Latest Changes as We Ease Out of Lockdown
It can be confusing working out what you can and can’t do with your horses as the lockdown rules change. The most up to date news can be found on the British Equestrian website:
www.britishequestrian.org.uk/news/covid-19-home-nations-announced-next-stage-of-easing-restrictions
As of 1st April, the British Equestrian website published the following:
FROM 29 MARCH
- Six people or two households can meet outdoors
- Outdoor sports facilities can open and organised sport allowed
- Travel outside local area allowed
This indicates that organised competition, training and activity can resume from this date onwards. All equestrian centres and riding schools will be allowed to re-open, with arena hire also permitted.
FROM 12 APRIL
- Non-essential retail can open
- Outdoor hospitality is permitted
- Self-contained accommodation hire permitted
Overnight stays for competition or training purposes would be permitted at this stage.
FROM 17 MAY
- Many social contact restrictions lifted outdoors
- Six people or two households can meet indoors
- Indoor hospitality and hotels can open
Spectators will once again be permitted at shows, albeit with limited numbers, and restrictions on international travel could be lifted.
FROM 21 JUNE
- All legal limits on social contact removed
INDOOR ARENA USE
The use of indoor arenas in England is still restricted under recent legislation.
A campaign was lead by British Equestrian, the British Horse Society, the Olympic governing bodies and the Pony Club. They asked for clarification following a change in legislation, released on Friday 26 March, which ordered indoor riding arenas to remain closed in England except for some exceptions.
THE ROADMAP FOR INDOOR SCHOOLS
STEP 1 – FROM 29 MARCH
An indoor riding arena may be used for the following exceptions:
- Elite sports people – this is largely restricted to athletes on the World Class Programme at P1 and P2 level
- An owner of an animal kept at a riding centre
- Employees of a riding centre in order to care for and exercise horses or provide veterinary services
- Organised sport and leisure activity for disabled people and children as part of their care is permitted indoors
- Supervised activities for children or other persons who were under the age of 18 on 31 August 2020
- Activities that form part of the core curriculum of formal education or professional/work-related training/development
Outside the above exceptions, indoor riding arenas must remain closed until Step 2, which will be no earlier than 12 April.
STEP 2 – NO EARLIER THAN 12 APRIL
Under Step 2, indoor arenas will be allowed to open for use as a single household or bubble. There should be no mixing of households until at least Step 3 (no earlier than 17 May). The above exceptions will still apply.
STEP 3 – NO EARLIER THAN 17 MAY
At Step 3, the intention is that indoor arenas may be used in line with the wider social contact limits at this stage – a group of six people or two households.
This is Defra’s current confirmed position and we ask the equestrian sector in England to operate in line with the above at this time. There is further information on the gov.uk website.
Shows and events are now being regularly added to what’s on, so keep visiting herefordequestrian.co.uk/shows-and-events/
