Action needed to save riding schools crushed by the pandemic

Many have been hit by the Covid-19 pandemic – but few more so than riding schools. The Association of British Riding Schools investigates

The path out of lockdown could be a tough one for riding schools, whose running costs greatly outrank the financial support that has been offered so far. That was the message of Jane Williams, the Chair of the Association of British Riding Schools (ABRS), who was invited to speak on BBC One and BBC World earlier this month to bring attention to the struggles of riding schools, trekking centres and livery yards in the UK and beyond.

Horses are an expensive investment, an equine business even more so, and owners tend to run their businesses for their love of horses and encouraging others to get into riding. Riding centres carry fixed costs for horse care, a cost of around £1,300 per week as a statutory duty of care under the Animal Welfare Act that simply can’t be waivered. Staff at these establishments can’t be furloughed as their care is essential, and centres can’t drastically reduce large feed, bedding or veterinary bills for the same reason.

This is why the ABRS seeks further help to cover the cost of horse care through the rest of the pandemic, with the hope that businesses will be able to fully recover and continue working when life goes back to normal – or otherwise face a very bleak reality. The ABRS estimates that at least 10% of their members have already closed in the last year – and once a centre closes, it’s unlikely to reopen.

Debt, lack of income and the ongoing costs of horse care are becoming increasingly large burdens on these establishments – and that’s before considering the impact the loss of riding is having on the physical and mental welfare of the many people across the UK who rely on them. Losing these establishments long-term would be devastating to their happiness and state of mind and could be catastrophic for competition across all levels, too.

Closure would mean job losses for those employed across the industry, including those who work directly with the horses and those behind the scenes. But the devastation doesn’t stop there – the ABRS estimates that 30,000–50,000 horses are housed within riding businesses. If these establishments are forced to close, then there’ll be a huge number of equines in need of new homes, which could very quickly become a welfare issue.

The ABRS’ message is a simple one – increase financial support for riding schools and centres while their doors are closed, and allow them to operate again when the tier system returns. Being outdoors and requiring minimal close contact, the risk of transmission while riding is low, and a recent survey showed that 75% of centres had had no clients or staff with coronavirus ­– and if they did, these cases weren’t attributed to exposure at their establishment.

For now though, their future is in the government’s hands.

For more information, visit abrs-info.org