North Wiltshire now has a 5-star riding school following an inspection by Wiltshire Council. The riding school, known as Rein and Shine Equestrian Centre, was presented with a 5-star riding school licence for meeting the highest possible standards of animal welfare, in line with new regulations.
The Animal Welfare Regulations 2018 came into force last October. The Regulations introduced a new system of local authority licensing for activities involving animals in England, which specifically update the system for horse riding establishments.
Following an inspection by Wiltshire Council on 4th July 2019, Rein & Shine Equestrian Centre was awarded a 5-star riding school licence. Furthermore, the council was so confident in the Centre’s processes that they have granted the licence for three years.
Many riding centres have been unable to meet the terms of the act and have closed. However, Rein & Shine have met all conditions to the best possible standard. The Centre is run by John and Johanna McDonald. Johanna commented:
This award is most important to us as it’s all about top animal welfare. It’s not just what you see when you are here, it’s also about what you don’t see. The quality of grazing for the horses, their medical care, feed plans, exercise plans, living conditions and so on. John and I are extremely proud to have achieved 5-stars. When choosing where you ride surely you will pick a place where the animal welfare has been graded as the best – cheap riding doesn’t mean better horse welfare.”
The Regulations set out a framework for local authorities to follow when considering licensing applications and the conditions that must be met. The conditions must be satisfied and covers areas such as licence display; records; use, number and type of animal; staffing; suitable environment; suitable diet; monitoring of behaviour and training of animals; animal handling and interactions; protection from pain, suffering, injury and disease; and emergencies. In order to receive a licence a business must meet all the minimum standards outlined in the guidance.
To find out more about Rein and Shine, you can visit their website: www.reinandshine.co.uk
Suzanne Ashton, Founder of Everything Horse (Est, 2012), has a BA Hons in Marketing Management and a Diploma in Equine Science. Suzanne has ridden and owned horses all her life and has twelve years of experience in marketing, writing, design, SEO, and website creation.