COVID Guidance - 12th March 2021
Update from horsescotland Chair, Grant Turnbull 

Dear All

Following on from our statement earlier in the week, we finally received an update from sportscotland on the 'Return to sport and physical activity' guidance at just after 5pm last night.  There has been a tremendous amount of work being carried out by sportscotland around this guidance.  In turn, Fiona Rawson, our Education and Development Manager has gone way beyond the call of duty to revise our Equestrian Guidance in line with the update and this has been turned around overnight and approved by sportscotland this morning.  Absolutely no mean feat, and Fiona's work must be applauded.

Full updated Equestrian Guidance https://www.horsescotland.org/covid-19support

Key points within our revised Equestrian Guidance are as follows:

✳Children under 12 years of age can take part in outdoor contact and non-contact organised sport including training, group exercise and competition (organised activity) within their usual club or facility environment.

✳An outdoor sporting ‘field of play bubble’ for under 12's consists of up to 30 people including children and coaches at any one time.  For 12 years and over (including adults) a ‘field of play bubble' is restricted to up to 15 people, including coaches.

✳Adults (18 years and over) can only take part in organised activity including training and competitions within their own Local Authority area. For informal activity i.e. hacking or facility hire without a coach, they can travel up to 5 miles into a neighbouring Local Authority area. 

✳17 years old and under have an exemption to allow travel to their usual club or facility, including to a national club venue where regular organised activity takes place.  Where it is a national club  event, cross border travel is permitted for organised activity.

✳Further information on travel guidance can be found here Coronavirus (COVID-19): guidance on travel and transport - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Through working closely with sportscotland, I am delighted to see activity again opening up for the equestrian community in Scotland.  I urge you to work with us, our Member Bodies and the wider community to ensure progression is speedy and continuous.  I personally believe that further relaxation measures are likely to be accelerated and that we can look forward to much greater freedom in the not too distant future.

Thank you for your continued support of what horsescotland does to assist our Scottish equestrian community. 

Grant Turnbull 
horsescotland Chair