Nidd Valley Riding Club are a small friendly club and we want you to enjoy your time with us. So, below you will find some useful information that we think will help.

What we do at Nidd Valley Riding Club

We provide lessons/competitions in a safe and welcoming environment.

We understand that sometimes you’ve booked on a lesson and then you can’t make it. We do not refund for your cancellations unless we have a waiting list or you find a replacement to take your lesson.

However we will refund you, if the club cancels the lesson when matters are beyond our control, for example, bad weather or the instructor is unavailable. We will endeavour to reschedule the lessons where possible

Area 4 Qualifiers and Championships

You must be a member for at least three weeks before you can participate in Team events.
If you want to compete in the Area 4 team/individual qualifiers, you must also be available to represent the club at the Championship for that event, if the rider/team qualifies. This information will be posted on the AREA 4 web page.

At Area 4 competitions requirements for tack, saddlery, dress, flu vaccinations and eligibility requirements can be found in the latest BRC handbook.

In the event of the team competition being cancelled, we will try to obtain a refund for entry fees incurred by the members. In some cases, a full refund may not be granted by Area 4.

If a Team(s) or individual(s) qualify for British Riding Clubs Championships, the committee will agree on the subsidy to the members to help with their expenses when attending the Championship – this can differ for each competition as there are many contributing factors. You may have to provide a volunteer to help at the Championship, in order for you to compete.

If you compete at an Area 4 qualifier you will be required to volunteer at a club or Area 4 event at a different time of the year. A committee member will contact you regarding date/ times for volunteering.

Club communication and Behaviour

We will take on board constructive feedback, and will investigate any complaints you have and work with you to find a solution. We will try to be clear, polite and helpful with our communications.

We will keep our members up to date with everything we do through our website, our members’ emails, Facebook and of course face to face at our many activities.

We reserve the right to cancel an individual’s membership for any misconduct and the Chairperson’s decision is final.

Age
Horses and ponies can take part in our activities as long as they are at least 4 years old from 1 January of the year of the activity. So don’t bring your excitable youngster along just yet! You must be 18 or over to become a member. There is no upper age limit, so let’s hope we are all riding into our 80’s.

Conduct
We expect you to be courteous and considerate at all times, to our team, our instructors, and other riders and horses. Be mindful and respectful.

We do not tolerate bad behaviour and will ask you to leave the lesson/competition if you are abusive, threatening or in any other way inappropriate (but we don’t mind if you swear when you fall off). We do not tolerate bullying or harassment of any kind. We will also ask you to leave the lesson/competition if you do not show consideration to your horse (for example excessive us of whip), or your horse is a danger to other horses or people.

Booking a lesson

If you want to make a booking for a club lessons it is only secure once you have made the payment.  We are using horsevents to book lessons and clinics.

If you are unable to make a lesson, you should let the lesson organiser know as soon as possible as we may be able to find a replacement. (If a replacement is found, you can be refunded – if not, the payment stands).

You need to provide us with your mobile number and an emergency contact number when you book onto lessons.

It is your responsibility to ensure you arrive to your lesson, tack up and be ready to go at your allotted time, we cannot hold lessons up if your late.

If your horse decides to poop in the car park please pick it up. We do not need to tell you that leaving droppings around is not good etiquette.

Please do not leave your horse unattended when tied up outside your horsebox.  At most venues (including Askham Bryan), the proprietor does not allow hay-nets to be tied outside your horsebox.

When coming to lessons please bring your horses passport with you and please make sure the vaccinations are up to date. There are no exceptions to this.  Most venues have a 12 month vaccination policy.  No claim can be made against the Club if you are turned away from lessons/competitions because you fail to produce a passport and/or up to date vaccination records.

Anything hazardous must be reported to the organiser, and we expect you to abide by health and safety rules and not put yourself or others in harm’s way.

For the latest information on riding hats, body protectors, permitted tack (for competitions) please click on the link below – this is the British Horse Society’s standard.
https://www.bhs.org.uk/advice-and-information/tack-and-equipment/what-to-wear

Useful Documents

NVRC Privacy Policy
Health and safety policy
The Nidd Valley Riding Club Constitution