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THE BHS MANIFESTO FOR THE NEXT
GOVERNMENT |
With the likelihood of an election in June, the
British Horse Society is calling on the next government to give consideration
to the needs of the equestrian industry, and has requested meetings with the
leaders of each of the three main parties, or their representatives.
William Hague is the only one who has responded so far and next Wednesday 2 May
BHS Trustee Harry Greenway (himself a serving MP for nearly 20 years) and
members of the BHS Parliamentary and Public Affairs Committee are to meet Tim
Yeo, Shadow Agriculture Minister. They will be raising the following issues at
the meeting:
Equestrian Qualifications
In order to address the lack of suitably qualified staff in riding
establishments, the BHS calls on the next government to make it a requirement
for riding instructors to hold recognised and established qualifications, and
to recognise that the training for those qualifications should achieve parity
of government funding with NVQs.
Taxation burden on riding establishments
The British Horse Society welcomes recognition at national level of the value
of equestrianism to the rural economy, and the proposed help for farmers who
want to diversify. The Society calls upon the next government to extend
easement of the rating burden to existing riding establishments, in recognition
of the educational value they offer.
Taxation burden on British breeding
The British Horse Society endorses the plea from the Thoroughbred Breeders'
Association and other breed organisations that horse breeding should be zero
rated on premises and land used for this purpose in order that the British
horse breeding industry may receive similar benefit to horse breeding
industries among our leading competitors in the EC. This would place horse
breeding on the same basis as other forms of animal husbandry in Britain and
other E C countries.
Access to safer off road riding
The British Horse Society calls upon the next government to put pressure
onlocal authorities to fulfil their statutory duties with regard to access and
rights of way, and to encourage the creation of multi user routes.
The BHS would like the next government to set an example to landowners
everywhere by admitting the bridleways that cross public land but are as yet
unrecorded, so saving local authority expenditure and making it easier for
riders to find their routes on maps.
The BHS would like the next government to support the RIDE UK initiative for a
national network of riding routes which would promote equestrian tourism. This
would help the rural economy, and provide diversification possibilities for
farmers - bed and breakfast for both riders and their horses, livery yards,
toll rides - as well as promoting a healthy outdoor activity.
The BHS would like to see parity with cyclists whereby horse riders could be
allowed to use cycleways, just as cyclists are permitted to use bridleways.
Education in schools
The BHS would like to see the welfare of animals to be a more significant part
of the national curriculum, and that the potential value of learning about
horses and ponies be recognised by the QCA as a valuable tool to bridge the gap
between urban and rural communities.
Horse riding on the roads
The British Horse Society strongly urges the next government to encourage
riders to undergo training to ride safely on the road, and to offer financial
support for the BHS Riding and Road Safety Test. It would also like
consideration to be given to the requirement for anyone riding a horse on the
road to hold personal liability insurance.
Livery Yards
The BHS calls on the next government to amend the Riding Establishments Act so
that the provisions be extended to include livery yards, over which at present
there is no control or supervision. This situation has resulted in welfare
problems that give cause for concern on the part of all the equine welfare
charities. There is the added concern that many of these establishments are
giving riding lessons on clients' own horses, but they are not required to be
licensed, and therefore are not regulated with regard to safety issues,
insurance requirements, tuition standards, and welfare of the equines
concerned. In addition, they do not pay business rates, so causing unfair
competition to legitimate yards.
Horse Passports
The BHS believes that the proposed compulsory registration of equines, as
proposed under EC Decision 2000/68/EEC would benefit the UK equine population.
It would result in a reduction in the practice of indiscriminate breeding which
has led to a severe welfare problem among unsuitable and unwanted animals. It
would further facilitate improvements in the overall standard of British horse
breeding which are especially needed in the creation of a UK sport horse type.
The BHS calls upon the government to facilitate further deliberation and
consideration of the proposal if it is not enacted before a General Election.
Notes
The Equestrian Industry
There are nearly a million horses and ponies in the UK, and 2.4m riders. The
equine industry is worth £2.5b the figure spent directly on the buying and
keeping of horses, and on lessons and clothing. Some one million hectares of
land are devoted to the keep of horses, directly and indirectly through the
production of foodstuffs. It is the second largest economic activity to farming
in the British countryside.
The British Horse Society
The British Horse Society is the largest equestrian membership organisation in
the UK. Founded in 1947, it has 56,000 members, and represents the recreational
and leisure rider. As a charity the BHS is concerned with the welfare of horses
and ponies. Arising from this primary concern, the BHS provides the
professional qualifications for the equestrian industry ensuring the
sympathetic riding and responsible care of equines, as well as facilitating
education and training for the recreational horse owner. The Society works to
ensure safer off road riding routes, to improve the safety of riders who have
to ride on the roads and to offer support and advice to horseowners and users
on looking after horses and ponies.
The Society runs its own Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre where horses and
ponies suffering deprivation or cruelty are cared for, and if possible
rehabilitated and cared for. The Centre is funded largely by voluntary
donations. ends
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