RCVS riding establishment inspections
Information about our Riding Establishment Inspector List. Find out what’s required of inspectors and how to become one, plus information for local authorities and riding establishments.
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In England, Scotland and Wales, riding establishments are required by law to be licensed by local authorities.
A licence may only be issued or denied by a local authority following collaboration, by way of an inspection and report to the local authority, with a veterinary surgeon on the Riding Establishment Inspector List (the Inspectorate) held by the RCVS.
Entry to and continued inclusion on the Inspectorate is overseen by the Riding Establishments Subcommittee (RESC) who reports to the RCVS Standards Committee.
The Riding Establishments Subcommittee (RESC)
The RESC oversees the Inspectorate in several ways:
- It delivers annual training to new applicants as well as existing inspectors who are required to refresh their training every five years.
- It provides detailed guidelines, template forms, and advice to inspectors, local authorities, riding establishments, and other interested parties.
- It publishes the Riding Establishment Inspector Newsletter (REIN) every year around springtime.
- It conducts yearly audits of inspections and provides feedback via REIN to ensure a consistent and high standard of inspections throughout the Inspectorate.
New applicants
The eligibility criteria for becoming a riding establishment inspector and joining the Inspectorate are set out in Part 4 of the Riding establishment guidelines (Scotland and Wales) and Riding establishment guidelines (England). Please consider the guidelines for the location(s) in which you would like to inspect before submitting your application.
The eligibility criteria are also set out in the Riding establishment inspector application form. Applications for the Riding Establishments Training and Induction Course in 2026 are now closed. Please complete this application form if you wish to apply to attend the Course in 2027 only.
Courses usually begin (remotely) with a webinar series hosted on RCVS Academy, in around May each year, followed by an in-person day with practical sessions in around June each year. Exact dates and course fees will be emailed to those who have applied in around February/March each year.
If you have any application related queries, please contact our Registration Team at [email protected] or on 020 7202 0707.
Refreshing inspectors
The eligibility criteria for maintaining your place on the Inspectorate every five years is set out in Part 4 of the Riding Establishment Guidelines (Scotland and Wales) and Riding establishment guidelines (England) respectively. Please consider the guidelines for the location(s) in which you would like to continue inspecting around every four years in case you would like to apply to refresh early or late.
Dispensation to refresh early or late may be provided as a result of unanticipated extended periods of leave in a refreshing year.
Courses usually begin (remotely) with a webinar series hosted on RCVS Academy, in around May each year, followed by the choice of attending an in-person day with practical sessions (encouraged) in around June each year, or a remote Q&A session in around June/July each year. Exact dates and course fees will be emailed to refreshing inspectors in around February/March each year.
If you would like to apply to refresh early or late or have any other questions relating to refreshing, please contact our Registration Team at [email protected] or on 020 7202 0707.
Inspector guidelines and template forms
England
Inspectors in England should be familiar with the overriding legislation relevant to inspecting riding establishments, including The Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018 and The Animal Welfare Act 2006.
In order to standardise the quality of inspections, the RESC has also produced detailed guidelines and forms which should be consulted and used by collaborating local authorities and inspectors in each inspection. Please ensure that only up to date currently published forms are used.
The starting point for inspectors in England, is to consider the Riding establishment guidelines (England).
Inspectors should then use the following forms (where applicable):
- The Riding establishment veterinary inspector’s form (England) - for new and renewal licence applications. Veterinary inspectors may only inspect without a suitably qualified local authority officer if they are formally appointed in writing by the local authority under Section 51 of the Animal Welfare Act 2006. This template report form should not be used in those circumstances. A local authority form compliant with the certification requirements in Chapter 21 of the supporting guidance to the Code of Professional Conduct should be used instead.
- Annual (interim) report form - for annual/interim inspections.
- The schedule of horses inspected form - for all inspections.
- The template form for new horse(s)
- The template notice to withdraw horse(s)
- Conflict of interest declaration form
These forms should then be submitted to the local authority with a covering letter summarising the inspector’s comments/observations.
Please note: As per the Code of Professional Conduct, you must keep clear, detailed, and accurate records; this includes keeping copies of all inspection related forms which may later be required, including by the RESC for audit purposes.
Inspectors may also recommend that registered equine veterinary surgeons use the RESC template statement of fitness to return to work, where appropriate.
If you would like to understand the expectations DEFRA has of local authorities, please see the guidance hyperlinked below under the heading, Local authorities.
Scotland and Wales
Inspectors in Scotland and Wales should be familiar with the overriding legislation relevant to inspecting riding establishments, including The Riding Establishments Act 1964 and The Riding Establishments Act 1970.
In order to standardise the quality of inspections, the RESC has also produced detailed guidelines and forms which should be consulted and used by collaborating local authorities and inspectors in each inspection. Please ensure that only up to date currently published forms are used.
The starting point for inspectors in Scotland and Wales, is to consider the Riding establishment guidelines (Scotland and Wales).
Inspectors should then use the following forms (where applicable):
- Riding establishment veterinary inspector's form (Scotland and Wales)
- The schedule of horses inspected form - For all inspections.
- The template form for new horse(s)
- The template notice to withdraw horse(s)
- Conflict of interest declaration form
These forms should then be submitted to the local authority with a covering letter summarising the inspector’s comments/observations.
Please note: As per the Code of Professional Conduct, you must keep clear, detailed, and accurate records; this includes keeping copies of all inspection related forms which may later be required, including by the RESC for audit purposes.
Inspectors may also recommend that registered equine veterinary surgeons use the RESC template statement of fitness to return to work, where appropriate.
Local authorities
There is currently no formal government guidance for Scotland and Wales. DEFRA guidance for local authorities (England only) can be found at the following links:
- Hiring out horses licensing: statutory guidance for local authorities
- Animal activities licensing: statutory guidance for local authorities
- Animal activity licensing process: statutory guidance for local authorities
To find an inspector to collaborate with, please search the inspectorate. You can search by location as well as name.
Please note: An inspector should, generally speaking, not carry out an inspection where there is a real or perceived conflict of interest, for example, where a riding establishment owner/manager/staff member is a friend, relative, or client of the inspector’s practice. In such cases, local authorities should attempt to secure an alternative inspector from the Inspectorate. Please see Part 4 of the Riding establishment guidelines for (England) and (Scotland and Wales) for further information.
Riding establishment owners
Please see a video below, prepared to help you understand what riding establishment inspections involve.
Riding Establishment Inspector Newsletter (REIN)
REIN is a yearly newsletter published in springtime each year by the RESC. It is also circulated by email to the Inspectorate and local authority stakeholders.
REIN typically includes the following standing articles:
- A message from the Chair of the RESC.
- Information about the yearly Training and Induction Course.
- Information about Annual Q&A sessions.
- Feedback from yearly audits.
- Updates to guidelines or forms.
When things go wrong
If you have serious concerns about the conduct of an inspector, in relation to a purported breach of the Code of Professional Conduct, these should be raised with the RCVS Concerns Team.
If you have concerns about the outcome of an inspection and the decision of a local authority, these should be sent to the local authority who is the ultimate decision maker in this respect.
For all other general feedback designed to help improve the inspection process, this can be submitted using the contact details above, to the Secretary of the RESC. This feedback will be considered when deciding what general feedback to provide to the Inspectorate each year in REIN, alongside the RESC audit process.
Contact the RESC
If you have any questions about RESC guidelines or forms, these can be submitted at any point throughout the year to [email protected] marked for the attention of the Secretary to the RESC. You are also very welcome to call and ask for the Secretary to the RESC on 020 7202 0789 between 9.15am and 5pm Monday to Friday.
Other useful links
The following links may be useful to all interested parties in relation to broader equine welfare matters:
- DEFRA Code of practice for the welfare of horses, ponies, donkeys and their hybrids
- National Equine Welfare Council (NEWC) codes of practice for the welfare of equidae
- Chartered Institute of Environmental Health Officers (CIEH) health and safety in horse riding establishments and livery yards: what you should know
- The Donkey Sanctuary website, resources on donkey care and management
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