Yard FinderLivery yards with space, Wiltshire and Somerset

Livery yards in Wiltshire and Somerset, in numbers

Official counts of businesses in this trade, council area by council area, and how they've changed. Every figure links to where it comes from.

A short history

Riding establishments in England were licensed under the Riding Establishments Act 1964 1. The Act defines keeping a riding establishment as running a business of keeping horses to hire out for riding or to give paid riding instruction 1.

On 1 October 2018, section 1(1) of the 1964 Act ceased to have effect in England. The Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018 took over. Hiring out horses in the course of a business is covered in Part 4 of Schedule 1 to those Regulations 12.

Livery is a different matter. GOV.UK names five types: full, part, DIY, working and grass. For working livery, if a provider hires out the horse, they need a licence 3. The British Horse Society (BHS) says there is no licensing procedure for livery yards 4. Yard owners should follow the code of practice for horse welfare. Every horse needs a passport and must be microchipped 3. Planning applications for livery stables go to the local planning authority 3.

What it costs

Licence fees are set by each council. Somerset Council’s page says you pay an application fee first, then pay again for the number of years the licence is issued for. It does not state the amounts on that page and points to a separate fees schedule 5. We found no yard price from a public or trade body with a date. Livery charges vary by yard and type of livery.

Who checks the trade

  • The local council. In Somerset, a licence is needed if you keep horses and hire them out for riding. A veterinary inspector from the RCVS/BVA Inspectorate visits the premises and completes a report 5. Somerset Council says you can report suspected unlicensed horse hire to it 5. The sources used here do not cover Wiltshire Council.
  • BHS Approval. This is a quality scheme, not a licence. The BHS says approved yards are insured for public liability and meet current health and safety requirements, with announced and unannounced inspections 4.
  • GOV.UK guidance. It says a livery yard can apply to become certified or approved through the BHS or ABRS+ 3.
  • The Environment Agency. Contact it if exercise pool chemicals may enter surface water drains 3.

Sources

  1. Riding Establishments Act 1964 legislation.gov.uk (legislation.gov.uk). Checked 15/10/2026.
  2. The Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018 legislation.gov.uk (legislation.gov.uk). Checked 15/10/2026.
  3. Keeping horses commercially GOV.UK (Defra) (gov.uk). Checked 15/10/2026.
  4. Why choose a BHS Approved Livery Yard? British Horse Society (bhs.org.uk). Page updated 02/10/2023. Checked 15/10/2026.
  5. Riding establishments and horse hire Somerset Council (somerset.gov.uk). Page updated 17/09/2026. Checked 15/10/2026.