Riding body restoring confidence in wake of lockdown
THE ASSOCIATION of British Riding Schools (ABRS) has opened up its Exiting Lockdown Safely Accreditation to all livery yards and riding schools.
The accreditation, which is verified by the governing body, aims to give clients a safety assurance that the facilities are safe to visit with the correct measures and protocols in place.
Jane Williams, acting chair of the ABRS, said the organisation was “delighted” to be able to offer all equestrian centre owners the accreditation.
“The verification will reassure clients that employers and staff are putting their safety first, reducing risks of infection through operating in the safest way possible.”
Riding schools have been hard hit by the coronavirus lockdown dealing with the challenges of essential care of horses with little or no revenue coming in.
To become a verified centre the owner or manager needs to complete two elements, an e-learning course designed specifically for equestrian centre owners and their staff on safe working practices while exiting lockdown and a bespoke ABRS Covid-19 risk assessment which enables owners and managers to plan how the riding centre can be run while minimising the risk of infection for clients and staff.
It covers the stages of lockdown as guided by British Equestrian, from private lessons to livery clients to the full operation of a riding centre.
Once both elements have been completed they are sent to the ABRS for verification.
If satisfactory, the centre is then sent a certificate to demonstrate their understanding and commitment to creating a safe environment for everyone at the centre.
“We know that this will go some way towards building client and staff confidence whilst we transition out of lockdown,” said Ms Williams.
To find out more about becoming a verified centre or yard their owners or managers should email office@abrs-info. org.