I WAS nine years old when my uncle loaned me his sons' 13.2 h.h. pony for two weeks whilst they went on holiday. To say I was euphoric would be an understatement.

My excitement was exceeded only by my incompetence. At that time my riding was limited to Filey beach ponies, so I could trot - after a fashion, had a very precarious canter and tacking up was a complete mystery.

So on the first morning of his arrival, dressed in baggy trousers, brogue shoes and a felt hat that my Mother insisted "was better than nothing", I led Jock up the road to the riding school run by the daughter of the end house, who's owner boasted four ponies and a donkey. Welcoming me she rearranged the felt pad saddle, tightened the girth, adjusted the bridle, sat me on and off we went.

For the next two weeks I was up there every day, sometimes having lessons, sometimes just mucking in and helping, always learning and having a ball. When the pony returned home not only had my confidence and knowledge increased a hundredfold but my enjoyment had crystallized into full blown horse mania which has remained with me to this day. Nothing has or ever will replace the wonderful experience of those two weeks.

In the last decade countless children have started their riding careers in a similar manner probably experiencing the same feelings as I did. The chance of this exposure is now under threat which at the very base level is undermining the whole sport. Much has changed in the equestrian world since those days, most of it for the good, but constraints and bureaucracy are squeezing these modest establishments into oblivion. There is much talk of looking after the "grass roots", well this plant is in danger of withering if the inexpensive, fun seats of learning disappear leaving a previously buoyant, healthy recreation as quite possibly an elitist activity enjoyed by a wealthy few.

There is not one factor responsible for this demise. The single biggest cause is the combination of all the other elements. Colossal rates and liability insurance sometimes outweigh the income of some smaller establishments. Large riding schools smart from agricultural colleges bleeding their supply of students. A two year college student will come out looking for a highly paid job, but having gained no more practical experience than in an intensive four month riding school course has little hope of achieving it. Such high expectations have inevitably influenced the market, contributing to the difficulty riding schools have in finding staff. Insurance risks, plus health and safety issues limit people more and more to what they can do and how they can learn to ride.

The hardest pill to swallow is that colleges enjoy discretionary rate relief, neither is there any question of them having to get a return on investment.

Understandably riding schools feel aggrieved. Pammie Hutton of Talland Equestrian Centre, one of the premier establishments in the country said: "I feel we offer a university-type education. Our syllabus includes computer and business training as well as the riding and stable management."

It has to asked - why should riding schools be treated differently where career students are concerned?

Colleges, per se cannot be blamed, they are just trying to make ends meet like every other business. Just like farmers who, having been constantly told to diversify, are branching into liveries undercutting their local riding schools to reap much needed income.

Joyce Fearn has 12 horses and an outdoor school at Bleach Yard stables on the edge of Beverley in East Yorkshire. In business for 37 years she said: "I cannot afford to do livery at the farmers' prices, so I have lost clients to them." Joyce now teaches the pupils that she lost to the new farm liveries at their new premises.

She added: "Bureaucracy is killing the riding school business. And it's getting worse. Since I started I have double the legislation to deal with. I was going to give up but felt responsibility to the local community so I diversified." She also participated in a probation service scheme aimed at rehabilitating wayward children through relating to horses. A qualification for grant aid one would think.

Funding is available. Sport England lists equestrian as a priority sport with funding for either setting up or improving facilities provided they are for the benefit of the whole community.

Gerald and Wendy Mynett applied for funding when they started Kingwater Equestrian Centre in Cumbria after Gerald's brother retired from the farm. A modest establishment of seven riding school horses plus a few liveries they also ran competitions. Three different grants were available to help set up the business. "We applied for all of them and took advice from a legal expert," Gerald said. "He told us it was a waste of time applying if you were not a well known personality in the equestrian world, a 'name'." Their applications were turned down. Nevertheless they laid an indoor school and cross country course at their own expense. A representative from the Rural Development Commission finally helped them get a grant to convert the stone cow byres into stables. Despite the foot and mouth epidemic the business is now well established.

The damage of all the in-fighting within the sport is reflected in the standard of riding. Chris Bartle, a renowned rider and teacher as well as proprietor of the Yorkshire Riding Centre, thinks back on over 30 years in the business. "More people are having a go but the standard has dropped considerably over the last 20 years. You can see that reflected in competitions, whether it be show jumping, dressage or eventing. A certain level is expanding rapidly but the top level is getting smaller."

There is no easy solution. Well aware of the crisis the industry is helping its own. The British Equestrian Trade Association (BETA) has formed a new riding promotion committee to try to help retailers identify how they can work with riding schools. Merial are sponsoring a marketing course through National Riding Festival (NRF) aimed at helping riding schools make the most of opportunities like NRF.

Unpalatable as it may be, the level of professionalism must improve. Old infirm horses cannot remain eating what little profits the business brings in. Re classifying the horse as an agricultural animal would bring rate relief but would also have serious implications for the horse feed market so is a debatable option. High insurance premiums could be addressed by adopting the recent American policy of officially recognizing that riding is a risk activity. Newcomers to the sport now have to acknowledge that there may be accidents before they set foot in the stirrup.

The government appears to be keeping all its options open on this somewhat un-level playing field. Generous funding is being offered on one hand but equally becomes unavailable due to biased partiality. Equal terms seem sadly lacking for riding education despite much rhetoric about equal opportunities. It is ironic that they are promoting participation in sport, encouraging professionalism, yet they are letting a sector that has been standing on its own feet and doing very nicely for many years disappear.

I cannot help but wonder if in the bureaucratic minds of Westminster there is still a perception of riding as a sport for the rich and privileged and as such can afford to put its own house in order. The class system in reverse - it smacks of prejudice.

Published: 03/09/2004