A fee of £240 will be payable on application. An additional veterinary inspection fee will be required.

Eligibility criteria

Applicants must be over 18 years of age and must 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

Applicants must pay any required fee and comply with any conditions attached to a licence. Licences are renewable annually.

Please also see the Council's Conditions and Guidance for Riding Establishments ( PDF File 31KB file details).

Regulation summary

View a summary of the eligibility criteria for a riding establishment licence.

Application evaluation process

Before deciding an application the Council 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 Council 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. This means that you will be able to act as though your application is granted if you have not heard from the local authority by the end of the target completion period, which is 28 working days from the date a valid application was made.

Apply online

Apply for a licence to operate a riding establishment

Tell us about a change to your existing riding establishment licence

Apply for a licence by post of in person

Download, print and complete the Riding Establishment Licence form ( PDF File 89KB file details). Post the form with payment of £240, plus any vet inspection fee payable, to the Council's Environmental Protection Team or bring the completed form and payment to the Council's Sevenoaks offices.

Failed application redress

In the first instance, please contact the Council's Environmental Protection Team.

An applicant whose application is refused can appeal to the local Magistrates' Court.

Licence holder redress

In the first instance, please contact the Council's Environmental Protection Team.

A licence holder who wishes to appeal against a condition can appeal to a local Magistrates' Court.

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 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.

Other redress

If you wish to make a formal complaint about a nuisance or other issues e.g. about noise, pollution, etc or complain about another licence holder, please contact the Council on 01732 227000 or environmental.protection@sevenoaks.gov.uk.

Trade associations

Association of British Riding Schools (ABRS)
British Dressage
British Equestrian Federation (BEF)
British Equestrian Trade Association (BETA)

Sevenoaks District Council,
Council Offices,
Argyle Road,
Sevenoaks,
Kent
TN13 1HG

01732 227000