POLICIES & PROCEDURES

RULES GOVERNING THE USE OF

OAKWOOD RIDING SCHOOL (ORS)

 

GUIDELINES FOR ALL MEMBERS, AGISTEES, CLIENTS & VISITORS

Updated July 2018

** Staff and Committee have the power to enforce these rules at all times **

Rules are subject to alteration as deemed necessary.

 

 

GENERAL RULES

 

1. CLOTHING: 

   • All persons whilst riding on ORS property, must wear current approved AUSTRALIAN SAFETY STANDARDS HORSE RIDING HELMETS and properly heeled riding boots. 

   • All persons whilst lunging on ORS property, must wear riding gloves. 

   • Children under age of 16 years must wear helmets and riding gloves whilst lunging.

 

1. GATES:  All perimeter gates must be closed at all times, unless advised by Management.  Parking across or in front of gates is prohibited.

 

1. RUBBISH:  All rubbish must be placed in the rubbish bins provided. If bins are full please take your rubbish home with you. Do not overfill bins as rubbish just gets blown around the property.

 

1. MANURE:  The owner or person who is in charge of the horse must pick up all manure (inside or outside), wet shavings and hair. Manure/shavings only is to be deposited in the manure pile.  No hay is to be put in manure piles.

 

1. DOGS:  No dogs allowed at any time.

 

1. CHILDREN:  Children must be kept under strict supervision at all times and seated outside riding arenas only. Running is not permitted.  Children under 12 years of age must be accompanied by an adult at all times. 

 

1. SMOKING:  Smoking is prohibited in all areas, except in the public car park area. Cigarette butts must not be dropped anywhere and must be disposed of safely and with consideration to other users at the facility.

 

1. ORS GEAR AND EQUIPMENT:   ORS gear or horse equipment is not to be used, borrowed or lent at any time except with permission of ORS Staff/Management.

 

1. DAMAGE:   All damage to any equipment or facilities must be reported to Staff immediately and written on an incident report form.

 

1. FIRE:   Please call 000 immediately and advise Staff and Agistees in the vicinity.  The ORS Fire plan is available on the website (www.oakwoodridingschool.com) and the notice board outside the office.

 

1. SICK OR INJURED HORSE:  If you notice a horse is in danger, is sick or injured, notify Staff immediately so the owner can be contacted or veterinary assistance arranged.  In the case of a horse requiring veterinary assistance and the owner is not contactable, ORS Staff will arrange for a Vet on behalf of the owner.  If the owner’s presence is required and he/she is unavailable, the owner may organise a proxy to minister to the horse.  Alternatively, Oakwood staff, if available, can step in at an hourly rate.

 

1. INJURED RIDERS:   If a rider is in danger or is injured, notify Staff immediately. In the case of a suspected serious injury, call 000 AMBULANCE, administer first aid if trained and remain with person until ambulance arrives. All injuries no matter how small must be reported to the Office and an incident report form filled out.

 

1. WASH AREAS:  ORS operates on tank water therefore consider your use.  Horses must not be tied at the wash bay area other than for the purpose of using the hose.  These facilities are solely for the washing of horses ridden or agisted at ORS.  Please do not adjust the water temperature as this is maintained by Staff.  Cars, floats, equipment should be cleaned at your own premises.

 

1. OWNERS TACK & EQUPMENT:  Tack left at ORS is at the owners’ risk. Tack left at ORS must be kept tidy and only in the allocated space.  ORS reserves the right to ask Agistees to move/remove their tack and equipment at their discretion.

 

1. SCHOOLIES TACKROOM:   Admittance to the Schoolies tack rooms is only for Staff, Instructors and any Clients asked to put tack away after lessons.

     

1. FEED ROOM:  No feed is to be taken or used by Members, Clients or Agistees. Only ORS Staff are permitted in the feed room.

 

1. FEED SHIPPING CONTAINER & HAY SHED: ORS allows Agistees to use the supplied shipping container and hay shed to store feed and hay.  ORS reserves the right to ask Agistees to move/remove their feed/hay at their discretion.

 

1. LEAVING THE PREMISES:  The two indoor and outside arenas are available from 5 am until 10 pm each day.   Lights must be turned off and the premises vacated by 10.30 pm.  The last person to vacate the premises must ensure all cats are out of the tack room; all lights are switched off; roller doors are down; and external doors and the front gate locked.   

 

 

1. COMPLAINTS:  All complaints should be directed to the Facility Manager.  Should the nature of the complaint relate to the Facility Manager or a Committee Member, only then should it be addressed to the Committee as a whole.  Complaints of this nature will be tabled for discussion at the following Committee Meeting, held on the third Thursday of each month. 

 

1. PHOTOGRAPHY: ORS allows the use of photography (still and video) by Staff, Members, Agistees and Clients as long as the camera’s flash device is not activated.  The use of photographs by ORS of children under the age of 16 years will not published without prior permission from their parent/guardian.

 

1. SOCIAL MEDIA:  Any Member, Agistee or Client of ORS posting negative or derogatory remarks about ORS, its Staff or Committee on Social Media sites (including but not limited to Facebook, Twitter and Horse Forum sites), will be asked to revoke their Membership, seek alternate Agistment, or seek a new riding school for future lessons.

 

1. BARE BACK RIDING (no saddle) only permitted in arenas.

 

1. VEHICLE ACCESS: no vehicle access to any laneway, only to main carpark, float car park and roadway to rear of Meadows property.  No parking across gateways.

 

1. ABUSE OF ANIMALS: will not be tolerated and will be reported.

 

1. JUMPING: is not permitted in the Indoor Arena 1.  It is restricted to Indoor Arena 2.

 

1. STABLES & TIE UP area to be properly cleaned when vacated.  Please use sawdust when required.

 

1. ALCOHOL:  The consumption of alcohol is prohibited on ORS Property except & limited to the Club Rooms &/or at social functions.

 

1. SHOOLING OF HORSES:  Free or loose schooling of horses is not permitted in any arenas or paddocks i.e. a horse must be in a bridle or halter with lead rope/lunge line attached at all times.

 

1.  GRAZING: The grazing of horses on the property must be “in hand” at all times.

 

 

PEOPLE PERMITTED TO USE THE ORS FACILITIES

1. Members.

2. Agistees.

3. Staff and ORS authorised Instructors/Trainers.  No outside Instructors or Trainers are permitted to use the facilities at ORS unless officially booked for Clinics/Training Days, etc.

4. Clients under instruction from ORS authorised Instructors.

5. Competitors on a competition day approved by ORS.

6. Riders/horses sponsored by ORS.

7. Members of teams approved to train at ORS.

8. Participants at clinics or training days approved by ORS.

9. With regard to who can ride an Agisted horse, other than the Agistee - only the following situations are allowed (with the permission of the Agistee):

The horse is being ridden:

1. By an Oakwood Instructor;

2. By a rider in a lesson with an ORS authorised Instructor;

3. By a Member of the Agistee’s immediate family;

4. By another Agistee or Member of ORS

5. Temporary arrangements will be considered, provided indemnity, medical and waiver forms have been signed. Such arrangements are at the discretion of management and the committee.

1. Riders looking at horses for sale from ORS Members or Agistees:   The prospective buyer must sign an indemnity, medical and waiver form available from the office before riding the horse on the premises and agree to the bound by ORS rules. The prospective buyer rides at their own risk.

2. Vets, Farriers, Physios, Health Professionals etc are permitted to treat Agistee’s horses at Oakwood.

3. Clipping of horses is permitted as long as the person providing this service has private indemnity.  A $10 fee to be paid to the Office is charged by ORS for the use of electricity if applicable.

 

 

ARENA RULES (these rules are located on the stable wall near entry to Indoor Arena 1)

1. Lessons take priority at all times; lunging is at the discretion of the instructor giving the lesson.

2. Faster paces have right of way on outside track. Walk inside track

3. Adjustment of equipment must be done on the centre line

4. Lateral work has right of way

5. BE AWARE of the effect you, your horse and equipment ie whips have on other horses and riders

6. Put away any equipment used

7. Pick up any droppings your horse leaves

8. If using the lights please turn them OFF when riding has finished.

 

AGISTMENT RULES

1.   Bookings for Agistment must be made through the Office. ORS requires 1 (one) months’ payment in advance and an Agistment Agreement Form completed.  Accounts are sent out on the first of the month and are to be paid within seven (7) days of receipt.

1. Horses on Agistment must not be removed without 1 (one) months’ notice and all outstanding accounts paid and keys returned on departure.

2. Holding fees will apply for a maximum period of 4 weeks, at ORS rates.

3. Head collars and leads must always be left on the gate of the paddock or stable.

4. ORS reserves the right to move horses where and when it is necessary.  Owners will be notified prior.

5. Members or Agistees must seek prior permission through the Office before moving horses between paddocks.

6. All horses using the stalls, stables or any other tie up areas, must be tied up at all times unless they are being stabled due to illness or injury.

7. Agisted horses are not permitted extra feed unless paid for by the owner.

8. ORS reserves the right to charge a fee to remove/add rugs to un-serviced horses when deemed necessary.

9. ORS policy is to ensure all horses on the property are adequately nourished and ORS reserves the right to feed and charge the fee to the owner should they feel the horse is underfed.  Any continuance of an inadequate feeding regime will result in the owner being requested to seek alternate Agistment.

10. Any agisted horse causing problems in the Mob Paddock maybe requested to be moved.

11. Rug Policy: To be published seasonally.

Temperature guidelines:   Staff to use Weatherzone Cranbourne App for daily forecast.

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CAR & FLOAT PARKING RULES

1. No parking in front or the rear entrance to the buildings.   Areas must be kept clear for emergency vehicles and deliveries.

2. No parking in the Disabled Parking unless with appropriate exemptions. 

3. Agistees floats must be parked in their allocated areas at all times.

4. Floats parked at ORS are at owners’ risk.

5. Loading & unloading of horses must only be done in the designated float car parks.  Float parking/loading and unloading is not permitted on the Meadows side of the Property due to the through driveways and traffic flow.

6. Driveway speed limit is 10kmph.

7. Please ensure you Give Way to traffic on Thompsons Rd/Smiths Lane when leaving Oakwood.

8. Visiting Members floats are to be parked in their allocated area.  If allocated area is full, please use front float parking area. Floats are not permitted in the main car park at the front of building.

9. Parking in front of the Meadows Hay Shed is limited to 15 minutes to allow access to the tractor, shipping container and hay shed.

 

RULES OF RIDING

1. All lesson fees are payable prior to commencing lesson.

2. Any lesson cancelled within 24 hours of a booked time slot  will be charged the full cost of the lesson as a cancellation fee. This rule applies for riders who do not arrive at all for their lesson.
   Any lesson cancelled with provision of a medical certificate or positive COVID-19 PCR test (showing the riders name) result will only be charged 50% of the lesson cost.
   Fees are payable prior to your next riding lesson.

3. All riders must sign a disclaimer, waiver and medical form before they first ride at ORS.

4. Lessons have right of way at ALL times and other riders are allowed in arena at discretion of ORS Instructor present.

5. No more than 3 (three) lessons in the indoor at any one time at the discretion of the Instructors.

6. Horses working in walk or halting must move to the inside track.

7. Horses working in trot or canter must pass left hand to left hand.

8. Riders must alert other riders for TRACK FREE, when performing lateral movements. Other riders must respect the riders’ request for FREE TRACK.

9. Lunging is allowed in all 3 arenas.  No more than 2 (two) horses are allowed to be lunged at any one time. Permission from other riders must be sought before any lunging.

10. All riders entering and exiting any arena call DOOR FREE and wait for answer.  Riders should enter arenas on foot leading the horse so they can safely open and close the door.  Riders wishing to enter or exit the arena mounted must ensure that the door is safely opened and closed by an assistant who is on foot.

11. Maximum number of horses working in Indoor Arena 1 is 12 (twelve) and Indoor Arena 2 is 10 (ten).

12. When using the Cross Country paddock on your own, please inform someone you are going to be riding there.

13. No children under the age of 12 years are permitted to ride unsupervised at any time.

14. All manure your horse has dropped must be picked up from the arena after you finish riding.

15. Horses should not be allowed to nuzzle Indoor Arena 1 mirrors.  Horses have broken mirrors in the past.  Familiarise horses with the mirrors from a safe distance.

16. Only RIDERS and INSTRUCTORS are allowed in the arenas.  All spectators should use the gallery seating.

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