Big Brother red tape finally killed off my daughter’s business

After a long struggle to run a successful Riding School and Livery business, my daughter’s finally decided to give up, due to the absolutely ridiculous red tape and expense of complying with the never-ending rules and regulations constantly imposed by the local council.

There were several riding schools in the area, and hers is the last one standing. One closed a few weeks back that had been running for over 50 years. For the same reason. You really wouldn’t believe the stupid stuff the council jobsworths make up every week to increase paperwork. She has to pay £700 just for a council licence and £400 a month for health and safety insurance, without all the other huge expenses.

I can’t begin to explain some of the rules - for instance she can’t leave a bottle of washing-up liquid on the sink, it has to be locked in a cupboard at all times; there’s a risk assessment form for this, explaining what could happen if it was left out! There are risk assessment forms for every tiny thing - a rider must cover long hair with a net, but that poses a risk if they’re using hairpins! She can’t let just anyone help out cleaning the stables, they all have to be approved, risk assessments carried out etc…

No wonder all small businesses go under in the UK.

Sorry to read the news of your daughter. A sad day for all of you

gerber wrote:Sorry to read the news of your daughter.  A sad day for all of you

Hi Gerbs. The thing is the business is very successful, so busy and fully booked up all the time. It should have done well, but you just wouldn't believe the council - inspectors turning up all the time examining every grain of sawdust, making up new forms all the time; I think they've got nothing better to do but invent forms! She lasted longer than the rest anyway.

She's sold it on to her friend who works there, and can keep her own horses, so it's not all bad. She can't wait for a break tbh, she's worked long hours seven days a week for so long. I doubt her friend knows what she's taken on, but that'll be her problem. I suggested she does a bit of part-time teaching on her own, but she can't even do that; you still need the expensive licence, expensive insurance, more council compliance...! Can't win.

The irony is that places working to comply with all the red tape end up scrimping on the area that really counts - namely the horses themselves. Places round here where I used to ride nearly 10 years ago are still using the same horses - horses that were excellent but nearing retirement then are past it now. Then there are things like dropping shoeing from every 6 weeks to every 8, or only shoeing the front, using cheaper tack, feed etc.

sphinx wrote:The irony is that places working to comply with all the red tape end up scrimping on the area that really counts - namely the horses themselves.  Places round here where I used to ride nearly 10 years ago are still using the same horses - horses that were excellent but nearing retirement then are past it now.  Then there are things like dropping shoeing from every 6 weeks to every 8, or only shoeing the front, using cheaper tack, feed etc.

Hi Sphinx. My daughter would never over-use the ponies, but I can guess how they're struggling. It's impossible to make a living at it any more. It's really sad; ponies are being given away over here because no-one can afford to keep them any more.

Tesstacious wrote:

sphinx wrote:The irony is that places working to comply with all the red tape end up scrimping on the area that really counts - namely the horses themselves.  Places round here where I used to ride nearly 10 years ago are still using the same horses - horses that were excellent but nearing retirement then are past it now.  Then there are things like dropping shoeing from every 6 weeks to every 8, or only shoeing the front, using cheaper tack, feed etc.

Hi Sphinx.  My daughter would never over-use the ponies, but I can guess how they're struggling.  It's impossible to make a living at it any more.  It's really sad; ponies are being given away over here because no-one can afford to keep them any more.

I dont think it is a desire to over use more a case of the only way to keep going. I would not even say the horses were over used rather that riders could not do the same things - on rides where we have a surreptitious gallop under the guise of "cantering very fast" people will now be lucky to get a short canter canter, and some of the more challenging routes with lots of optional jumps wont be offered - and of course riders just dont get the same feeling of having something ready to take on the grand national if only someone would let them. I mean one of the horses I used to ride (who has been retired I may add) was a brilliant riding school pony who would not flinch at a firework going off underneath him and who could plod around doing the same exercises by rote all day, but he had another side to him if you took him out of his routine. First you had to prove to him you could keep him out of routine to do what you wanted (that was five minutes of loud swearing from me and civilised attempts to remove me from his back from him) then he was up for anything and I would have him on occasions cantering on the spot because he knew we were coming up to where we could do some fast work only that damn gate had to let everyone through before it could be closed. That feeling of eagerness is what people will miss out on with the older horses.

I'm sorry to hear that Tess...you've spoken so much of her long struggle. Its always sad to see the end of a dream but now she can have a break and recharge her batteries plus can still keep her horses there. Good luck to her x

Cass wrote:I'm sorry to hear that Tess...you've spoken so much of her long struggle. Its always sad to see the end of a dream but now she can have a break and recharge her batteries plus can still keep her horses there.  Good luck to her x

Thanks Cass. She's looking forward to a break, she's exhausted.

Tesstacious wrote:

Cass wrote:I'm sorry to hear that Tess...you've spoken so much of her long struggle. Its always sad to see the end of a dream but now she can have a break and recharge her batteries plus can still keep her horses there.  Good luck to her x

Thanks Cass.  She's looking forward to a break, she's exhausted.

Sounds like she tried her very hardest, as Cass said, at least she can keep her horses.

Im sorry for your daughter Tess, its awful to have worked so hard for it to be ruined by faceless bureaucrasy.

Tess, might be interesting to look for a reporter who might want to tell her story. You never know, it can make a difference.

I learned that lesson back in university, when I got a bit of inside information that the board of directors were going to kick out every student who didn't have health insurance. In the U.S. in those days, the only way to get an affordable health insurance plan was to have a full-time job, which is not manageable for a lot of students, obviously.

We put it in the student newspaper and within weeks they'd announced they had dropped the idea.

What a bummer! I remember the lovely pics you put up.

Bloody red tape ruins loads of businesses. My friend runs a stables and he is struggling too.

Speak to harvesmom, she knows a bit in this area.

If your daughter is anything like you I'm sure she'll pull herself up and be better than ever!! Xxx

Ben_Reilly wrote:Tess, might be interesting to look for a reporter who might want to tell her story. You never know, it can make a difference.

I learned that lesson back in university, when I got a bit of inside information that the board of directors were going to kick out every student who didn't have health insurance. In the U.S. in those days, the only way to get an affordable health insurance plan was to have a full-time job, which is not manageable for a lot of students, obviously.

We put it in the student newspaper and within weeks they'd announced they had dropped the idea.

I agree with Ben

and THIS is a much bigger problem then Immigrants... how is anyone going to have a job if you are Over regulated to buggery         

Ben_Reilly wrote:Tess, might be interesting to look for a reporter who might want to tell her story. You never know, it can make a difference.

I learned that lesson back in university, when I got a bit of inside information that the board of directors were going to kick out every student who didn't have health insurance. In the U.S. in those days, the only way to get an affordable health insurance plan was to have a full-time job, which is not manageable for a lot of students, obviously.

We put it in the student newspaper and within weeks they'd announced they had dropped the idea.

Hi Ben. Great minds think alike - that's exactly what I told her to do. Her customers are going to be gutted; hers is the last school around. I said when she tells them she should give them a leaflet detailing all the crap she's had to put up with. These customers are pretty well-to-do folk, and you can bet they'll let the Council know what they think! Also I told her to contact the local paper, as there must be plenty of businesses in the area going through the same crap. Personally I'd make it a mission, but I'm over here, and she's just too exhausted to do much at the moment.

Tesstacious wrote:

Ben_Reilly wrote:Tess, might be interesting to look for a reporter who might want to tell her story. You never know, it can make a difference.

I learned that lesson back in university, when I got a bit of inside information that the board of directors were going to kick out every student who didn't have health insurance. In the U.S. in those days, the only way to get an affordable health insurance plan was to have a full-time job, which is not manageable for a lot of students, obviously.

We put it in the student newspaper and within weeks they'd announced they had dropped the idea.

Hi Ben.  Great minds think alike - that's exactly what I told her to do.  Her customers are going to be gutted; hers is the last school around. I said when she tells them she should give them a leaflet detailing all the crap she's had to put up with. These customers are pretty well-to-do folk, and you can bet they'll let the Council  know what they think! Also I told her to contact the local paper, as there must be plenty of businesses in the area going through the same crap.  Personally I'd make it a mission, but I'm over here, and she's just too exhausted to do much at the moment.

Maybe after a while she'll feel rested and more up to it. I have a soft-spot for people who work with horses and do it right, having covered people who do that as a reporter for many years