British equestrian businesses have had to deal with a variety of extra issues since the end of the Brexit transition period. H&H speaks to traders and their association to find out more
RED tape is causing a headache for British equestrian businesses and customers negotiating the post-Brexit landscape, while hopes abound the situation will improve before long.
Traders have told H&H that on the whole business has been strong in the equestrian sector despite the challenges Covid and Brexit have posed, but new paperwork, taxes and confusion surrounding Britain’s trade deal with the EU are causing trouble.
{"content":"PHA+4oCcVGhlIHByb2JsZW0gaXMsIHBlb3BsZSB0cmllZCB0byBnZXQgcHJlcGFyZWQsIGJ1dCB0aGV5IGRpZG7igJl0IGtub3cgd2hhdCB0aGV5IHdlcmUgcHJlcGFyaW5nIGZvciBhbmQgdGhhdCBpcyB3aGF0IGhhcyBtYWRlIHRoaXMgc28gbXVjaCBtb3JlIGNoYWxsZW5naW5nLOKAnSBCcml0aXNoIEVxdWVzdHJpYW4gVHJhZGUgQXNzb2NpYXRpb24gKEJFVEEpIGV4ZWN1dGl2ZSBkaXJlY3RvciBDbGFpcmUgV2lsbGlhbXMgdG9sZCA8ZW0+SCZhbXA7SCw8L2VtPiBhZGRpbmcgdGhhdCB0aGlzIGlzIGFsc28gYWxsIG5ldyB0byBjdXN0b21zIGFnZW50cyBhbmQgY291cmllcnMuPC9wPgo8cD7igJxJdCBpcyBjYXVzaW5nIHF1aXRlIGEgZmV3IGhpY2N1cHMsIGJ1dCBJ4oCZbSBob3BpbmcgaXQgaXMganVzdCBnb2luZyB0byBiZSBhIHRlbXBvcmFyeSBibGlwLuKAnTwvcD4KPHA+U2hlIHNhaWQgc29tZSBidXNpbmVzc2VzIHRyaWVkIHRvIGdldCBhaGVhZCB3aXRoIHNoaXBtZW50cyBiZWZvcmUgdGhlIGVuZCBvZiB0aGUgdHJhbnNpdGlvbiBwZXJpb2QsIGJ1dCBGcmVuY2ggYm9yZGVyIGlzc3VlcyBpbiBEZWNlbWJlciBhcyBhIHJlc3VsdCBvZiBDb3ZpZCBjYXVzZWQgYWRkaXRpb25hbCBwcm9ibGVtcy48L3A+CjxwPjxkaXYgY2xhc3M9ImFkLWNvbnRhaW5lciBhZC1jb250YWluZXItLW1vYmlsZSI+PGRpdiBpZD0icG9zdC1pbmxpbmUtMiIgY2xhc3M9ImlwYy1hZHZlcnQiPjwvZGl2PjwvZGl2PjxzZWN0aW9uIGlkPSJlbWJlZF9jb2RlLTMxIiBjbGFzcz0iaGlkZGVuLW1kIGhpZGRlbi1sZyBzLWNvbnRhaW5lciBzdGlja3ktYW5jaG9yIGhpZGUtd2lkZ2V0LXRpdGxlIHdpZGdldF9lbWJlZF9jb2RlIHByZW1pdW1faW5saW5lXzIiPjxzZWN0aW9uIGNsYXNzPSJzLWNvbnRhaW5lciBsaXN0aW5nLS1zaW5nbGUgbGlzdGluZy0tc2luZ2xlLXNoYXJldGhyb3VnaCBpbWFnZS1hc3BlY3QtbGFuZHNjYXBlIGRlZmF1bHQgc2hhcmV0aHJvdWdoLWFkIHNoYXJldGhyb3VnaC1hZC1oaWRkZW4iPg0KICA8ZGl2IGNsYXNzPSJzLWNvbnRhaW5lcl9faW5uZXIiPg0KICAgIDx1bD4NCiAgICAgIDxsaSBpZD0ibmF0aXZlLWNvbnRlbnQtbW9iaWxlIiBjbGFzcz0ibGlzdGluZy1pdGVtIj4NCiAgICAgIDwvbGk+DQogICAgPC91bD4NCiAgPC9kaXY+DQo8L3NlY3Rpb24+PC9zZWN0aW9uPjwvcD4KPHA+T24gdG9wIG9mIHRoYXQsIG9mZmljaWFscyBhdCB0aGUgRnJlbmNoIGJvcmRlciBhcmUgbm93IHJlcG9ydGVkIHRvIGJlIGJlaW5nIHBhcnRpY3VsYXJseSBwcmVjaXNlLCB0aGUgbmV3IHBhcGVyd29yayBhbmQgcnVsZXMgb2Ygb3JpZ2luIHJlcXVpcmVtZW50cyBhcmUgbm90IGVhc3kgdG8gdW5kZXJzdGFuZCBhbmQgYXJlIG1ldGljdWxvdXMgaW4gcmVxdWlyaW5nIG5ldCB3ZWlnaHRzIGFuZCBvcmlnaW4gZGV0YWlscyBmb3IgZWFjaCBpdGVtLCB3aGlsZSBvdGhlcnMgaGF2ZSBiZWVuIGNhdWdodCBvdXQgb24gdGhlIHJ1bGVzIG92ZXIgYW5pbWFsIHByb2R1Y3RzIGZvciBzdWJzdGFuY2VzIHN1Y2ggYXMgY29sbGFnZW4gb3IgZ2x1Y29zYW1pbmUgaW4gdml0YW1pbnMgYW5kIHN1cHBsZW1lbnRzLjwvcD4KPHA+V2hpbGUgdGhlcmUgYXJlIG5vIG5ldyB0YXJpZmZzIGZvciBwcm9kdWN0cyBtYW51ZmFjdHVyZWQgd2l0aGluIHRoZSBVSyBvciB0aGUgRVUsIG9uZSBvZiB0aGUgc3RpY2tpbmcgcG9pbnRzLCBob3dldmVyLCBpcyB3aGVuIHByb2R1Y3RzIGFyZSBtYWRlIG91dHNpZGUgb2YgdGhhdC4gVGhpcyBtZWFucyBVSyBjdXN0b21lcnMgbWF5IGFsc28gZmluZCB0aGV5IGhhdmUgYWRkaXRpb25hbCBjaGFyZ2VzIHRvIHBheSB3aGVuIG9yZGVyaW5nIGZyb20gYW4gRVUtYmFzZWQgYnVzaW5lc3MuPC9wPgo8cD7igJxPbmUgaXNzdWUgd2UgaGF2ZSBpcyBhIGxvdCBvZiBnb29kcyB3ZSBidXkgZm9yIGhvcnNlcywgcGFydGljdWxhcmx5IHRoZSB0ZXh0aWxlcywgc28gcnVncywgY2xvdGhpbmcgb3IgZm9vdHdlYXIsIGFyZSBtYWRlIG91dHNpZGUgRXVyb3BlLCBtZWFuaW5nIHRoZXkgYXJlIHN1YmplY3QgdG8gdGFyaWZmcyBjb21pbmcgaW4s4oCdIHNhaWQgTXMgV2lsbGlhbXMsIGV4cGxhaW5pbmcgdGhhdCBhcyBCcmV4aXQgbWVhbnMgdGhlIFVLIGlzIG5vdyBhIOKAnHRoaXJkIGNvdW50cnnigJ0sIG1vcmUgdGFyaWZmcyB0aGVuIGFwcGx5IGFnYWluIHdoZW4gdGhlc2UgcHJvZHVjdHMgYXJlIHRoZW4gdHJhZGVkIHdpdGggdGhlIEVVLjwvcD4KPGRpdiBjbGFzcz0iYWQtY29udGFpbmVyIGFkLWNvbnRhaW5lci0tbW9iaWxlIj48ZGl2IGlkPSJwb3N0LWlubGluZS0zIiBjbGFzcz0iaXBjLWFkdmVydCI+PC9kaXY+PC9kaXY+CjxwPuKAnFtUaGUgbmV3IHJlcXVpcmVtZW50c10gaW1wYWN0IG91ciBtZW1iZXJzIGFzIHRoZXkgYXJlIGJlaW5nIGFza2VkIHRvIGRvIHRoaW5ncyB0aGV54oCZdmUgbm90IGRvbmUgYmVmb3JlLiBNZW1iZXJzIGhhdmUgaGFkIHNoaXBtZW50cyBnZXQgYWNyb3NzIHRoZSBDaGFubmVsIGFuZCBhcmUgdGhlbiB0dXJuZWQgYmFjaywgYnV0IHRoZXkgYXJlbuKAmXQgYWx3YXlzIHRvbGQgd2h5LuKAnTwvcD4KPHA+TXMgV2lsbGlhbXMgYWRkZWQgdGhhdCBCcmV4aXQgaXMgbm90IHRoZSBvbmx5IGlzc3VlIGFmZmVjdGluZyBzaGlwcGluZyBhbmQgc3VwcGx5LCBidXQgdGhlIGZhY3RvcnMgYXJlIGFsbCBpbnRlcmxpbmtlZCBhbmQgdGhlIHJlc3VsdCBpcyB0aGF0IHNoaXBwaW5nIGNvc3RzIGhhdmUgaW5jcmVhc2VkIGh1Z2VseSBvdmVyIHRoZSBwYXN0IDEyIG1vbnRocy48L3A+CjxkaXYgY2xhc3M9ImFkLWNvbnRhaW5lciBhZC1jb250YWluZXItLW1vYmlsZSI+PGRpdiBpZD0icG9zdC1pbmxpbmUtNCIgY2xhc3M9ImlwYy1hZHZlcnQiPjwvZGl2PjwvZGl2Pgo8aDM+RXh0cmEgcmVxdWlyZW1lbnRzPC9oMz4KPHA+QnJhbmRzIGFsc28gaGF2ZSB0aGUgYWRkaXRpb25hbCByZXF1aXJlbWVudHMgb2YgaW52ZXN0aW5nIGluIHRoZSBVS0NBIG1hcmsgZm9yIGdvb2RzIHN1Y2ggYXMgcHJvdGVjdGl2ZSBlcXVpcG1lbnQsIHdoaWNoIHdlcmUgcHJldmlvdXNseSBjb3ZlcmVkIGJ5IHRoZSBDRSBtYXJrLjwvcD4KPHA+U2ltb24gTWlkZGxldG9uLCBtYW5hZ2luZyBkaXJlY3RvciBvZiBaZWJyYSBQcm9kdWN0cywgdGhlIHNvbGUgVUsgZGlzdHJpYnV0b3IgZm9yIGEgbnVtYmVyIG9mIGxlYWRpbmcgRXVyb3BlYW4gYnJhbmRzLCB0b2xkIDxlbT5IJmFtcDtIPC9lbT4gdGhlIGNvbXBhbnkgYm91Z2h0IHRocmVlLSB0byBmb3VyLW1vbnRoc+KAmSB3b3J0aCBvZiBleHRyYSBzdG9jayBhaGVhZCBvZiB0aGUgZW5kIG9mIHRoZSB0cmFuc2l0aW9uIHBlcmlvZCB0byBwcmVwYXJlIGZvciBhbnkgZGlzcnVwdGlvbi48L3A+CjxkaXYgY2xhc3M9ImFkLWNvbnRhaW5lciBhZC1jb250YWluZXItLW1vYmlsZSI+PGRpdiBpZD0icG9zdC1pbmxpbmUtNSIgY2xhc3M9ImlwYy1hZHZlcnQiPjwvZGl2PjwvZGl2Pgo8cD7igJxXZSB3ZXJlIGhvcGluZyBmb3IgdGhlIGJlc3QgYW5kIHByZXBhcmluZyBmb3IgdGhlIHdvcnN0LOKAnSBzYWlkIE1yIE1pZGRsZXRvbiwgYWRkaW5nIHRoYXQgdGhlIGJ1c2luZXNzIGhhcyBoYWQgZGVsYXlzIGluIGRlbGl2ZXJpZXMgYXJyaXZpbmcgdGhpcyB3ZWVrLjwvcD4KPHA+4oCcV2UgaGF2ZW7igJl0IHNlZW4gbWFzc2l2ZSBjaGFuZ2VzLCBidXQgd2UgYXJlIGltcG9ydGVycyByYXRoZXIgdGhhbiBleHBvcnRlcnMuIEkgdGhpbmsgd2UgaGF2ZSBiZWVuIGx1Y2t5IHRoYXQgd2UgdG9vayBpbiBhIGxvdCBvZiBleHRyYSBzdG9jay4gVGhlIFVLIGlzIGFuIGltcG9ydGFudCBtYXJrZXQsIGVzcGVjaWFsbHkgdGhlIGVxdWVzdHJpYW4gc2lkZSwgYSBsb3Qgb2YgRXVyb3BlYW4gcHJvZHVjdHMgYXJlIHNvbGQgYW5kIHRoZSBFdXJvcGVhbiBzdXBwbGllcnMgd2FudCB0byBkbyB3aGF0IHRoZXkgY2FuIHRvIG1ha2UgaXQgd29yay7igJ08L3A+CjxwPlRoZSBjb21wYW55IGhhcyBrZXB0IGRpc3RyaWJ1dGlvbiBpbiBOb3J0aGVybiBJcmVsYW5kLCBhcyB3ZWxsIGFzIEJyaXRhaW4sIGJ1dCBtYWRlIHRoZSBkZWNpc2lvbiB0byBsZXQgZ28gb2Ygc29tZSBjbGllbnRzIGluIHRoZSBSZXB1YmxpYyBvZiBJcmVsYW5kIGFzIGl0IG5vIGxvbmdlciBtYWRlIHNlbnNlIGZvciBwcm9kdWN0cyB0byBjb21lIGZyb20gdGhlIEVVIHRvIHRoZSBVSywgdG8gZ28gYmFjayB0byB0aGUgRVUuIEl0IGhhcyBhbHNvIGFwcG9pbnRlZCBzb21lb25lIHRvIG1hbmFnZSBCcmV4aXQgaW4gdGhlIGNvbXBhbnkgYW5kIHRha2VuIG9uIGEgY3VzdG9tcyBhZ2VudC48L3A+CjxwPkFzaGxleSBHYXlub24sIGRpcmVjdG9yIG9mIG9ubGluZSBhbmQgQ2hlc2hpcmUtYmFzZWQgZXF1ZXN0cmlhbiByZXRhaWwgc3RvcmUgRXF1aXBvcnQsIHRvbGQ8ZW0+IEgmYW1wO0g8L2VtPiB0aGUgc2l0dWF0aW9uIGlzIGNoYWxsZW5naW5nIGJ1dCBzdHJlc3NlZCB0aGVyZSB3aWxsIGJlIGEgd2F5IGZvcndhcmQgYW5kIHRoZXJlIGlzIG5vdCBhbiBpc3N1ZSBmb3IgdGhlaXIgQnJpdGlzaC1iYXNlZCBhbmQgbm9uLUVVIGN1c3RvbWVycy48L3A+CjxwPkhlIHNhaWQgdGhleSBzdG9ja2VkIHVwIGJlZm9yZSBDaHJpc3RtYXMsIHNvIHRoZSBmaXZlLWRheSBkZWxheXMgb24gaW1wb3J0cyBhdCB0aGUgbW9tZW50IGFyZSBub3QgYSBtYWpvciBwcm9ibGVtLjwvcD4KPHA+QnV0IGV4cG9ydGluZyB0byB0aGUgRVUgaXMgcHJvdmluZyBtb3JlIGRpZmZpY3VsdCBpbiB0aGUgc2FtZSB3YXkgaXQgaXMgZm9yIHRoZSB3aWRlciByZXRhaWwgc2VjdG9yLiBDZXJ0YWluIGNvdXJpZXJzIGhhdmUgc3VzcGVuZGVkIHNlcnZpY2UgaW4gdGhlIEVVIGFuZCBJcmVsYW5kLCBzbyBhIHNpZ25pZmljYW50IG51bWJlciBvZiBvcmRlcnMgaGF2ZSBiZWVuIGRlbGF5ZWQgb3IgYXJlIHN0dWNrLCBvdGhlciBjdXN0b21lcnMgYXJlIGZpbmRpbmcgdGhleSBoYXZlIHRheGVzIHRvIHBheSBvbiBjZXJ0YWluIGl0ZW1zLCB3aGljaCBoZSBzYXlzIGlzIHZlcnkgY29uZnVzaW5nIGZvciB0aGVtLCBhbmQgdGhlIHBhcGVyd29yayBpcyDigJxtaW5kLWJvZ2dsaW5n4oCdLjwvcD4KPGRpdiBjbGFzcz0iaW5qZWN0aW9uIj48L2Rpdj4KPHA+4oCcR2VuZXJhbGx5IHRyYWRpbmcgaXMgZ29vZC4gT25saW5lIGlzIHVwIHllYXItb24teWVhciBhbmQgc3RpbGwgZ3Jvd2luZyBhbmQgSSB0aGluayB0aGUgZXF1ZXN0cmlhbiB0cmFkZSBpcyBkb2luZyB3ZWxsLCBjb25zaWRlcmluZyzigJ0gaGUgc2FpZCwgYWRkaW5nIHRoYXQgaGUgaXMgaG9waW5nIHRoZSBCcmV4aXQgY29uZnVzaW9uIHdpbGwgYmVjb21lIGNsZWFyZXIgaW4gdGhlIGNvbWluZyB3ZWVrcy4g4oCcSXQgaXMgdmVyeSBkaWZmaWN1bHQgYW5kIGl0IGhhcyB0byBnZXQgYmV0dGVyIGFzIGl04oCZcyBub3QganVzdCB0aGUgZXF1ZXN0cmlhbiB0cmFkZSwgaXTigJlzIGV2ZXJ5IHRyYWRlLuKAnTwvcD4KPHA+Cg=="}
Next week: horse travel, sales and tax: finding clarity in confusion over what new costs the equestrian world faces in a post-Brexit world You might also be interested in…
Credit: Alamy Stock Photo
Library image.
Credit: Lucy Merrell
The group leading racing’s Brexit preparations has advised the industry not to move horses to and from the EU ‘unless
A step forward has been taken to help secure the seamless travel of horses between Britain and EU member states
Library image.
Credit: www.timeincukcontent.com
A ‘digital passport’ for horses has been put forward as a solution to help smooth cross-border travel continue for competition,
The guidance will apply in the event of a no-deal Brexit
Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2025 with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now
H&H senior news writer
Lucy is an experienced news journalist, reporter and presenter. Since joining the Horse & Hound team in 2015, Lucy has reported from major global sporting events including the Tokyo Paralympic Games and multiple European Championships, as well as Badminton, Burghley and London, to name a few. She has covered current affairs and sports news across the full spectrum of equestrian disciplines and racing, as well as human and equine welfare, industry news and court cases.
