THE CONSTITUTION OF THE MANX HORSE COUNCIL

Aims
Awareness and Participation: Increase awareness and participation within all disciplines of Equestrian Sport on the Island. Provide guidance in all aspects of horsemanship to improve sporting performance. Support joined up working across the equine community.

Good Governance: Support clubs in achieving the standards, rules and regulations of their respective affiliations. To represent and act on behalf of the members in all matters relating to the Isle of Man Government, the Isle of Man Sports Council and other bodies where it is in the interest of equestrian organisations to act together.

Athlete Welfare and support: Promote active participation and inclusivity across all disciplines. Ensure Clubs are meeting both statutory and best practice obligations.

Animal Welfare and Support: Ensure all equines on the Island are treated with kindness, are safe and well looked after.

Coaching: Promote best practice within coaching across all disciplines.

Training and Competition: Assist clubs in providing quality safe facilities for members to train and competition. Delivery of a co-ordinated and equitable calendar of equestrian events across all disciplines.

Membership
Membership of the MHC shall be open to currently active riding clubs, organisations, allied bodies or individuals who seek to promote equestrian events and competitions and who work for the welfare of the horse and the training of horses and riders.
Applications for membership should be made in writing to the Chairman or the Secretary and will be considered at the next following meeting at which at which the application will be approved, refused or deferred for further consideration.
No funding will be available to members who have no constitution or governance
Annual donations will be fixed each year and approved at the AGM.

Representation
The full council will meet on at least two occasions each year.
One of those meetings shall be preceded by an Annual General Meeting.
At an AGM a quorum shall consist of no less than 8 council members with at least 2 of the following present: Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer
Member organisations are invited to send representatives to the Member’s Meetings. This may differ from meeting to meeting depending on the agenda – ie Club Treasurer might attend the funding meetings. Clubs are welcome to send more than one representative to each meeting, but only one will entitled to vote. Each Club should identify one lead contact, who will receive copies of all correspondence.
A Chairman for the MHC may be appointed from among the members or from outside the membership.

Honorary Officers
The honorary officers of the MHC shall be:-
• President
• Chairman
• Treasurer
• Secretary

Executive Officers
Will consist of up to 9 officers appointed at the AGM, or co-opted by the committee during the year. Of these 9 officers the following positions will be appointed at the AGM.

• Performance Group Officer
• Coaching Coordinator
• Calendar Coordinator
• Safeguarding Officer/statutory requirements
• First Aid Coordinator
• Development Officer
• Media Officer

Committee members without a specific role will respond to the needs of the development plan and actions/activities as required.

The Honorary and Executive Officers, (the Committee), shall meet at least three times a year or more frequently if required. Officers should attend a minimum of 2 meetings per year (either in person or virtually) in order to maintain their position. Following a meeting of the committee the minutes and action points of the meeting shall be emailed to all members of the Manx Horse Council within 7 days, they will be circulated again 7 days before the next meeting. Copies will also be available on the website and in the Google Docs file.

At a committee meeting a quorum shall consist of no less than four members with at least one of the following officers present:- Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer.

Finance
The Treasurer will maintain a record of all financial transactions in a ledger or similar facility maintained for the purpose together with any supporting records and documentation relevant to such transactions.

The financial year will run from 1st April and end on 31st March each year.

All monies will be banked in an account held in the name of the Manx Horse Council.

Any cheques drawn against the Manx Horse Council funds should hold the signature of the Treasurer plus up to two other officers. Online banking should be accessible by the Treasurer and up to two other officers.

Annual General Meeting
An Annual General Meeting should be held at the end of April
Notification of the Annual General Meeting will be circulated with 21 days’ notice.

At the Annual General Meeting the following business will be transacted:
i. to receive the Chairman’s report
ii. to receive the Treasurer’s report
iii. to receive the Secretary’s report
iv. to receive and approve the Balance Sheet and Statement of Accounts for the financial year
v. to appoint the Honorary Officers
vi. to elect the Executive Committee
vii. to review Honorariums for Treasurer, Secretary and any other officer as appropriate.
vii. to review Annual Donations

At the Annual General Meeting each year, officers who have been in post for three years will be required to retire from their position and seek re-election at the AGM should they wish.

Current Status:
Appointed 2025:
Chairman
Treasurer
Development Officer
Media Officer
Calendar Coordinator
Performance Group Officer

Appointed 2024:
Coaching Coordinator
First Aid Coordinator

Appointed 2023:
Secretary
Safeguarding Officer/statutory requirements

Extraordinary General Meeting
An Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) may be convened by the Committee or by a request to the secretary signed by not less than five members of the council.

The secretary shall give all members 21 days’ notice of such a meeting including the purpose for which the meeting is being requested.

Guidelines
The Council shall establish guidelines which will govern all members during activities organised for and behalf of the Council or riding club, organisation, allied body or individual affiliated to MHC. Any changes to these guidelines must be approved by the AGM or at an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) called for the purpose, by a majority of two thirds voting members.

The role of the Committee shall be to action the guidelines of the Council.

1. Each currently active riding club, organisation, allied body or individual affiliated to the Manx Horse Council shall abide by the rules of their discipline’s respective Governing Body and the guidelines of the Council.

2. Manx Horse Council has adopted the British Equestrian Federation's "Safeguarding Equestrian Sport" policy.

Manx Horse Council and its affiliated clubs, equestrian organisations, allied bodies and individuals are committed to providing a safe and enjoyable environment for children, young people and adults at risk.

Whether involved in competitions or any other events organised by Manx Horse Council or by currently active Riding Clubs, Equestrian Organisations and Allied Bodies affiliated to Manx Horse Council, including activities such as training and coaching events, courses, assessments and professional development days, all these participants have a right to be safe and protected from harm.

It is important that all currently active Riding Clubs, Equestrian Organisations and Allied Bodies affiliated to MHC read, understand and implement the key principles of safeguarding as set out in the BEF policy. Ideally, all should apply that policy itself as far as they can.

As part of this, they should designate an officer within the club, organisation or allied body to be the safeguarding lead and notify MHC who that is. The reason for this is twofold:

1. Developments in safeguarding good practice regularly take place and these need to be implemented at club level by awareness and training, including through regular training of all those in the club to varying degrees, depending on the work they do for the club. MHC will help keep all nominated safeguarding leads up to date;

2. MHC can give assistance to the nominated safeguarding lead in the event that there is concern about specific individuals or circumstances.

3. Each riding club, organisation, allied body or individual must abide by the regulations currently in force in respect to GDPR.

4. Each riding club, organisation, allied body or individual shall comply with the following policies and other such policies and procedures at such time or place as the MHC deem appropriate :-
i. Anti-doping Policy
ii. Equality and Diversity Policy
iii. Privacy Policy
iv. Complaints, Disputes and Grievance Procedure
v. Conflict of Interest Policy
vi. A procedure covering insurance

24th April 2025