Commercial rates on

riding schools should

be suspended

MADAM,

I would like to draw public attention to the anomalies burdened on AIRE-approved riding schools by the imposition of commercial rates on equine agricultural enterprises where premises are obliged to have a livestock/equine herd number registered with the Department of Agriculture. Equines and livestock are identified on the Department of Agriculture register and horse census. Horses are depicted as agricultural units for the purpose of agricultural alternative enterprise and waste water schemes, also end of life knackery disposal records.

Where will children learn horsemanship and riding skills if more of our riding schools are forced to close due to unsustainable costs. There is a growing need for regulated riding schools to facilitate basic horsemanship education and horse-riding skills for a growing population with no facilities and marginalised from the opportunity to own or stable a horse/pony.

The local riding school is the first experience for many from an urban environment to engage with live animals. It is therapeutically beneficial for the rehabilitation of people with intellectual/physical and social dysfunction. Riding schools provide learners with basic skills for further training as riding instructors or coaches in specific disciplines or train as jockeys, grooms, show jumping, eventing and dressage riders, vets, farriers, feed nutritionists, horse dentistry and therapeutic riding or equine assisted facilitators.

Children and adults learned to ride under the guidelines and approval of AIRE since 1974 when membership grew to 250. Current membership has declined to 150 due to unregulated practitioners, high cost of rates, insurance, maintenance and the difficulty of replacing suitable riding school animals. Many young people from non-horsey backgrounds graduate to owning a pony, joining the pony club, furthering riding and horsemanship skills, competing for their branch and continue with Riding Clubs or amateurs in adulthood.

The riding school animal doesn’t increase in value for their owners and depreciate with age. Equines are not a lock up product. They cannot be stored on shelves to limit space or subjected to excessive riding school lessons, but we are burdened with high overheads and rates for the privilege of working with our lovely horses.

Commercial rates on riding schools should be suspended pending a review of the role of the riding school or academy that supports the learning outcome of individuals learning horsemanship and riding skills, connecting with horses and engaging with nature. Our government ministers and the valuation office must initiate discussion on a matter which is agricultural in nature and educational in value.

Yours etc,

Rita Dunne

Kells Equestrian Centre

Co Meath