Horse riding school's fears after council decision

Russell's Equestrian Centre rescues horses and ponies through its charity work

The owners of a horse riding school fear they will be unable to look after their horses after being told their grazing fields will no longer be available.

For the last 10 years Russell's Equestrian Centre has rented Lower Russell Fields, seven acres of Itchen Valley Country Park, during the summer months.

But Eastleigh Borough Council notified it in December that it would not be reissuing its license. The land has been set aside for an alpaca walking business.

The authority told the BBC it was looking for an alternative.

Carol Boulton founded the centre outside Southampton in 1974.

It provides horse riding tuition to children and adults, and rescues horses and ponies through its work with The Epona Trust charity.

Six days before Christmas the council emailed the centre to inform it of the decision.

Carol Boulton founded the centre in 1974

Ms Boulton said: "If we don't have a licence we can't operate. If we can't operate we can't feed [the horses].

"I've had people ringing me up and saying 'we'll take one of them'. That is totally unfair. The animals are happy here. They're settled. They've been through the trauma. This is their final place.

"We keep them until they come to the end, and it's not just a question of finding them a place, like an airbnb for horses."

She said there was no other grazing ground nearby, and to keep its riding school licence the centre needed to keep up with minimum grazing requirements.

The grazing land has been set aside for an alpaca walking business

In a statement the council said: "The seasonal grazing licence was issued on a month-to-month basis and the field is now being used for a new alpaca attraction as part of an improved visitor experience at Itchen Valley Country Park, generating revenue for the park's upkeep."

It said it was exploring alternative grazing options for the horses at the stable and would offer grant support.