12/11/2025
Keysoe International has recently invested in an all-weather exercise surface. The decision to invest in this infrastructure was based on various factors. The facility will raise welfare standards, reduce injury, will ensure rider and horse safety and will enable year-round training.
The ways in which horses are trained, especially those destined for high level competition is constantly evolving and horse welfare is paramount. A key focus is on training for longevity and to achieve this, horses need variety in their training regimes.
With increasing access to compete at all levels, a larger number of horses are being subject to demanding activities/ training, than would have been the case historically, exposing more to the risk of injury and increasing the demand for good facilities. In addition, many more horses are now primarily trained in arenas, as oppose to being hacked out, or exercised on natural surfaces.
Training in arenas has its benefits; in that a good surface provides consistent footings and so, can minimise injury. But training in this manner can be repetitive, putting strain on the horses both mentally and physically. Variety is key in successfully training horses and also, surfaces vary considerably in their quality, which can be a further catalyst for injury.
The ability to ‘hack out’ or ‘trail-ride’ has been considerably constrained over the past 20/30 years. In part, there are fewer opportunities for off road riding and where such routes do exist, they are often poorly maintained, difficult to access, or are the dwell point for ‘green-laning’ and other dangerous and non-compatible pursuits. The greater issue however, is that of road safety. The roads are now far busier and road users are in a rush to reach their destination.
Many motorists are sadly, not courteous and are oblivious of how their driving style may affect a horse. Due to the increase in fatalities involving horse riders on the highway, the Highway Code has been amended to introduce new laws in relation to passing distances, however these are commonly not observed by motorists and these rules do not go far enough.
The weather and fluctuating climatic conditions is a further key factor impacting on the ability to ride/exercise horses on natural land. Both extreme drought, flash flooding and prolonged rainfall have significant impacts on ground conditions, making it impossible and dangerous (heightening the risk of injury) to exercise on natural ground. These impacts are felt more acutely by professionals and those in the equestrian industry whose livelihoods depend on training, producing, competing and selling horses. However, even at grassroots, the need to maintain a horse’s fitness, to enable enjoyment of lower-level activities, is paramount.
Taking heed of the multitude of changing environmental and social conditions, Keysoe International have taken the bold, and necessary step by investing in this infrastructure and in turn, in the wider sport, where capital investment is limited.
Where the Social License to Operate is at the forefront, through this investment, Keysoe International is pioneering best practice in the training of competition horses and horse welfare and will be extending this opportunity to many more equestrians, who will eventually be based at the site or will attend for camps and coaching.
The all-weather surface has been specifically designed to enable year-round riding, to provide a safe environment in which to train, to improve horse welfare and limit injury.
The facility will provide riders/horses who train at Keysoe International with a competitive edge, which will (hopefully) reduce the ‘leak’ of riders basing themselves in Europe (and further afield) in turn, benefiting the local and national economy.
If you agree with the above principles and the ethics of what Keysoe International stands for, please show this by submitting a comment on the current planning application at the bottom of this post.
Together, we need to make a stand to improve the equestrian industry on all levels, to ensure the future of our beloved sport.
To provide a comment, please follow this link 25/02042/S73A | Installation of an all-weather surface (retrospective) | College Farm Equestrian Centre Church Road Keysoe Bedford Bedfordshire MK44 2JP or alternatively email the Planning Officer: [email protected] If you have any issues in submitting a comment or have any queries about the development, please contact [email protected]
https://publicaccess.bedford.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=makeComment&keyVal=T45RARCUKZF00
