RIDING SCHOOL TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Terms and Conditions

1. Bio-security: In order to safeguard the health of our animals, everybody is responsible for reducing the risk of disease transmission. You must not enter our premises with, or if you have been in contact with any animals at risk of spreading or carrying any notifiable or contagious disease. Maintain good hygiene and hand washing before you arrive and when you leave. Only healthy dogs and horses may be brought onto the premises. 
2. ALL Clients:
   1. Must have completed a Rider Registration Form before riding a horse.
   2. Must resubmit their Rider Registration Form if their details change. (the responsibility falls to the Parent/Guardian if the child is under 18).
   3. 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.
   4. You reserve the right to change to another horse/ pony, providing one is available, and it is practical and safe to do so.
   5. You also have the right to request another Instructor subject to availability.
   6. You may book a Horse/Pony of your choice subject to availability. No guarantees will be made but we will do our best to make sure your preferred horse/pony is available for your lesson.
3. Punctuality and Arrival Times:
   1. Please arrive 15 minutes before the start of the lesson/hack/activity, to allow time for hat fitting, payment and completion of rider registration forms.
   2. If you are late, we unfortunately cannot make that time up as other clients will be waiting for their lessons to start on time.
   3. If we are late for whatever reason we will make up your lesson/hack time.
   4. All persons must enter through reception
4. New Clients:
   1. It is strongly recommended that new clients have an Assessment/Introduction Lesson before booking anything else. This allows us to ascertain your riding level.
   2. All Clients Rules Apply.
5. Previous Clients:
   1. If you've not been riding with us for a year or more please update your records. We reserve the right to ask you to complete another Assessment Lesson.
   2. All Clients Rules Apply.
6. Payments:
   1. All Bookings Require Payment in Advance. (by cash/debit/credit card, BACS or childcare vouchers).
   2. It is a condition of booking that you accept our No Refund Cancellation Policy.
   3. If you fail to turn up, you will be required to pay in full.
   4. Any credit on your account is only valid for one year.(Gift vouchers 6 months).
7. Cancellations:
   1. We operate a No Refund Policy. This is a condition of booking.
   2. No Credit or Transfers are Given for late cancellations.
   3. Late Cancellations = Less than 24 hours notice.
   4. You can edit or cancel your booking up to 24 hours before your lesson starts.
8. Instructors:
   1. Instructors reserve the right to refuse to teach a client for any reason.
9. Bad Weather or Conditions:
   1. Activities might need to be canceled in extreme weather, but we will do our best to remain open where safe to do so. We may have to adjust lesson plans. Sometimes we may split the indoor school and run separate lessons at each end. 
   2. You should call us on 01728 746916 before you leave for the centre if the weather is in doubt.
   3. We reserve the right to cancel riding or activities because of bad weather at any time. Managements decision is final.
10. Vouchers Purchases and Redemption:
    1. It's a condition of purchase that:
    2. The intended rider has no Medical conditions that require doctors approval.
    3. The intended rider meets our Weight Guidelines: Maximum Weight 12 Stone (76kg), (11 stone (70kg) Western/Side saddle and other speciality disciplines).
    4. The Purchaser and Intended rider acknowledge and agree to our Standard Terms and Conditions.
    5. Vouchers are Valid for six months. No Refunds Available.
    6. All bookings are subject to availability.
11. Safety Equipment and Riding Wear:
    1. P.P.E (Personal Protective Equipment): Every time you handle a horse you are required to wear the appropriate Personal Protective Equipment.
    2. Riding Helmets:
       1. Hats (all types): Should be PAS015 or other approved standard.
       2. Must be worn and fastened at all times while riding a horse.
       3. Must be worn and fastened at all times while handling or a horse.
       4. We strongly advise all customers to purchase their own helmet as soon as possible.
       5. We recommend against purchasing second hand riding helmets in case they have been damaged.
       6. We do not allow cameras or devises to be attached to helmets.
3. Body Protectors:
   1. We do not provide body protectors.
   2. We recommend you wear one whenever riding.
   3. This is especially important if you take part in jumping classes or events.
4. Riding Footwear:
   1. Clients must wear appropriate footwear while riding.
   2. Allowed Footwear:
      1. Jodphur Boots
      2. Short boots with half chaps or gaiters
      3. Long Riding Boots
      4. Western Boots
   3. Disallowed Footwear:
      1. Trainers
      2. High Heels
      3. Sandals
      4. Hiking Boots
      5. We reserve the right to refuse footwear we deem unsafe

                4.We recommend toe protection whenever handling a horse. Closed toe footwear should be worn on the yards.

                5.Jewellery:

1 .You should not wear jewellery of any kind, anything you wear you do so at your own risk.

2. It's the parents responsibility to check their child isn't wearing jewellery.

11. Extra Visitors and/or Friends of the Family:
    1. Children must be supervised at all times by a legally responsible person.
    2. Parents are advised not to leave your children unattended at any time during their stay at Valley Farm Equestrian Leisure unless by prior arrangement.
    3. If spectating in the gallery, please remain as quiet as possible, and in full view of the horses/ponies & Instructor at all times.
    4. Whilst spectating, the Instructor reserves the right to ask you to leave the Indoor School if they feel the safety of the rider or horse/pony is in question.
    5. Young Children: Must be supervised at all times by a responsible person and remain quiet while lessons are in progress and not to run around.
    6. No running is permitted on the yard.
12. 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.
13. Out of Bounds:
    1. There are No Entry signs and notices posted around the facility, you must acknowledge and obey them, ignoring them is at your own risk.
    2. The following locations are Out of Bounds without written permission from management, you must not enter them and you do so at your own risk:
       1. Fenced off areas including but not limited to:
       2. Any Stable Boxes.
       3. Hay Barn
       4. Sheds or other Buildings.
       5. Indoor School (Only Instructors and Riders allowed in the Riding Arena), Excluding the Spectator area.
       6. Fields or Paddocks.
       7. House/Cottage and it's Grounds.
       8. Locked/Closed/Enclosed Areas or Buildings
14. Warning Signs: We have many different warning signs all over the grounds, they are there for a reason, you must obey them. We reserve the right to ask you to leave the grounds at any time if we think you are a danger to yourself.
15. Smoking Policy: We have a Strict No Smoking Policy for fire safety reasons, if you are caught you will be asked to leave.
16. Pets: Well behaved dogs are welcome on leads.
17. Horses/Ponies: All animals are unpredictable, Do Not Feed the Horses & Ponies at any time. Don't enter any field, box or make contact with a Horse or Pony at any time, without prior authorisation from a member of Management.
18. Cars, Bicycles: We cannot be held responsible for any damage to your transportation while on the premises/grounds.
19. Personal Property: We cannot be held responsible for Damage, Theft or Loss of your personal property while it's on the premises.
20. Parking
    1. Park only in the designated public car park not in the staff car park.
    2. The drive is not a footpath and walkers are advised to take extreme care due to the uneven surface.
    3. Walking through the car park is entirely at your own risk.
    4. Maximum Speed on the premises is 5 mph.
21. RIDING IS A RISK SPORT - ALL – I understand that the riding school will make decisions based on the information I give them and I confirm that to the best of my knowledge all of the above details are correct. I understand that I must obey the instructions of the instructor at all times and must comply with the Health and Safety rules of Valley Farm. I reserve the right not to ride a horse/pony allocated to me/my child and/or request a change of instructor. I understand that riding at any standard has inherent risk and that all horses may react unpredictably on occasions.

Riders under 16 years of age: I accept full responsibility for my child and confirm that the pre-assessed abilities are correct. I accept that riding is a risk sport and that my child could fall or be injured. I understand that children are at particular risk around horses and agree that I will keep any children I am responsible for, under close supervision when they are not being instructed by the riding school.

22. PLEASE NOTE: Valley Farm Equestrian Leisure, Owners, Staff and Managing agents cannot be held responsible for any accident, injury or loss to any persons or their property whilst on these premises or whilst out hacking, eventing or showing.
23. 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 no Cancellation Policy applies in this situation as well because 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.

PHOTOGRAPHY AND FILMING

As a BHS, Pony Club and RDA centre, we have many people from a variety of backgrounds. For safeguarding reasons it is not permited to photograph, film or record lessons or activities on the yard without prior permission from the management. If you wish to take a  photo/video for your own personal use please let your coach know beforehand. We often have an official photographer at our events. If you do not wish to appear in images please let us know. Please note CCTV is in operation at all times in the arenas and around the yards.

COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE

Remember you can politely speak to your coach or to the proprietor if you have a question or query while you are with us. We will not tolerate threatening, abusive, or violent behaviour, either face-to-face, over the phone or in correspondence with.

If you wish to make a formal complaint please put it in writing to: Mrs. H. Ling, Valley Farm Equestrian Leisure, Valley Road, Wickham Market, Suffolk, IP13 0ND

Please include as much detail as you can. Date, time, location, person(s) present are all vital to help us to deal with your complaint.

We will -

1. Send you a letter confirming receipt of your complaint and outlining the complaint details.
2. Investigate the complaint fully speaking to members of staff and looking at CCTV footage if applicable.
3. Contact you. We aim for an outcome to be reached within 20 working days of receiving the complaint. However, depending on the nature of the complaint, it may take longer for us to make sure the outcome is fair and thoroughly considered. You’ll be provided with a regular progress report detailing anticipated timescales within 20 days. When we have completed our investigations we will send you a letter outlining our findings, and if appropriate what action has been taken to rectify the situation.
4. Keep a record of all complaints and investigation findings for three years.

If you are not satisfied with the outcome of the investigation you can take your complaint to Ofsted by contacting them;

Telephone - 0300 123 4666 (8am – 6pm)

Email - enquires@ofsted.gov.uk