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Hosepipe bans in the UK: what does this mean for horse owners?

Carol Phillips Carol Phillips

    • As those living in the UK prepare for another week of high temperatures reaching over 30°C, and two water companies in the south put in place hosepipe bans, where does this leave horse owners?

    The good news is that while the rules outlaw the use of hosepipes for washing cars and watering gardens, the use of a hosepipe for the cleaning, maintenance and general well-being of any kind of animal is exempt from hosepipe ban rules.

    The Government requires that the welfare of animals must be protected at all times, including during a hosepipe ban – or as it is more correctly called a Temporary Use Ban (TUB).

    The first water company to install restrictions on water use was Southern Water, which put in place a Temporary Use Ban (TUB), for those living in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight on Friday 5 August. South East water will also introduce restrictions from Friday 12 August, covering those its customers in Kent and Sussex.

    Examples of what is allowed under the TUB restrictions include:

    • Washing horses down with a hosepipe
    • Filling up water troughs and buckets with a hosepipe
    • Cleaning out lorries, trailers and stables with a hosepipe

    As long as you are genuinely using a hosepipe for the welfare of your horse and not abusing the interpretation of these rules, you should have no concerns. Responsible use of water is encouraged at the stables, as it is in your homes, to avoid putting added pressure on the supply during this period of high temperatures with little no rain forecast.

    If you’d like further reassurance or information, you can contact your local water company for clarification.

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    Carol Phillips
    Carol Phillips

    H&H website editor
    Carol is an experienced journalist and editor, who is also a passionate amateur rider and dedicated horse owner, having ridden since childhood. She has a particular interest in the emotional well-being and ethical training of horses, alongside veterinary matters, having garnered extensive first-hand experience of numerous equine health conditions through more than 30 years of horse ownership.
    Carol Phillips

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