Balcultry Riding School Terms and Conditions
- ALL Clients \ Parents \ Guardians \ Keyworkers \ Careworkers:
1. Agree THAT HORSE RIDING IS A RISK SPORT AND HOLDS A POTENTIAL DANGER and that all horses may react unpredictably on occasions.
2. Also acknowledge that working with and around horses is a risk and holds a potential danger and understand that all the instructions of the staff must be obeyed and must comply with the health & safety requirements and policies of the establishment.
3. Must read all the safety notices and ensure that the rider understands the safety rules. Please do not hesitate to ask for clarification should you be unsure.
4. Must have completed an application and waiver form before the lesson begins. These are available on our website or from our riding school office.
5. Understand that the information given to Balcultry Stables will be held in accordance with Irish Data Protection Legislation but may also be made available to Insurers and other parties in the event of any injury or incident.
6. Understand that parent’s contact details given may be used by Balcultry Stables for communications to their clients but will not be sold or passed onto any third parties.
7. Must resubmit their application and waiver form if their details change. (The responsibility falls to the Parent/Guardian if the child is under 18). These are available on our website or from our riding school office.
8. We reserve the right to refuse you to ride a particular horse/pony if we feel that the safety of the rider or horse is in question. You reserve the right to change to another horse/ pony, providing one is available, and it is practical and safe to do so.
9. You also have the right to request a change of coach \ facilitator subject to availability. Equestrian staff also reserves the right to decline to teach a client for any reason.
- Punctuality and Arrival Times:
1. Please arrive 10 minutes before the start of the lesson to allow time for hat fitting if you don’t have your own hat.
2. If you are late, we unfortunately cannot make that time up as other clients will be waiting for their lessons to start on schedule.
- New Clients:
1. In order to establish your standard of riding, it is mandatory that you attend an Assessment Lesson.
2. All Clients Rules Apply.
- Previous Clients:
1. If you have not been riding with us for a year or more, we reserve the right to ask you to complete another Assessment Lesson.
2. All Clients Rules Apply.
- Payments:
1. All bookings require payment in advance unless a payment plan is in place between you and our accounts.
- Booking of Lessons:
1. Bookings must be booked with the Riding School office only. Please do not make any bookings with coaches or staff as we cannot guarantee availability.
- Cancellations:
1. As the horses/ponies are tacked up in preparation for each lesson it is very important that if you cannot attend your lesson, please phone our riding school office 086 8523405 or 086 052 8313 Monday to Friday between 9am & 5pm or for outside office hours telephone our yard 086 052 8313
2. For private lessons, therapeutic riding, pony camps, EHP, EAL and SHP we operate a 24 hour cancellation policy, if you give us less than 24 hours’ notice and do not book (where available) a replacement lesson you will be required to pay the full amount for that lesson. This is a condition of booking.
3. We do not offer credit, refunds or replacement lessons for term riding however in the event of a medically certified illness and you can give us a medical certificate from a doctor; credit can be arranged on the account of the term rider. This is a condition of booking.
4. In the event of Balcultry Stables cancelling a lesson, a replacement lesson will be offered (where possible) or a credit will be made to your account.
- Bad Weather or Conditions:
1. We expect to ride in most conditions and appropriate clothing should be worn. We reserve the right to cancel lessons in severe weather; please phone our riding school office on 086 8523405 or 086 052 8313 if you have any doubts or reservations.
- Vouchers:
1. A booking must be made before 1 year of the voucher expiry date. No Refunds Available.
2. All bookings are subject to availability.
- Safety Equipment and Riding Wear:
1. In the interests of safety we reserve the right to decline a client in the event of refusal to wear appropriate clothing / footwear.
- Waste Management:
1. Balcultry Stables premises is a minimal waste facility and we do not provide bins in the riding school area so you will need to bring your rubbish home with you. We have a very green footprint and we would greatly appreciate your co-operation in this matter.
- Extra Visitors and/or Friends of the Family:
1. Children must be supervised at all times by a legally responsible person and remain seated and quiet whilst lessons are in progress and not to run around any area in Balcultry Stables where horses are located.
2. Parents \ Guardians may not leave your children unattended at any time.
3. When spectating in the arena please remain as quiet as possible, and in full view of the horses/ponies and staff at all times.
4. Whilst spectating, the staff reserves the right to ask you to leave if they feel the safety of the rider or horse/pony is in question.
- Movement of Horses & Ponies and Farm Equipment:
1. Movement of Horses & Ponies and Farm Equipment around the yard and surrounding areas is unavoidable and we ask you to give way to them at all times.
- Warnings Signs and Restricted Areas:
1. There are Health & Safety signs and notices posted around the facility, you must acknowledge and obey them, ignoring them is at your own risk. We reserve the right to ask you to leave the grounds at any time if we think you are a danger either to yourself, our equines or any other person.
2. The following areas are restricted unless otherwise agreed with a member of staff:
• Roped off area outside any of the stable doors unless you are with an equestrian staff member. This area represents the horse’s / pony’s space and must be respected at all times.
• Stable Yard including but not limited to:
o Any Stables
o Tack Rooms
o Feed Rooms
o Hay Shed
o Riding School Arenas (Only Staff, Helpers and Riders allowed in the Arena unless otherwise agreed with your lesson coach), excluding the Spectator Gallery
• Sheds or other Buildings
• Fields or Paddocks
• Locked/Closed/Staff Only Areas or Buildings
3. Running is not permitted in the yard or arenas.
- Horses/Ponies:
1. All animals are unpredictable; do not feed the horses & ponies at any time. Do not enter any field, stable or make contact with a horse or pony at any time, without prior authorisation from a member of staff. When walking near a horse give a gap of at least the horse’s length between you and the horse.
2. If a rider wishes to bring a treat for the horse/pony, it should be given to a member of staff who will bring it to the Feed Room where it will be added to their next meal.
- Personal Property:
1. We strongly advise that children do not bring any valuables, e.g. Mobile Phone, money etc. If he/she needs to make a phone call they can ask their staff who will arrange this.
2. We cannot be held responsible for Damage, Theft or Loss of your personal property while it is on the premises.
- Weight restriction:
1. To maintain a high standard of horse welfare it is necessary for us to impose an upper weight restriction on riders which is 14st (including riding gear) depending on the ability and type of lesson. Please contact us for further details.
- Food & Snacks:
1. Chewing gum or any other type of food should not be eaten while attending a lesson.
- No Smoking:
1. Balcultry Stables operates a No Smoking Policy throughout its premises.
- Photo Permission:
1. Unless otherwise stated by you in writing on our forms or by email, Balcultry Stables will assume they may photograph you or your child whilst on our premises for the promotion of Balcultry Stables in future publications.
2. Photos are not allowed to be taken by members of the public unless prior permission has been given by management.
- OTHER: Please note:
1. Maximum Speed on the premises is 5mph.
2. Our carpark operates on one way system, turn left when you enter the car park and we would ask that this system is followed carefully by drivers.
3. We would ask that cars do not stop to drop-off riders on the driveway or block the car park gates.
4. We would ask that drivers stop their cars to allow horses pass.
5. The drive is not a footpath and walkers are advised to take extreme care due to the uneven surface and are encouraged to avail of the Woodland Footpath instead.
6. Walking along the drive is entirely at your own risk.
- RIDING IS A RISK SPORT– Your choice to ride is voluntary. We take all reasonable care to provide suitable and safe horses and ponies for all our clients. All animals can be unpredictable. We strongly advise you to take out full personal accident cover.
- PLEASE NOTE: Balcultry Stables owners and staff cannot be held responsible for any accident, injury or loss to any persons or their property whilst on these premises or whilst out on any equestrian related activities.
- Agreement of Terms: If you do not agree with any of Terms and Conditions, then you do not have permission to enter the premises and any bookings are null and void. Our Terms and Conditions are available online and on request at any time. As such you have every opportunity to read them before booking any activity and a refund will not be available on failure to accept them.