A-Z of issues


Burial of horses
All horses when they die must be disposed of without delay in accordance with the EU Animal By-Products Regulation 2002, This means they must be delivered to a premises approved under the regulation for proper collection and disposal (e.g. hunt kennels, knacker yard, incinerator unless the owner applies to their Local Authority under the UK Derogation which means that a horse, in certain circumstances may be buried as a pet. operator). For more information visit the DEFRA website http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/by-prods/fallen/horses.htm. BHIC advise all owners wishing to bury their horse to talk, in the first instance to their local authority.

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Bridleways
Information on Rights of Way Improvement Plans, Local Access Forums and other initiatives are found through the DEFRA website on http://www.defra.gov.uk/rural/horses/topics/bridleways.htm or more information from the BHS http://www.bhs.org.uk/

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Health and Safety

The Health and Safety Executive has developed free interative software to help farmers carry out a comprehensive health and safety assessment of their farms. Many of the modules are of direct relevance to equestrian businesses such as riding schools and livery yards, and there is also a facility which enables users to add additional risks unique to their business. www.hse.gov.uk/agriculture/assessment/index.htm

The British Racing and Thoroughbred Breeding Industry has a  Health and Safety manual. The next updated edition will be available in early 2007. The manual runs to over 100 pages and includes health and safety policy, insurance, induction and training, risk assessment, first aid, accident reporting and the working time directive.

Identification
New EU proposals may mean that in future all horses will have to be microchipped as foals in addition to their passport. BHIC are supporting this proposal which we believe will help safeguard our use of the full range of veterinary medicines as this will make detection more likely before any carcasses enter the food-chain. This will also help with problems such as lost or duplicated passports and with tracing horses who have been stolen.

However, the British Government is not supporting compulsory microchipping of all foals. In a summer 2006 statement it said:

"Following consultation with the horse industry about a proposed EU Regulation on the identification of equidae (horses, donkeys, etc), the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) is putting its comments to the European Commission.

The UK's main points were:

  • The UK does not support the statutory microchipping of all foals. As only a very small number of animals in the UK enter the human food chain, this requirement is out of proportion to the perceived problem and would put an unnecessary legislative burden on the vast majority of horse owners;
  • The implementation date for the Regulation coming into force (which is currently 1 January 2007) should be put back to 1 January 2010;
  • Microchips should not have to be recovered from all dead horses, only those that go into the human food chain;
  • There should be provision for alternative methods of identification such as branding; and
  • The UK supports the proposal that foals under 12 months of age can be sent to slaughter without the need for a passport.

The Commission is now (as of March 2007) discussing draft 12 of the Regulation, which has addressed concerns such as the removal of microships and foals for slaughter. However, many equestrian organisations still have concerns about some new proposals in the current draft, most notably the keeper being responsible for the application for the passport and not the owner.

 

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Insurance
There are currently two serious insurance issues which BHIC are working on. One is the result of the Mirvahedy judgement whereby a horse owner was deemed liable for the damage caused by his horses despite having taken all possible precautions. BHIC are pushing for a change of law so that if a horse owner can prove that he has taken all possible precautions in securing his livestock then he should not be liable. The second issue is that of increasing claims against riding schools. The BHS are leading a working group on this issue and looking at ways to help riding schools against increasing premiums, such as methods of more effective record keeping.

For more information please see Action 13 in the Horse Industry Strategy which deals with insurance issues.

 

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Manure
The best way for the private horse or pony owner to manage their manure is to compost it at home, in a properly constructed manure store for use on their own holding. Commercial premises, unless they are on legally defined agricultural land, will have to use a registered waste contractor to remove their manure.

It is still possible for allotments to receive manure from large stable yards as long as they are registered as being exempt from the waste management licensing regulations, and a registered waste carrier transports the manure to them.

BHIC continue to liaise with the Environment Agency and DEFRA on Waste Management developments to ensure that the issue of storage, composting and disposal of horse manure is treated as pragmatically as possible. "However, BHIC advice is that if horse owners or yard proprietors are in any doubt they should contact the Defra horse team at www.defra.gov.uk/rural/horses or their local Environment Agency http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/ Excellent information for horse owners and yards on manure and also worming is available on the Surrey County Council Horse Pasture Management Project website at www.surreycc.gov.uk This is Britain's first and only Council supported on-line resource providing horse-keepers with advice on how pastures can be managed not only for the well-being of grazing equines, but also for the benefit of the landscape, environment and wildlife

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National Equine Database
The National Equine Database will record details of every horse issued with a passport.The information will, initially, be used to monitor the issuing of horse passports that are required under European Union legislation. Having details of all horses and their owners on a central database may help towards the prevention of theft or least aid the early recovery of horses. Eventually, it is intended that additional information will be collected that will improve the Government's ability to carry out veterinary surveillance and, if necessary, disease control of horses. The information gathered will also assist in the development of effective economic strategies for the UK horse industry.

The National Equine Database will also act as a platform for the equine industry to centrally collect information relating to breeding and performance evaluation. This information will be supplied to the database on a voluntary basis by both Passport Issuing Organisations (PIOs) and the competition disciplines. It is envisaged that this information will enable an improvement in the overall quality and competitiveness of horses in this country. Information from the database on breeding and performance will be made available to the public for a fee.

The National Equine Database will be managed by a joint Government and Industry company called National Equine Database Society Limited. Until this is established, a shadow NED Board meets regularly and governs the NED Project.

For detailed information and minutes of the NED Board meetings click here http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/tracing/horses/ned.htm

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Passports
Horse Passports (England) Regulations 2004 require all owners to obtain a passport for each horse they own. This includes ponies, donkeys, and other equidae but excludes zebras and other non domestic equidae. After 28 February 2005, owners will not be able to sell, buy, export, slaughter for human consumption, use for the purposes of competition or breeding a horse which does not have a passport. If they have not already done so, owners of animals born before 30 November 2003 should take action now to apply for a passport so that they will not be restricted in using their horse as they wish after 28 February 2005. Horses born after 30 November 2003 will require a passport by the 31st December in the year of birth or by 6 months of age, whichever is later. Owners already holding a passport should check to make sure it is fully compliant with the new legislation.

The introduction of the legislation will bring the UK in line with laws across the whole of the European Union, including the accession states. The legislation underpins a robust control system to ensure that horses which have been treated with veterinary medicines not authorised for use in food-producing animals cannot be slaughtered for human consumption. Moreover, it will contribute to allowing the UK horse industry to continue to use such medicines on horse not intended for the human food chain. Veterinary authorities have stressed the importance of this measure for horse welfare in the UK. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will be introducing similar legislation. For up to date information please visit the DEFRA horse gateway DEFRA horse gateway.

For Thoroughbred horses travelling within the from bloodstock sales without passports (as they have been held back from the sales houses pending payment) BHIC are currently working with DEFRA to ensure that local authorities' trading standards officers are all aware that these horses will all have passports as they could not enter the sales without their verified passports. Most councils are interpreting the DEFRA guidance pragmatically and are accepting proof for the journey from an official sale such as official stamped photocopies from the sales houses. (Please note this does not apply to horses travelling abroad.)

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Planning
For detailed, up to date information about the government's general policy on planning please visit the DEFRA horse gateway.

Many local councils also have specific local information on planning in relation to equestrian issues in particular areas and BHIC are currently discussing with DEFRA and local authorities how best to promote best practice and information sharing between locally authorities and the industry on this important issue

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Ragwort
The adoption of the Ragwort Control Act on 20 November 2003 marks an important step forward in the protection of equine welfare. The new Act, which amends the Weeds Act, will give added protection to horses, as well as other animals from the serious and sometimes fatal consequences of Ragwort poisoning. The Act, which was sponsored by The British Horse Society, originated as a Private Member's Bill, and was presented to Parliament by John Greenway MP. The Government gave its backing to the Bill, and welcomes its successful passage through Parliament. The Act came into force on 20 February 2004. For more information visit the BHS website or DEFRA's horse gateway

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Rating
In most respects horse enterprises are treated no differently from other types of non-agricultural enterprises for the purpose of determining liability to business rates. The one exception to the general rule is contained in the `Non-Domestic Rating (Stud Farms) (England) Order, last reviewed in 2004 and which came into effect on the 1 April 2005 which gives horse stud farms located on agricultural land a flat rate reduction of £3500 in rateable value.

New horse enterprises (excluding stud farms - who already benefit from the above reduction) set up on former agricultural land are, like any other type of new enterprise, entitled to rate relief under the small scale diversification scheme introduced in August 2001and the Rating (Former Agricultural Premises And Rural Shops) Act 2001. Under the scheme new non-agricultural diversified activity based on formerly agricultural land with a rateable value of up to £6,000 is eligible for 50% mandatory rate relief with a top up of 50% at the discretion of the Local Authority. The scheme will run for five years from the coming into force of the relevant regulation, after which time it will be reviewed by the Government, who may then decide to either extend the scheme for a further period of time or to end it.

Small scale horse enterprises, whether new or existing, will also be able to benefit from a rate relief scheme for all businesses with a rateable value below £10,000. The Government is introducing this scheme with effect from 1 April 2005.

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Research
Please see our facts and figures pages for latest horse industry research. If you have a specific query please contact us by email and the BHIC will try to put you in touch with those who may be able to supply you with relevant information.

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Road Safety
Road Safety for the many riders and horses on public highways is a top priority. The BHS leading for the industry on this issue and is engaging in further consultation with Government departments , including the Department for Transport and the Highways Agency in order to develop, by end of 2006, an ongoing strategy to encourage all road users to act in a responsible way to each other.

The Highways Agency is also currently pursuing Road Safety education programmes for vulnerable users.

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Single Farm Payment
Land grazed by horses, included on a holding with an area of at least 0.3 hectares, may be eligible for payment under the Single Payment Scheme. This important decision by government to include horses in payments to responsibly maintain land in Britain and Wales is a very welcome step. The DEFRA CAP website contains more detailed information on this scheme http://www.defra.gov.uk/farm/capreform/index.htm

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Stiles & Kissing Gates in horse fields
There is vast amount of legislation on Rights of Way, including where gates can and can not be installed. Stiles were always favoured as they were considered to be stock proof and a dog catch used to be installed to allow dog to pass through the stile, once the little hatch had been opened. If stiles were not used, then kissing gates were the alternative as they would allow lawful users through, but not livestock.

However, last year one of the final sections of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 came into force requiring those who provide public services to make "reasonable adjustments" to allow disabled access, these services included rights of way. One of the key principles taken from this, was that stiles should no longer be installed as they can be an obstruction to those suffering from mobility or visual impairments.

Kissing gates are sometimes acceptable under the DDA, depending on how old the structure is, but is has been recognised by a large amount of Councils and Land Managers, that kissing gates are inappropriate when they are installed in areas where animals tend to run in a group or herd. Examples of these include young horses and deer. To counter this, the self closing "H Gate" is used, this gate is particularly strong and will not be pushed out of alignment by inquisitive yearlings and cows. It is DDA complainant and if installed correctly, allow people and dogs through, but not yearlings.

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Tourism
A riding holiday is a wonderful way to visit the many beautiful areas of Britain. Promoting equestrian tourism is an important action in the BHIC strategy.

If you are looking for information on where to go the BHS website has lists of Approved Riding Establishments or you can also look at www.visitbritain.com.

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Trade (English, Deutsch, Espagnole, Arabic)
In 2004 with the support of UK Trade and Investment a comprehensive guide to British expertise was produced on the Equestrian Industry in the UK. In English, German, Spanish and Arabic, this guide showcases the strength, quality and depth of the industry in the UK

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Training
RIDING INSTRUCTION AND HORSE CARE. The British Horse Society runs industry approved, internationally renowned, riding instructor courses, and also courses in horse care and management www.bhs.co.uk

RACING: The British Horseracing Education and Standards Trust (BHEST) is a Government recognised Awarding Body for a range of qualifications in the racing, breeding, equine and farriery industries www.bhest.co.uk

The British Racing School. www.brs.org.uk and The Northern Racing College www.northernracingcollege.co.uk are the two colleges in the UK which provide training, including NVQ based qualifications for the racing industry

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Transport
New regulations on the transportation of animal came in to force on the 5 January 2007. This includes measures regarding the transportation of horses.

 This Regulation aims to improve conditions for animals, especially those travelling to slaughter. BHIC organisations have been working with DEFRA to ensure that competition and leisure horses still have the flexibility to travel across the EU, while still tightening the rules for horses on the continent traveling to slaughter.

Detailed guidance on the new rules including downloadable transporter authorisation forms are available on the DEFRA website through the horse gateway at www.defra.gov.uk/rural/horses

A Q&A has also been drawn up by DEFRA to enable horse owners to see if they are affected by these new regulations.

Training and Competence Certification
From 5 January 2008, transporters or attendants using road vehicles for transporting farm animals, poultry or horses over 65km in connection with an economic activity must have received appropriate training. They must also hold a certificate of competence issued by an independent body nominated by the competent authority. 

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Two horses close up