The Licensing Game State and County Stable Licenses
A common question among horse owners in
Maryland is whether or not they must be li- censed. Often this question is directed towards state stable licenses, which fall under the Mary- land Department of Agriculture. Maryland has been licensing stables since 1968, and in 1998 the authority to license and inspect stables was given to the newly established Maryland Horse Industry Board (MHIB). However, in recent months, there have also been many questions surrounding county stable licenses. At this time, only Montgomery, Prince
George’s, and Baltimore Counties re- quire stable licenses, though the defi - nition of a “stable” varies slightly from county to county. Although these defi - nitions might vary, the one common theme among all three counties as well as the state is the welfare of the horses. It is to help ensure the safety and care of the horses that the state and these counties require licenses.
The Purpose
the defi nition. T oroughbred and Standardbred racing stables are exempt from state licenses, as are farms that use horses for agricultural pur- poses, such as working or cultivating soil or herding livestock. Montgomery County defi nes an “Eques-
trian Facility” as “Any structure or land that is used primarily for the care, breeding, boarding, rental, riding, or training of horses or the teach- ing of equestrian skills.” Montgomery County also includes facilities that hold events such as “competitions, exhibition, or other displays of
charging $125, Montgomery County charg- ing $50, and Baltimore County charging $190. Prince George’s County’s fees depend on the number of horses--if fewer than 10, it is $50, between 10 and 20 horses it is $100, and over 20 horses it is $150.
Standards of Care
T e Montgomery County Issue As reported in the April issue of T e Equiery, Montgomery
County recently issued notices of compliance to a number of horse farms it deems fall under the category of Equestrian Facil- ity. T ese letters, issued by the Montgomery County Department of Police, have caused quite an uproar within the county. As of mid-April, representatives from several Montgomery
T e primary stated purpose of stable licenses is to ensure the quality of care of horses, but there is not one common set of Standard of Care guidelines adopted by state and county agencies. However, under Maryland’s Criminal Code, Title 10, Subtitle 604, any person having the charge or custody of an animal must pro- vide “(i) nutritious food in suffi cient quantity,
(ii) necessary veterinary
All 23 counties in Maryland off er some sort of animal control or hu- mane society, however, not all these are equipped to deal specifi cally with equine welfare, which is where the Maryland Horse Industry Board steps in to fi ll the void. According to the Code of Maryland Regulations for the Department of Agriculture, Title 15, Subtitle 16, Chapter 01, (COMAR 15.16.01.01) the purpose of state stable licens- ing is to “insure the humane treatment of hors- es and the safety of horse riders.” State stable licenses are fi led through MHIB and must be renewed annually. T e one-year licensing pe- riod runs from July 1 through June 30 of the following year.
Defi nition of a Stable
As stated earlier, the defi nition of a riding stable as it applies to state and county licenses varies. T e State defi nes a “Horse Establishment”
as “an establishment that solicits or off ers to the public any of the following services: 1) a boarding stable; 2) a lesson or rental stable; or 3) a rescue or sanctuary stable” (Authority: Ag- riculture Article, §§2-701, Annotated Code of Maryland). MHIB further explains this on its website under “General Regulations-Licensing Period & Civil Penalty System” as applying to any stable that solicits the general pubic, has one or more horses and either gives lessons, boards horses or provides rentals. In addition, rescue or sanctuary stables must be licensed by the state. (
http://mda.maryland.gov/horse- board/Pages/
regulations.aspx) However, the state has a few exemptions to
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County agencies, including the Offi ce of Agricultural Services and the Soil Conservation Department, are looking to set up meetings with Tom Koenig, Director of Animal Service Division, to address the concerns of Equestrian Facility operators. Jeremy Criss, Offi ce of Agricultural Services Director, told T e Equiery that the goal of these meetings would be to fi gure out a way to improve the licensing process, create proper training for equine facility inspectors and see if there is a way to get the county and state licensing programs to become more in line with each other. T e Equiery will keep our readers informed on this issue. Don’t forget to subscribe to the News Feed on
equiery.com for updates!
equestrian skills.” (Montgomery County Code, Chapter 59-3.2.4A) Baltimore County uses the term “Commer-
cial Stable” when defi ning stables that need a county stable license. However, “Commercial Stable” is defi ned as “a facility that, with or without charge, provides: riding instruction on horses, ponies, donkeys, mules or burros, or boarding for horses, ponies, donkeys, mules or burros.” Baltimore County also includes facili- ties that off er horses, ponies, donkeys, mules or burros “for hire” under the defi nition of Com- mercial Stable, and any facility that is “engaged in the business of buying, selling or trading horses, ponies, donkeys, mules or burros.” (Bal- timore County Code of Ordinances, Article 12, Title 1, Subtitle 1, 12-1-101) In Prince George’s County, a stable is re-
ferred to as a “Riding School or Stable” and defi nes these as “any place at which horses are boarded or displayed; or which has horses available for hire or riding instruction or pony rides; or which regularly buys, sells, trains, or trades horses, ponies, donkeys, mules, or burros, including any T oroughbred racetrack, trotting track, or rodeo.” (Prince George’s County Code of Ordinances, Section 3, Division 1.70). T e fees for licenses also vary, with the State
care, (iii) proper drink, (iv) proper air, (v) proper space, (vi) proper shelter; or (vii) protection from the weather.” T e Maryland Horse Council has
created a “Guide to Minimum Stan- dards of Care for Equines” that inter- prets and fl eshes out these statutory standards of care. T is Horse Council document has been used extensively in Maryland courts as well as in courts in other states in adjudicating equine cru- elty and neglect cases. It is also used as a reference document by animal con- trol and humane society personnel. MHIB lists equine specifi c standards
of care under COMAR 15.16.01.07 Licensing Requirements, which include all of the above as well as some additions, such as preventing ex- cessive manure accumulation and the control of fl ies and rodents. T ere are also general require- ments related to fencing used to confi ne horses, maintaining clean stalls, and making sure that stable tools are properly stored when not in use. In addition, MHIB has a section of Special Re- quirements related to boarding, rescue/sanctuary and lesson/rental classifi cations, in particular with regard to the use, handling and equipment of lesson and rental horses. In Baltimore County, Commercial Stables fall under the “holding facility” regulations and must comply with the minimum standards found in Section 12-6-103. T ese standards are quite similar to the State, though are geared to- wards all types of animals. Prince Geroge’s County has a separate sec- tion specifi cally for standards for riding schools and stables under Section 3-173. Some of its requirements are more specifi c, such as stat- ing that proper shelter is “an enclosure with at least three solid walls and a solid roof.” It also specifi es, “stacked manure piles shall not be al- lowed to stand for a period in excess of four
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