Welcome to the EAG Hub

Looking to affiliate with us? Our online form captures the details required for your BHS affiliation. 

BHS Equestrian Access Groups Affiliation Form

It is essential that the data we hold for your EAG is accurate and current, including the number of members in your group.

Ahead of each affiliation period, we will email your group's nominated key contact with a copy of the information we hold, and ask that if there are any changes to details required, to let us know.  

• Renew and update your group details
• Renew with the same details held on file

At the start of each affiliation year, we want to ensure the data we hold for your group is accurate and up to date. This is to maintain our GDPR compliance, but also to ensure we are contacting the right person with news and updates related to your EAG’s affiliation.

If throughout the year, any of your affiliation details change, please inform us so we can ensure our records stay up to date.

Here’s a list of the key info we have on our database, that we need to update if any changes are made. Equestrian Access Group name

• BHS Gold member for your group
• BHS Gold membership
• Area your group covers
• Key contact for your EAG, including: Email, Telephone number, Additional number, Address
• EAG Chair
• EAG Vice Chair
• EAG Secretary
• EAG Treasurer
• Members in your group
• About your EAG
• EAG website
• Which details you would like us to display on the BHS website
• If you would like to opt in or out to receive the BHS Ride Out e-news

If you would like to review the information we hold on our database for your group, or need to make any updates, please email access@bhs.org.uk.

If your group holds a basic affiliation but requires an affiliation that includes Public Liability insurance, you can upgrade your affiliation at any time. Contact us on access@bhs.org.uk to find out the upgrade fee payable. 

All affiliations include the following benefits:

• Free web listing on the BHS website.
  You can find EAG listings here
• Access to support, technical and legal assistance on access and rights of way matters
• Resources and templates, including risk assessments, safeguarding policy templates, GDPR, event planning guides and more
• Affiliated groups can apply for grants from our Ride Out Fund.
• 50% discount on all BHS equestrian access and rights of way training
  Discount is available to all affiliated EAG members
• Promote your group on the BHS Ride Out UK Facebook page
• Opportunity to feature in our monthly Ride Out e-news
• BHS membership discount
  30% discount on the first year of BHS membership for all EAG members. Please call our membership team to apply this discount. 

Premium affiliation includes all the basic benefits, plus £30,000,000 Public Liability Insurance and £10,000,000 Employers Liability Insurance.

If you wish to upgrade your affiliation from Basic to Premium during the affiliation period, simply let us know and we can calculate your fee pro-rata. Email access@bhs.org.uk.

You must notify the BHS Access Team of your event at least two weeks in advance, or as soon as possible if within two weeks.

Whether it’s a committee meeting at a village hall, a route clearance event, fundraising bake sale, or a pleasure ride, please let us know.

Submit your event notification to us online using our online form.

You can also email us with a our Excel template here, or simply email the team on access@bhs.org.uk with:

• Event date
• Event Organiser
• Type of event (ridden, leisure ride, meeting, AGM, etc.)
• Event location
• Estimate number of attendees
• Any other information you feel is essential

You must complete a Risk Assessment and email this to eventsafety@bhs.org.uk, prior to your event taking place.

You should also have on file an Event H&S Policy Statement and Event Safety File. Copies of these documents can also be sent to eventsafety@bhs.org.uk.

A member of our Health & Safety Team may respond if they have any queries or there are suggested improvements to the documentation. If you need advice or support completing the health and safety documents, you can contact eventsafety@bhs.org.uk.

While this may seem a lot of paperwork, it is paramount to ensure the safety of everyone involved, and to comply with the law around health and safety. In the event of an incident or an insurance claim being made, these documents are crucial.

You can find our key template documents below as well as the Event Support Page: 

• Generic Risk Assessment - Bridleways Clearance 
• H&S Policy Statement Template
• Event Safety File 

Please report all accident, incidents and near misses to eventsafety@bhs.org.uk as soon as possible following the event.

Accident report templates can be found below and on our Event Health & Safety page.

• Accident Incident and Near Miss Form Mounted
• Accident Incident and Near Miss Form Unmounted 

Following confirmation from Insurers, please note that the use of hand tools only is permitted for route clearances. Hand tools such as secateurs / loppers / hand saws are permitted.

Insurers have advised there is no insurance cover in place for the use of any machinery that is power driven (battery, petrol or other motorised engine) and anyone wishing to use power driven tools, even with a training certificate, would need to source their own individual cover for this, or ensure they have cover under the local authority. Power tools must not be used unless additional insurance has been arranged.

Therefore, please ensure that individuals volunteering in route clearance activities are aware that cover is only provided for the use of hand tools only. A full risk assessment should be in place, and all clearance event activity should be logged with the Access Team.

Riding hats and body protectors

• Riding hats must be worn for all horse riding and carriage driving  activities.
• Body protectors are recommended for activities and are compulsory for any cross country jumping.

Current standards

It is the responsibility of the rider/carriage driver to ensure their hat and body protector meets current standards, and their PPE, tack & equipment is in good condition.

• Riding hat guide
• Body protector guide, including air jackets

These standards can be shared with participants of your events; however, you are not required to check hats and body protectors at events.

In addition, all riders must wear suitable riding footwear. Wellington boots and trainers are not allowed.

Age of riders at events

The BHS, the training / host venue, or the event organiser, cannot provide supervision for attendees under the age of 18. Any attendee below the age of 16 years should be accompanied by a responsible adult who remains at the venue for the duration of the course or event. For attendees aged 16-17, or an adult at risk, it is at the discretion of their parent or guardian and agreed in advance with the EAG, the training venue, or event organiser.

• Riders under 16 years must be accompanied by a responsible adult for the duration of the event.
• Riders over 16 and under 18 may ride unaccompanied at the 
  discretion of their parent or guardian.

Horses at events

• Age - All horses must be no younger than four years of age
• Fitness - All horses should be of an appropriate fitness level for the activity being undertaken
• Care - horses must be in good condition, including hooves and shoes must be in good condition.
• Vaccinations - All horses must be up to date with annual equine influenza vaccinations and must be 6 days clear from their most recent booster vaccination. Further vaccination guidance can be found using the BRC Flu Vac Checker. It is at the discretion of the event organiser if they wish to make spot checks at the event.
  

• In-person meetings and AGMs must be recorded with us as an event, and you should ensure health and safety paperwork, including a risk assessment, has been completed. 
• Online meetings and events - you don't have to notify us of these events, but it is always useful for us to know about them.

If you would like a member of the BHS team to attend an in-person or online meeting/event, pop us an invite to access@bhs.org.uk 

We heard your requests when we paused issuing the affiliated group badge last year, and we're delighted to share that the badges are back with a fresh new look and feel. 

Please only use the badge associated with your affiliation type - basic or premium. You can download the badges by clicking the links below. 

• EAG Basic Badge
• EAG Premium Badge

• Hat Guidelines
• Body Protector Standards
• Rights of way reporting for England and Wales

• Risk assessment template
• Generic Risk Assessment For Bridleway Clearance
• Health & Safety Policy Policy Statement Template
• Event Safety File Template
  
  
• BHS Safeguarding for Children and Young People Policy Template - EAGs 
• BHS Safeguarding for Adults at Risk Policy Template - EAGs
• If anyone from your group would like to attend safeguarding training, a list of courses can be found here.
• Everyone Welcome Policy Template
• Everyone Welcome Policy Editable

Advice notes and guidance documents

Visit www.bhs.org.uk/accessadvice for the latest advice notes and guidance documents. 

DOBBIN

Dobbin is the BHS mapping tool for volunteers, created and maintained by a dedicated BHS Access volunteer. Dobbin hosts a range of useful mapping tools from riding and carriage driving routes, data and Project 2026 tools. 

Visit DOBBIN

Access Wiki / ABO's Info

A wealth of access information, case studies and useful templates can be found on our "Access Wiki", also known as “ABOs Info”, including ‘Creating Multi -user Public Rights of Way’ and ‘Defra’s Rights of Way Circular 1/09’. 

Due to the sensitivity of some of the content, the website is password protected. Please do not share this outside of your EAG. 

http://www.bhsaccess.org.uk/wiki/index.php/Main_Page 
Username: Access 
Password: &Bridleways

If you’d like to contribute to the website, or have any queries about content, please contact access@bhs.org.uk.

Our access and rights of way training is designed to give people a sound understanding of the laws and issues surrounding rights to ride and carriage drive in the UK. This knowledge will enable your group to be as effective as possible when protecting routes in your area. We are working to make our training more accessible, with module videos available to watch alongside live sessions. 

Book online here

EAG Discount Code

EAG members receive a 50% discount on our Equestrian access training courses, which usually has a fee of £10 per delegate.

The discount code is: ROW50.
To use the code, book onto the session of choice via the link above and enter the discount code during checkout. Once you press “Apply”, a success message should appear on eligible courses.

Our Equestrian Access in Scotland training series has been recorded and is freely available to view via the links below. 

Session 1 – Introduction to access rights and responsibilities
https://vimeo.com/1013490604 

Session 2 – Access legislation and how it works
https://vimeo.com/1018726742 

Session 3 – How to deal with access issues 
https://vimeo.com/1023288686 

Session 4 – Improving access for everyone
https://vimeo.com/1025511658  

Project 2026 training is free to attend. Learn how to identify historical routes and the key resources used to study them from experts in the field. Find out what your evidence can unlock and how to create a systematic research method to investigate your routes.

Getting Started with 2026 - watch on the BHS YouTube Channel

How to Submit a DMMO Application Correctly – book online

Using Dobbin – the 2026 Mapping & Research Website – book online

As part of your affiliation, you receive a free web listing on the BHS website. The information you provide on your affiliation form is the content we put on the website. If you would like to add or change the information shown, email access@bhs.org.uk and we can update our database and make the changes requested.

In addition to your free BHS website listing, we can promote your group via our BHS Ride Out UK Facebook page. Subject to content availability, your group may also be feature in our Ride Out e-news.

If you would like us to promote your group, complete our online form here.

The information you provide to people helps them understand what your group is all about and why you do it. Ensure that information you share with people is clear.

Consider...

• What are the aims and objectives of the EAG?
• How can your group be contacted?
• Do you have a website, or social media pages?
• Who can be a member? Do you charge a membership fee? What do they get in return for becoming a member?
• What could your group achieve with more members?
• Make clear where funds raised by the group go and what they support.
• Do you produce a newsletter throughout the year, organise events or have volunteering opportunities?
• What could you achieve with more members?
• What type of events and activities do you run? How do people book on?

Social media is an easy and free way to engage with interested parties. Social media can enable you to spread your message and engage with others about news, updates, and information about your group.

If you need some ideas for what to post...

• Share a post about what your group aims to achieve and the location it covers
• If you’re planning an event and need volunteers, put a call out for help
• Share your successes – before and after photos are usually a real hit
• Areas of interest your group are working on
• A Who’s Who of your EAG - share the faces behind your work
• Share a post from our Ride Out UK Facebook page, or the main BHS social pages

Photographs and videos are a key part of any marketing. However it's crucial to note that imagery is an item subject to GDPR, and consent should always be sought from individuals featured in images.

If anyone under the age of 18 features in the photo, their parent/ guardian should give written consent for that image to be used. 

A member of your group should keep a record of the consents, and if someone no longer wishes for their photo to be used, it is their responsibility to ensure that the image is removed from use.

If an image or video includes horses and people, they should be wearing a riding hat, suitable clothing and equipment, and hi-viz if out hacking. 

The BHS Ride Out Fund was launched in 2015 and provides funding for projects that open and restore safe off-road routes for equestrians as well as other users around the UK. The fund has supported a wide range of equestrian access projects, from surface improvements, bridge 
restoration, adding mounting blocks to a route and even opening brand new routes.

Apply for funding from the Ride Out Fund
As an affiliated EAG you can apply for funding to assist with projects that benefit local equestrian access. The application process and form can be found on our website, www.bhs.org.uk/rideoutfund, or email access@bhs.org.uk to request a copy of the application form. 

Ride Out UK celebrates the joys of riding out in our beautiful countryside, as well as raising awareness of the great work we do to protect and extend safe places to ride and carriage drive off-road. With a range of events from leisure rides around beautiful country estates, to online 
information evenings, there’s plenty to take part in and raise money for the Ride Out Fund. 

Rideathon is the BHS’s yearly fundraising event that challenges horse-lovers to go the distance and raise while they ride. It is all about celebrating the joy, freedom, and adventure of riding – and raising much needed funds for the Ride Out Fund to protect our off-road routes, as well as to Keep Britain Riding.

We’d love to see as many EAG members taking part as possible. You can sign up online, visit www.bhs.org.uk/rideathon. 

The Access Fighting Fund helps safeguard BHS's future ability to defend against threats to equestrian rights of way and allows the Society to fight to save equestrian routes through legal action, at public inquiries, and in court.

The fund is used to support our volunteer Access & Bridleways Officers, and Affiliated Equestrian Access Groups (EAGs) who need legal representation at Public Inquiries. The fund is also used to take counsel’s advice to make sure that any action we take in court has a good chance of success.

Apply for support from the Access Fighting Fund
If your EAG requires the support of the Access Fighting Fund, please email access@bhs.org.uk in the first instance, providing your name, contact details and what support is required. 

Our aim for the Ride Out Fund and Access Fighting Fund is for it to grow through donations and fundraising events across the UK so it can continue to benefit our vital access work in the years ahead. Direct donations to each fund are accepted, and organising an event is a great way to raise money as well as awareness of the cause you are championing.

Thank you to the groups who have worked hard and raised lots of money for the funds already, we couldn’t do our work without you! Fundraising tips: www.bhs.org.uk/support-us/fundraise 

We want to know routes you currently ride and carriage drive, places you would like to get access to that you can't currently, and any areas where you are experiencing issues, such as obstructions or problematic gates.

Once you receive your pack, follow the guidance to draw on your map, then return the map to us. If we have any queries we will be in touch. For any routes you currently ride, if we don't already have them recorded on OS Maps as a BHS recommended route, we will aim to add it, so other equestrians can explore the routes you know and love.

Complete our online form and we'll prepare and send you a Map My Hack pack.

Request your pack today

1 March 2026 – 28 February 2027

Yes, the group and members of your group will be covered while at EAG organised activities, including pleasure rides, however, non-members are not covered and we ask that you check that all participants have their own public liability cover in place to protect the individual against a claim made against them personally.

When organising events, we must show reasonable endeavours to enquire whether participants are insured, and particularly if they are not BHS Gold members, then a straightforward self-declaration is sufficient. If this entails a tick box, the name of the insurer and policy number then that is enough for the purposes of the BHS’ own policy.

Furthermore, we must be very careful and avoid the risk that under data protection and GDPR principles that we may be holding, and not storing securely, physical insurance certificates from individuals that contain personal data. If you require further information on GDPR and handling data, please contact us for advice.

There are a range of advice notes, leaflets and information on the BHS website here: www.bhs.org.uk/accessadvice. You can also contact your regional Access Field Officer, the AFO details can be found here or contact the Access team on access@bhs.org.uk or 02476 840515. 

Follow our advice on reporting a problem with a right of way, available online: www.bhs.org.uk/about-us/our-access-work/reporting-access-issues We have a PDF version of this information too in the resources section.

Howden can be contacted on bhsinsurance@howdengroup.com or call 02074265294. Our EAGs can contact Howden directly, but we ask that you cc access@bhs.org.uk into your query.

This isn’t something we assist with, as a constitution is unique to each Equestrian Access Group. A constitution should outline the functions and the rules under which the EAG will operate and can contain as much detail as the group wish to add. There are various guides already available via a range of online resources, if you search for “how to write a constitution”.

Firstly, thanks for supporting Ride Out UK! If you have a look through this page, there is a whole section about Ride Out UK and organising an event. We can provide support for event planning, as well as beautiful ROUK rosettes. Make sure you tell us about your event so we can help you promote it. Contact access@bhs.org.uk to find out more.

Yes. A risk assessment must be completed for all events. You should email your risk assessment ahead of your event to eventsafety@bhs.org.uk. A member of our Health & Safety Team may respond if they have any queries or if there are suggested improvements.

Notify the BHS Access Team at least two weeks before your event. 

There's more information about how and what to tell us here. 

No problem, simply get in touch and the team will be happy to help.

Contact us by phone on 02476 840515 or by email access@bhs.org.uk

Our office hours are: Monday to Thursday, 08:35-17:00 Friday, 08:35-15:00.