1. Purpose and Scope

This policy sets out how Bishton Riding Centre / Equinimity CIC recognises and responds to signs of fear, stress, or distress in ponies attending exhibitions, school visits, care home visits, healthcare settings, and other outreach activity under our Exhibiting Animals Licence. It applies to every handler accompanying a pony on a visit.

Ponies are sentient animals capable of experiencing fear and distress, and their welfare takes priority over completing or continuing any visit. This policy ensures all staff and volunteers recognise the early signs of a pony struggling to cope, and know exactly what to do to protect the pony's wellbeing.

2. Recognising Signs of Fear, Stress or Distress

Handlers are trained to recognise the following signs, which may appear individually or in combination. Signs are considered cumulatively and in the context of the individual pony's normal behaviour, since some ponies show subtle signs before more obvious ones develop.

2.1 Early / Mild Signs

• Increased alertness, tension, or a raised head carriage

• Ears flicking back and forth or pinned back

• Tail swishing, tail clamped down, or muscle tension

• Reluctance to move forward, or repeated stopping

• Increased respiration rate or flared nostrils without exertion

• Whites of the eyes showing, or a tense, “worried” facial expression

• Excessive chewing, licking, or mouthing without cause

• Seeking the handler or trying to move closer to a familiar person or pony

2.2 Escalating / Significant Signs

• Sweating not explained by heat or exertion

• Trembling or visible shaking

• Spinning, backing up, or attempting to turn away repeatedly

• Napping, freezing, or planting (refusing to move at all)

• Raised tail (“flagging”) combined with tension

• Vocalising (whinnying, snorting repeatedly)

• Attempting to barge past the handler or pull away

2.3 Acute Distress

• Bolting, rearing, bucking, or napping that the handler cannot safely manage

• Signs of panic such as wide-eyed staring, rigid body, or explosive movement

• Total shutdown / withdrawal — a pony that becomes unusually still, unresponsive, or “switched off”, which can be as significant a welfare concern as overt panic

• Any attempt to bite, kick, or strike out that is out of character for the individual pony

3. Actions to Be Taken

Where a handler observes any of the signs above, the following graduated response is followed. The pony's welfare always takes priority over completing the visit.

3.1 Immediate Response (Mild Signs)

• Pause the activity and move the pony a short distance away from the immediate trigger (e.g. noise, crowd, object, surface) if it is safe to do so

• Speak calmly and reassuringly to the pony, using familiar handling techniques

• Give the pony a moment to settle before deciding whether to continue, adapt, or end the activity

• Increase the distance between the pony and the source of concern (e.g. crowd, equipment, other animals) where practicable

• Continue close observation for the remainder of the visit

3.2 If Signs Persist or Escalate

• Remove the pony from the immediate situation and take it to a quiet area away from the activity

• Reduce demands on the pony — end any structured activity (e.g. petting, photos, walking among groups) and allow the pony simply to stand and settle

• Reassess whether the visit can safely continue in a modified form (e.g. shorter duration, fewer people at a time, different location within the venue)

• Inform venue staff/host of the concern and the need to adapt or pause the session

• Record the incident in the Interaction & Welfare Log as soon as practicable

3.3 Acute Distress or Unsafe Behaviour

• End the visit immediately and remove the pony from the venue in a calm, controlled manner, prioritising the safety of the pony, handler, and any members of the public nearby

• Clear the immediate area of members of the public if there is any risk to their safety

• Do not attempt to force the pony to continue any activity or remain in the triggering situation

• Move the pony to the vehicle or a secure, quiet space as soon as it is safe to do so, and allow it time to settle before travelling

• Contact the registered veterinary surgeon if there is any suspicion of injury, or if the pony's distress does not resolve once removed from the trigger

• Notify the responsible person as soon as practicable on the day

• Complete an entry in the Interaction & Welfare Log and, where the incident involved injury, a near miss, or risk to public safety, the accident book

4. Following an Incident of Fear or Distress

After any incident involving significant fear, stress, or distress, the following steps are taken before the pony returns to visiting work:

• The pony is given adequate rest and is not booked for further visits until the responsible person is satisfied it has fully recovered

• The responsible person reviews what triggered the response and whether it could have been anticipated by the risk assessment for that venue

• The risk assessment for the venue is updated to reflect the hazard identified, for future visits

• A decision is made as to whether the pony is suited to that venue, type of event, or similar situations in future, and bookings adjusted accordingly

• Where appropriate, the pony's training and habituation plan is reviewed and adjusted with the support of a qualified trainer or behaviourist

• Any member of staff or volunteer involved is supported and, where relevant, given further guidance or training

5. Prevention

Wherever possible, fear and distress are prevented rather than managed after the fact. This is supported by:

• Selecting only ponies with calm, settled temperaments and suitable prior experience for visiting work

• Gradual, positive habituation to the sights, sounds, and equipment likely to be encountered (e.g. wheelchairs, hoists, crowds, applause, uneven flooring)

• Thorough risk assessment of each venue before the first visit, identifying likely triggers in advance

• Keeping visit duration, group sizes, and handling by the public within limits the individual pony is comfortable with

• Ensuring the pony always has a clear, unobstructed route away from the activity if needed

• Never compelling a pony to approach, tolerate, or remain near anything it is showing reluctance towards

6. Responsibility

Sarah Brown, Owner and Manager, has overall responsibility for this policy and for the welfare decisions arising from any incident of fear or distress. Every handler attending a visit is responsible for recognising the signs set out in this policy and for acting on them immediately, without needing prior authorisation to end or adapt a visit on welfare grounds.

No handler will be criticised or questioned for prioritising a pony's welfare by pausing, shortening, or ending a visit due to fear or distress.

7. Record Keeping and Review

All incidents of significant fear, stress, or distress are recorded in the Interaction & Welfare Log, with the accident book also completed where the criteria for that record are met. Records are retained for a minimum of three years and made available to the licensing authority on request.

This policy is reviewed annually, and additionally following any incident, near miss, or change in licensing conditions.

Signed (responsible person):         Sarah Brown

Date:                            ___________________________________