Code of Massachusetts Regulations
330 CMR - DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURAL RESOURCES
Title 330 CMR 16.00 - Horses
Section 16.03 - Licensing and Operation of Riding Schools and Stables
Universal Citation: 330 MA Code of Regs 330.16
Current through Register 1531, September 27, 2024
(1) License Required.
(a) No Person shall
engage in the business of operating a riding school or a Stable where horses
are kept for hire in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts unless licensed by the
Department.
(b) Any Person desiring
to apply for a Riding School and Stable license shall submit, on a form
provided by the Department, an application and the appropriate fee.
(c) Upon receipt of a completed application
for a license, the Department shall inspect the applicant's facilities. If the
Department finds the facilities and equipment in compliance with 330 CMR
16.03(2)(a) through (g), the Department may issue a license.
(d) All Riding School and Stable licenses
shall expire on March 31st following the date of
issuance.
(e) All licensees shall
post their license on their premises in a place prominently visible to the
public.
(f) The Department may deny
a license to any applicant whose facilities and equipment fail to comply with
330 CMR 16.03(2)(a) through (g). Any applicant whose license has been denied
may submit a written request for a hearing within 14 days following receipt of
the Department's decision to deny the license.
(g) The Department may revoke or suspend a
license after a M.G.L. c. 30A hearing and upon finding that the licensee has:
1. Violated M.G. L. c. 129, §§ 9,
44, 44A, 45 or 46, or c. 128, §§ 2A or 2B, or any provision in
330 CMR
16.00 or M.G.L. c. 272, §§ 77 through
79B;
2. Allowed an issued license
to be used by an unlicensed Person;
3. Violated a quarantine order issued by the
Department; or
4. Made a material
misstatement in the application for a license.
(2) Facilities and Equipment. All licensees shall:
(a) Maintain all areas where horses are kept:
1. In a safe and sanitary condition, and in
good repair;
2. Free of glass, wire
or other material which may cause injury to horses;
3. In such a manner as to prevent the
infestation of the horses and the premises with external parasites or vermin;
and
4. In such a manner as to
prevent the spread of infectious or contagious disease.
(b) Clean all areas where horses are kept as
frequently as necessary to ensure their sanitary condition;
(c) Provide an adequate, dry shelter for the
horses maintained on the premises;
(d) Ensure that if box stalls are utilized,
they are large enough to enable any horse to stand up and lie down;
(e) Provide shelter in outdoor holding and
grazing areas if any horse is kept outdoors for more than eight hours and no
natural shelter exists;
(f) Provide
equipment for any necessary storage or disposal of waste material to control
vermin, insects, disease, and obnoxious odors; and
(g) Ensure that all saddle packs and tack are
clean, supple and in safe working condition.
(3) General Care of Horses and Equipment. All licensees shall ensure that:
(a) Sufficient fresh food of a type and
amount consistent with the dietary requirements and age of the horse is offered
at least twice daily;
(b)
Sufficient fresh and clean water is available;
(c) Containers used for the feeding and
watering of horses are cleaned regularly in order that they remain free from
debris and contamination;
(d) All
horses are properly shod or their feet are appropriately trimmed at all
times;
(e) All horses are kept
clean with particular attention given to those areas which are in contact with
a saddle, harness or other tack; and
(f) Horses are housed without overcrowding
and in groups of compatible temperament and gender.
(4) Use of Horses.
(a) No licensee shall use any horse unfit for
work. A horse is unfit for work if it has any of the following conditions:
1. Lameness of any kind unless the licensee
has a health certificate signed by a licensed veterinarian dated within the
previous 12 months stating that the lameness is mechanical in nature and does
not cause pain or suffering during use;
2. Sores or abrasions caused or likely to be
irritated by the bearing surfaces of saddles, girths, harnesses, or bridles
being worn;
3. Serious injuries or
illness;
4. Obvious signs of
emaciation, malnutrition or exhaustion; or
5. Blind in both eyes.
(b) No licensee shall work a horse more than:
1. Five consecutive hours without the horse
being given at a least one hour rest period;
2. Ten hours per day; or
3. 56 hours per week.
(c) All licensees shall ensure that:
1. Horses used at concessions consisting of a
wheel-like device are not attached to or moving with the device unless they
being ridden;
2. All horses are
ridden or driven in a manner which:
a. Is
appropriate for the terrain;
b.
Preserves the health and safety of the horse and the rider; and
c. Does not cause the horse to become
overheated or exhausted;
3. All horses which are worked during icy
conditions are equipped with ice caulks, borium, or other similar shoes to
prevent slipping; and
4. Water is
offered at frequent intervals to working horses.
(5) Operation of Riding Schools and Stables. All licensees shall ensure that:
(a) All lead riders guide in a manner which
preserves the health and safety of the horses and other riders; and
(b) Only licensed instructors provide riding
lessons at the premises.
(6) Record Keeping and Inspections.
(a) All licensees
shall maintain records of the daily work periods for each horse for 30 days;
and
(b) All premises and records
shall be open for inspection by the Department, Massachusetts Society for the
Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and the Animal Rescue League.
Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. Massachusetts may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
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