Privacy Policy 🐴 – Warlingham District Horse Club

Last Updated: December 2025

1. Introduction – Welcome to Our Stable!

Warlingham District Horse Club (“WDHC”, “we”, “us”, or “our”) takes your privacy as seriously as we take good stable management. Just as we’d never leave the stable door open, we’re committed to protecting and securing your personal information. This privacy policy explains how we collect, use, store, and protect your personal data – think of it as our grooming routine for data, all in line with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

2. Who We Are – Meet the Herd

Warlingham District Horse Club is a community organization for horse and pony enthusiasts in the Warlingham district. We’re passionate about all things equestrian, and equally passionate about keeping your data safe.

Data Controller (The Head Groom for Your Data):
Warlingham District Horse Club
Email: secretary@wdhc.org.uk

3. What Information We Collect – Taking Stock of the Tack Room

Just like keeping track of tack and equipment, we need to collect certain information to keep our club running smoothly. Here’s what we gather:

3.1 Membership Information – Your Rider Profile

Name and contact details (address, email, telephone number) – so we can reach you when the farrier’s booked!
Date of birth (for junior members) – because ponies and people both need age-appropriate activities
Emergency contact information – just in case someone needs to know your horse threw a shoe (or you did!)
Membership type and status – are you in the main ring or still in the paddock?
Payment and subscription information – hay doesn’t pay for itself!

3.2 Horse / Pony Information – About Your Four-Legged Friend

Horse/pony names and details – because “the bay one” isn’t specific enough
Veterinary information (if relevant for events) – keeping everyone safe and sound
Insurance details (if required for activities) – better safe than sorry in the saddle

3.3 Event and Activity Information – Your Competition Card

Event registrations and attendance records – who’s jumping what and when
Competition entries and results – rosettes earned and personal bests achieved!
Photographs and videos taken at club events – capturing those clear rounds and happy hacks
Training session bookings – getting you from walk to canter (and beyond!)

3.4 Communications – Keeping in Touch from the Mounting Block

Email correspondence – your questions, our answers
Newsletter subscriptions – the latest news from the yard
Survey responses and feedback – helping us improve, one stride at a time

3.5 Website Usage – Your Digital Hoofprints

IP addresses and browser information – the technical stuff that makes websites work
Cookies and similar technologies – the digital kind, not the ones in the tack room biscuit tin!
Pages visited and time spent on site – understanding what interests our riders most

4. How We Collect Your Information – Gathering the Reins

We collect personal information through various channels, much like gathering horses from different paddocks:

Membership application forms (online and paper) – signing up to join the herd
Event registration and booking systems – entering shows and activities
Direct communication (email, phone, post) – when you reach out to chat
Website forms and contact pages – dropping us a line online
Photography at club events – capturing those memorable moments
Third-party payment processors – handling the financial side securely

5. Legal Basis for Processing – The Rule Book

We process your personal data under the following legal bases (don’t worry, it’s all above board!):

Contractual necessity: To fulfill our membership agreement and provide the services you’ve requested – like making sure you’re on the list for that dressage lesson
Legitimate interests: To run the club efficiently, organize events, and communicate with members – keeping the stable running smoothly
Consent: For marketing communications, photography, and optional activities – we’ll always ask before we snap!
Legal obligation: To comply with financial, health and safety, and safeguarding requirements – the serious stuff we must do by law

6. How We Use Your Information – Putting Data to Work

We use your personal information to keep the club cantering along nicely:

Process and manage your membership – keeping you in the saddle with us
Organize and administer club events, competitions, and activities – from gymkhanas to hack days
Send important club announcements and updates – because you need to know when the arena’s being harrowed
Process payments and maintain financial records – keeping our books as neat as a well-groomed pony
Send newsletters and promotional materials (with your consent) – sharing the exciting stuff!
Respond to your inquiries and provide customer support – answering your questions faster than a galloping horse
Ensure health and safety at club events – keeping both riders and horses safe
Comply with legal and regulatory obligations – following the rules of the road (and arena)
Improve our services and website functionality – making things better for everyone
Maintain photographic records of club activities (with appropriate consent) – preserving memories and celebrating achievements

7. Who We Share Your Information With – Trusted Companions

We’re selective about who we share your information with – like choosing the right riding companion. We may share with:

Event organizers and venues: When you register for events or competitions – they need to know who’s entered!
Affiliated equestrian organizations: Where membership or participation requires it – keeping everything official
Insurance providers: Where necessary for coverage – protecting our herd
Payment processors: To handle membership fees and event payments – the secure money handlers
IT service providers: Who help us maintain our website and systems – our digital stable hands
Legal and regulatory authorities: When required by law – the officials we must answer to

Important: We do NOT sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties for marketing purposes. Your data isn’t for sale – ever!

8. International Transfers – Keeping Things Local

We primarily store and process data within the UK – keeping things close to home, like horses in their home stable. If we do use service providers based outside the UK (which is rare), we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place to protect your information in accordance with UK data protection law.

9. How Long We Keep Your Information – The Archive Stable

We retain personal information for as long as necessary, but not forever – even champion horses eventually retire! Here’s our retention schedule:

Active members: For the duration of membership plus 2 years – keeping in touch just in case you return to the saddle
Lapsed members: Up to 2 years after membership ends – giving you time to rejoin the herd
Financial records: 6 years (HMRC requirement) – the taxman’s rules, not ours!
Safeguarding records: In line with safeguarding guidance – protecting our junior riders
Event photographs: Up to 5 years unless objection is raised – memories that last
Marketing communications: Until you unsubscribe – you’re in control of the reins here

After these periods, we securely delete or anonymize your information – like mucking out the old hay!

10. Your Rights – You’re in the Saddle

Under UK GDPR, you have several rights over your personal data. Think of these as your rider’s toolkit:

Right of access: Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you – see what’s in your file
Right to rectification: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data – fix what’s wrong
Right to erasure: Request deletion of your personal data (in certain circumstances) – the “right to be forgotten”
Right to restrict processing: Request limitation on how we use your data – put the brakes on
Right to data portability: Receive your data in a structured, machine-readable format – take your data with you
Right to object: Object to processing based on legitimate interests or for marketing – say “no thanks”
Right to withdraw consent: Where we rely on consent, you can withdraw it at any time – change your mind anytime

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the details in Section 2. We promise to respond faster than a barrel racing champion!

11. Children’s Privacy – Protecting Our Junior Riders

We take extra care with information about children and young people under 18 – they’re the future of our equestrian community! For junior members:

We obtain parental/guardian consent for membership and activities – keeping parents in the loop
Parents/guardians can access and manage their child’s information – you’re always in control
Photography of children requires explicit parental consent – we always ask first
We follow safeguarding best practices – protecting every young rider

12. Photography and Video – Say Cheese! 📸

We love capturing the magic moments at our events – clear rounds, happy hacks, and proud achievements! We may take photographs and videos at club events for:

Club records and archives – documenting our history
Website and social media content – sharing the joy
Promotional materials – showing what we’re all about
Newsletters and publications – celebrating our community

You can opt out of being photographed or request removal of images by contacting us – just let us know if you’d prefer to stay out of the spotlight. For children, we always obtain parental consent before publishing identifiable images. Privacy first, photos second!

13. Cookies and Website Analytics – The Digital Stable

Our website uses cookies to improve functionality and user experience. Don’t worry – these aren’t the edible kind you’d find in the tack room! We use:

Essential cookies: Required for website operation – like horseshoes on a working horse, absolutely necessary!
Analytics cookies: To understand how visitors use our site – tracking digital hoofprints through our pages
Functional cookies: To remember your preferences – like knowing your favorite tack arrangement

14. Security – Bolting the Stable Door

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information – treating your data with the same care we’d give a valuable show horse:

Secure password-protected systems – strong locks on every gate
Encrypted data transmission (SSL certificates) – scrambling data as it travels
Regular security updates and backups – maintenance like regular farrier visits
Limited access to personal data (need-to-know basis) – only the right people have keys
Secure storage of paper records – locked filing cabinets in the tack room

While we take all reasonable steps to protect your data (and we’re pretty thorough!), no internet transmission is completely secure. We can’t guarantee absolute security of information transmitted online – but we promise we’re doing everything we reasonably can!

15. Third-Party Links – Beyond Our Paddock

Our website may contain links to third-party websites – like gates leading to other fields. We’re not responsible for the privacy practices of these external sites. Please review their privacy policies before providing personal information – think of it as checking the field before you let your horse in!

16. Changes to This Policy – Keeping Up with the Times

We may update this privacy policy periodically to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements – just as we update our training methods and equipment. We’ll notify members of significant changes via email or website announcement. The “Last Updated” date at the top indicates when the policy was last revised – think of it as the date we last reshod the policy!

17. How to Contact Us – Drop Us a Line

If you have questions about this privacy policy or how we handle your personal information, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. We’re always happy to chat!

Email: secretary@wdhc.org.uk

18. Complaints – When You’re Not Happy

If you’re unhappy with how we’ve handled your personal data, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) – the official watchdog for data protection:

ICO Website: https://ico.org.uk
ICO Helpline: 0303 123 1113
ICO Address: Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF

This privacy policy was created for Warlingham District Horse Club and should be reviewed annually to ensure continued compliance with data protection legislation – like an annual horse health check!

🐴 Thank you for being part of our herd! 🐴