Terms and conditions for a riding school

Horses are large, unpredictable animals, and a riding school's customers include children, nervous adults and people who describe themselves as experienced. The terms have to gather the facts that keep a lesson safe, deal with cancellations and weather, and be accurate about what a school can and cannot exclude when someone is injured. I draft those terms for a fixed fee of £995, delivered in five working days.

Who this is for

Riding schools and equestrian centres in England and Wales, licensed by their local authority under the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018 in England and the Riding Establishments Act 1964 in Wales, offering lessons, hacks, pony days, holiday clubs and livery, with customers who are mostly consumers and often parents booking for children.

What matters in riding school terms

Rider disclosure and allocation of horses

The terms should require every rider to give an honest account of their ability, weight, height, health and any previous falls, and should record that horses are allocated on that information. A rider who overstates their experience has taken a risk the school could not see. The school keeps the right to change the horse, the instructor or the lesson content, and to end a lesson where the rider is not coping.

Hats, equipment and clothing

The terms should require an approved riding hat, suitable footwear and clothing, and should say whether hats are provided or must be brought, and that the school may refuse to mount a rider who is not properly equipped. Body protectors for jumping and hacking should be stated as required or recommended, because a written requirement is easier to enforce on the day than a verbal one.

Injury, risk and what cannot be excluded

Riding carries an inherent risk of injury and the terms can say that the rider accepts it. What they cannot do is exclude the school's liability for injury caused by its own negligence: the Consumer Rights Act 2015 does not allow that against a consumer and no signature changes it. The terms therefore describe the school's safety procedures, instructor qualifications and insurance, and put the facts about the rider on the rider.

Children, parents and supervision

Where the rider is a child, the parent gives the information and accepts the terms, and the terms should say who supervises children between lessons, that parents must stay on site for younger children, and that the school's staff are responsible for the child only while they are mounted or being taught. Pony days and holiday clubs need their own section on drop-off, collection and behaviour.

Cancellations, weather and payment

A lesson is a leisure service for a specific time, which regulation 28 of the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013 excludes from the fourteen-day cancellation right, so your own cancellation policy applies and must be fair. The terms should set a notice period for cancelling a lesson, say that lessons cancelled by the school for weather or a lame horse are rescheduled rather than refunded, deal with blocks of lessons and their expiry, and make payment due at booking.

What it costs

Customer or supplier terms and conditions, £995. One set of terms, customer-facing or supplier-facing, drafted for your business. Five working days.

Review of your existing terms, £495. You already have terms and want them checked and brought up to date. Returned marked up with my amendments and an explanation of the changes. Three working days.

Buying online forms the engagement on payment. The scope is what the terms and conditions drafting page describes, you accept the Terms of Service at checkout, and I email you within four working hours to get started. If you would rather ask something first, email me.

What you get

• A full set of bespoke terms drafted for your business, reflecting the legal requirements that apply to your business and sector
• A note in plain English explaining the terms I have drafted for you
• Liability, payment, termination and IP provisions that protect your position and are drafted to withstand scrutiny from the other side
• Guidance on how to incorporate the terms properly
• Your questions and comments answered by email or phone
• One round of amendments to finalise the terms ready for use

What is not included

• Negotiating your terms with individual customers (I am happy to quote for this as an additional service if required)
• Sector-specific regulatory compliance beyond the contract terms themselves
• Website privacy notice and cookie compliance, which I quote separately
• Terms governed by the law of another country
• Tax advice

Questions I am often asked

Can a signed disclaimer protect me if a rider is injured?

It can record that the rider accepted the inherent risks and gave accurate information about their ability, both of which help. It cannot remove your liability for injury caused by your own negligence, so the terms should describe a safe process rather than claim to waive the consequences of an unsafe one.

What if a customer cancels a lesson an hour before?

The terms can provide for the lesson to be charged where the customer cancels inside the notice period, because the instructor and the horse cannot be reallocated. The charge should be stated at booking.

Do I need separate terms for livery?

Livery is a different arrangement, closer to a licence to keep a horse on your premises with services attached, and it needs its own document dealing with fees, notice, veterinary authority and what happens if livery fees are not paid.

Related guidance and services

• Terms and conditions drafting, £995, the service this page describes
• Contract review, £495
• Terms and conditions for a horse livery yard
• Terms and conditions for a farrier

This page is general guidance for businesses in England and Wales, not advice on your own circumstances. Last reviewed: September 2026. Email geoffrey@caesar.co.uk.