StableMetric is operated by Ironmark Digital Ltd, a company registered in England and Wales under company number 17132407.
Registered office:
Ironmark Digital Ltd
167-169 Great Portland Street
5th Floor
London
W1W 5PF
United Kingdom
For privacy enquiries, contact:
privacy@stablemetric.co.uk
This privacy policy explains what personal information we collect through StableMetric, why we use it, who it may be shared with, how long we keep it and the rights you have under UK data protection law.
1. Who is responsible for your information?
Ironmark Digital Ltd is the data controller for personal information processed through StableMetric, unless we specifically tell you otherwise.
StableMetric provides UK-focused horse ownership guides, calculators, planning tools, printable resources, community questions and answers, cost data and editorial content.
2. Information we collect
The information we collect depends on how you use StableMetric.
2.1 Information collected when you visit the site
Like most websites, our servers receive technical information when you make a request to StableMetric.
This may include:
- your IP address
- the date and time of the request
- the page or resource requested
- browser and device information
- user agent information
- referring page
- request and response information
- security and error information
Our web server maintains access and error logs. We also use IP addresses for short-term rate limiting and abuse prevention on parts of the site such as account and cost-contribution functions.
We use this information to operate the website, investigate faults, protect StableMetric and its users, prevent abuse and maintain the security and reliability of the service.
2.2 Account information
If you create a StableMetric account, we collect information including:
- your display name
- your email address
- your password
- account confirmation and security information
- account roles and permissions
- sign-in and lockout information
- any profile image you choose to upload
Passwords are not stored in plain text. They are handled using the password hashing and security mechanisms provided by ASP.NET Core Identity.
We may send transactional account emails, such as email confirmation and password reset messages.
If you select "Remember me" when signing in, a persistent authentication cookie may be used so that your session continues after you close your browser.
2.3 Public profile and author information
Your display name may be shown publicly when you contribute content to StableMetric.
If you are an approved StableMetric author, you may also choose or be required to provide information for a public author profile, including:
- display name
- biography
- qualifications
- profile image
- author URL
- website URL
- social media URL
Information published on public pages may be indexed by search engines, linked to by other websites, archived or cached by third parties.
You should therefore only publish information that you are comfortable making public.
2.4 Questions and answers
StableMetric includes a public question and answer area.
If you ask a question or post an answer, we process:
- the title and body of your question
- its category
- the account that submitted it
- the date it was submitted
- answers posted to the question
- the account that submitted each answer
- basic engagement information such as view counts
- moderation status
Questions and answers are public unless they are hidden or removed through moderation.
Your public display name is shown with your contribution. Where applicable, your profile image may also be displayed.
Do not include private, confidential or unnecessarily identifying information about yourself or another person in a public question or answer.
2.5 Cost contributions
You may submit real-world horse ownership costs to help improve StableMetric's cost data.
A contribution may include:
- cost category
- service or cost type
- price paid
- county or local area
- month the price relates to
- source type
- whether the work was specialist or remedial
- optional context or notes
We also create an anonymous browser identifier when a cost contribution is made.
This identifier is a randomly generated value stored in a first-party cookie called sm-anonymous-id. It lasts for up to 365 days and is used to identify likely duplicate submissions and help protect the cost dataset from repeated or abusive contributions.
The browser identifier is not intended to identify you by name.
Cost submissions are reviewed before they are allowed to affect published figures. We may flag, reject, aggregate or exclude submissions that appear implausible, duplicated, misleading or otherwise unsuitable.
Please do not include names, telephone numbers, exact addresses or other unnecessary personal information in the optional notes field.
2.6 Printable resources
StableMetric allows users to create printable equestrian resources such as:
- emergency contact placards
- horse name placards
- medical requirement placards
- feed schedules
Depending on the resource, information you enter may include:
- horse name and registered name
- stable number
- sex, colour, height or year of birth
- owner name and telephone number
- yard name and address
- What3Words location
- access instructions
- vet name and telephone number
- emergency contact names and telephone numbers
- care alerts
- health conditions
- allergies
- medication names, doses and instructions
- special care notes
- feeding instructions
- feed and supplement information
When you generate a PDF without saving it to your account, the information is sent to our server so that the document can be generated and returned to you.
The application does not intentionally create a saved resource record unless you choose to save the resource while signed in.
If you choose to save a version, the information entered into the resource is stored against your StableMetric account so that you can reopen it later.
You can delete individual saved versions through the resource interface.
2.7 Information about other people
Some StableMetric resources allow you to enter information about another person, such as:
- an emergency contact
- a horse owner
- a vet
- a farrier or other professional
- a yard contact
If you provide another person's personal information, you are responsible for making sure that you are entitled to use that information for the purpose for which you provide it.
Only enter information that is reasonably required for the resource.
Do not use StableMetric resources to store unrelated confidential or sensitive information about another person.
2.8 Correspondence
If you email StableMetric, including through addresses such as:
- hello@stablemetric.co.uk
- data@stablemetric.co.uk
- advertise@stablemetric.co.uk
- editorial@stablemetric.co.uk
- privacy@stablemetric.co.uk
we will receive your email address together with the contents of your message and any information you choose to include.
We use correspondence to respond to enquiries, provide support, consider corrections, manage editorial contributions, deal with advertising enquiries and handle legal or privacy requests.
2.9 Featured Brands and advertising
StableMetric may display Featured Brands or other clearly identified commercial content.
The StableMetric application records basic impression and click information for Featured Brands, such as:
- which Featured Brand was displayed or clicked
- where on StableMetric it appeared
- the date and time of the event
The advertising records within the StableMetric database are not directly linked to a StableMetric user account.
If optional analytics has been accepted, an outbound click may also be included in our analytics data.
If you click a Featured Brand or another external link, you will leave StableMetric. The destination website is responsible for its own privacy practices.
2.10 Optional analytics
StableMetric uses Ironmark Insights for website analytics.
The Ironmark Insights tracker is only loaded after you accept optional analytics through StableMetric's cookie consent controls.
If analytics is enabled, information processed may include:
- a randomly generated visitor identifier
- a session identifier
- pages viewed
- page origin and path, without the query string or fragment
- page title
- referring origin and path, without its query string or fragment
- date and time of activity
- IP address
- browser and device information
- user agent
- approximate country
- entry and exit pages
- session duration
- page view and event counts
- scroll depth
- engagement or heartbeat events while a page remains visible
- file download clicks
- outbound link clicks
- destination origins and paths, without query strings or fragments, and link text
- information used to identify and suppress likely automated or bot traffic
Analytics identifiers are not intended to contain your name or email address.
We use analytics to understand how StableMetric is used, find popular and unsuccessful content, improve navigation and tools, identify technical problems, measure engagement and protect analytics data from automated traffic.
If analytics requests cannot be sent immediately, the tracker may temporarily store a small retry queue in your browser for up to 24 hours.
You can reject optional analytics when first asked or change your choice later through Cookie settings.
Withdrawing analytics consent stops the optional tracker from loading on subsequent page loads and removes the Ironmark visitor identifier, session identifier and retry queue from your browser's local storage. Data already lawfully collected before withdrawal is not automatically deleted simply because consent is withdrawn.
3. How we use your information and our lawful bases
We only use personal information where we have a lawful basis under UK data protection law.
Providing the service
We process account information, saved resources and information you submit through account features where this is necessary to provide the service you have requested or to take steps at your request.
Our lawful basis is normally contract.
Operating and securing StableMetric
We process server logs, security information, IP addresses, account activity and limited technical data to keep the website functioning, prevent abuse, investigate faults and protect the service.
Our lawful basis is our legitimate interests in operating a secure, reliable website and protecting StableMetric, its users and its data.
Community and editorial services
We process public questions, answers, author profiles and moderation information so that StableMetric can provide its public community and editorial features.
Depending on the activity, our lawful basis is contract and/or our legitimate interests in operating, moderating and publishing a useful equestrian information service.
Cost data
We process cost contributions and anonymous browser identifiers so that we can build, validate and improve UK horse ownership cost information.
Our lawful basis is our legitimate interests in maintaining useful, accurate and abuse-resistant cost data.
Basic Featured Brand measurement
We record basic Featured Brand impressions and clicks so that campaigns can be operated and measured.
Our lawful basis is our legitimate interests in operating and measuring StableMetric's commercial partnerships.
Optional analytics
We use optional Ironmark Insights analytics on the basis of your consent.
You can withdraw that consent at any time through Cookie settings.
Enquiries and correspondence
We process information you send us to answer your enquiry and keep appropriate records of our correspondence.
Depending on the nature of the enquiry, our lawful basis is legitimate interests, contract, steps taken before entering into a contract, or legal obligation.
Legal requirements
We may process or disclose information where necessary to comply with a legal obligation, respond to a lawful request, establish or defend legal claims, protect someone's rights or safety, or cooperate with regulators and law enforcement.
4. Our legitimate interests
Where we rely on legitimate interests, those interests may include:
- operating StableMetric
- keeping our systems and users secure
- preventing fraud, spam and abuse
- moderating public content
- maintaining the integrity of cost data
- investigating faults
- responding to enquiries
- maintaining appropriate business records
- understanding basic use of commercial placements
- improving our services where this does not require consent
We consider the necessity and proportionality of this processing and the effect it may have on individuals.
You have the right to object to processing based on legitimate interests in certain circumstances.
5. Who we share information with
We do not sell personal information.
We may use service providers to operate StableMetric.
These currently include or may include:
Hosting and infrastructure providers
StableMetric is hosted using server and database infrastructure required to run the application.
Our providers may process technical information, database records and server logs on our behalf where necessary to provide their services.
OVHcloud Object Storage
StableMetric uses OVHcloud S3-compatible Object Storage for production media storage.
This may include profile images and other media files uploaded through the application.
A profile image intended for a public profile may be publicly displayed through StableMetric.
Zoho Mail
StableMetric uses Zoho Mail infrastructure for production email delivery.
Email addresses and the contents of transactional messages are therefore processed as necessary to send account confirmation, password reset and other service emails.
Messages you send to StableMetric email addresses may also be processed through our email provider.
Ironmark Insights
If you consent to optional analytics, analytics information is sent to the Ironmark Insights service.
Professional advisers and authorities
We may disclose information to professional advisers, insurers, courts, regulators, law enforcement agencies or public authorities where this is reasonably necessary or legally required.
External websites
We do not transfer your StableMetric account details to an external website merely because you click a link.
However, once you follow an external link, the destination site will receive normal web request information and will process your activity according to its own privacy policy.
6. International transfers
Some technology providers operate infrastructure or support services in more than one country.
Where personal information is transferred outside the United Kingdom, we will take reasonable steps to ensure that the transfer is lawful and that appropriate safeguards are in place.
Depending on the destination and provider, this may include:
- a UK adequacy regulation
- the UK International Data Transfer Agreement
- the UK Addendum to approved standard contractual clauses
- another lawful transfer mechanism
You can contact us if you would like more information about safeguards relevant to a particular transfer.
7. How long we keep information
We do not keep identifiable personal information indefinitely simply because it may be useful one day.
Retention depends on why the information is held.
Account information
We normally retain account information while your account remains active and for as long afterwards as reasonably required to deal with account administration, security, legal obligations, disputes or claims.
Saved printable resources
Saved resource versions are retained while they remain saved to your account, unless they need to be retained temporarily in backups or for security, legal or operational reasons.
You can delete saved versions through StableMetric.
Public questions, answers and editorial content
Public contributions may remain available while they continue to form part of StableMetric's public information service.
If an account is closed or a valid erasure request is made, we may remove personal identifiers or anonymise a contribution rather than deleting the entire discussion where this is lawful and appropriate.
Cost submissions
Raw cost submissions are kept for as long as reasonably required for validation, moderation, trend analysis and maintaining the integrity of StableMetric's cost dataset.
For accepted cost submissions, the application removes the associated anonymous browser identifier after 90 days. The accepted cost information may remain without that browser-level identifier for statistics and historical analysis.
Where we no longer need to associate information with an identifier, we may remove or anonymise the identifying element while retaining anonymous or aggregated statistical information.
Anonymous aggregate statistics may be retained for long-term historical comparison.
Analytics
Analytics information is kept only for as long as reasonably required for website measurement, trend analysis, service improvement, security and data-quality purposes.
We may retain anonymous or aggregated statistics after underlying identifiable or pseudonymous records are no longer required.
Server and security logs
Admin-viewable application and error logs are retained for 30 days. Container logs are size-limited and rotated. Other security records are retained only for the operational period reasonably required to investigate faults, maintain security, identify abuse and meet legal requirements.
Correspondence
Emails and other correspondence are kept for as long as necessary to deal with the enquiry and for any reasonable follow-up, business, legal or record-keeping requirement.
Backups
Deleted data may remain temporarily in encrypted or restricted backups until those backups are overwritten or expire through the normal backup cycle.
8. Security
We use technical and organisational measures intended to protect personal information.
These include measures such as:
- HTTPS in production
- access controls and account permissions
- password hashing
- account lockout controls
- server-side validation
- rate limiting
- restricted administration functions
- secure storage of application credentials
- controlled access to production infrastructure
- security and error logging
- protection against common cross-site request attacks
No internet service can guarantee absolute security.
If you believe your account or personal information has been compromised, contact us promptly.
9. Public information and search engines
Some parts of StableMetric are deliberately public.
This includes public questions and answers, journal articles and public author profiles.
Public information may be:
- indexed by search engines
- copied or quoted by third parties
- cached
- archived
- shared on social media
- linked to from other websites
Removing information from StableMetric does not guarantee that all third-party copies will disappear immediately.
10. Generated PDFs
When you generate a StableMetric resource, you are responsible for what you do with the resulting PDF.
A downloaded or printed resource may contain personal information such as telephone numbers, addresses, emergency contact details or care instructions.
Once you download, print, email or otherwise distribute a PDF, copies outside StableMetric are no longer under our direct control.
Check the document carefully before displaying or sharing it.
11. Automated decision-making
StableMetric does not currently use personal information to make automated decisions about you that produce legal or similarly significant effects.
Our analytics infrastructure may automatically assess technical signals to identify likely bot or automated traffic. This is used to protect the quality and security of analytics information rather than to make significant decisions about an individual.
12. Your data protection rights
Depending on the circumstances and the lawful basis being used, you may have rights including:
- the right to be informed about how your information is used
- the right to access your personal information
- the right to correct inaccurate information
- the right to request deletion in certain circumstances
- the right to restrict processing in certain circumstances
- the right to object to certain processing
- the right to data portability in certain circumstances
- the right to withdraw consent where processing is based on consent
These rights are not absolute and may not apply in every situation.
To exercise a privacy right, contact:
privacy@stablemetric.co.uk
We may need to confirm your identity before dealing with a request.
Your right to object
Where we process your personal information on the basis of legitimate interests, you have the right to object to that processing in certain circumstances.
Contact privacy@stablemetric.co.uk and tell us what processing you object to and why.
Withdrawing analytics consent
You can withdraw optional analytics consent through StableMetric's Cookie settings control.
Withdrawal does not affect the lawfulness of processing carried out before consent was withdrawn.
13. Complaints
If you have a concern about how StableMetric has handled your personal information, please contact us first at:
privacy@stablemetric.co.uk
We will investigate data protection complaints and respond in accordance with our legal obligations.
You also have the right to complain to the UK's data protection regulator, the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO).
Information about making a complaint is available at:
https://ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint/
14. Children
StableMetric is not designed as a service for young children.
Users should not create an account or submit personal information if they are not legally able to do so.
If we become aware that personal information has been submitted by a child in circumstances where it should not have been collected, we may remove the information or account.
Parents or guardians with a concern can contact privacy@stablemetric.co.uk.
15. Changes to this privacy policy
We may update this policy when StableMetric changes, when our service providers change or when legal requirements are updated.
The date at the top of this page shows when the policy was last materially reviewed.
Where a change significantly affects how we use personal information, we will take reasonable steps to bring it to the attention of affected users before the new processing begins where required.
16. Contact
Privacy enquiries:
privacy@stablemetric.co.uk
General enquiries:
hello@stablemetric.co.uk
Postal correspondence:
Ironmark Digital Ltd
167-169 Great Portland Street
5th Floor
London
W1W 5PF
United Kingdom