''Caution Young Horse'' tabards

golddustsara

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I bought one of these the other day on ebay but someone at the yard mentioned that by wearing it, I'd be admitting liability for an accident?

My baby is pretty sensible but sometimes cyclists or cars can whoosh past which can make him startle - so I thought a ''Caution Young Horse'' tabard might help other road users think a bit more.....

Had a scan on the internet and opinions are divided.....
 

DragonSlayer

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Yes, I've heard that before, I just have general hi-viz on, while my sis has 'please pass wide and slow'....

It's the same with those 'Polite' tabards, a policeman friend said it COULD be argued that you are impersonating a police officer if drivers do actually see you from a distance and think you are!

It's swings and roundabouts, I don't think we will ever know until it actually came to court....
 

fidleyspromise

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I think opinions are always going to be divided on this.
If anything was to happen, as logn as you can reason why you are wearing it, i.e. not because my horse is young and going to jump out on you BUT because horse is young and to give extra room.

I would phone your insurance/BHS and see what advice they give you, as they are the ones you'll need in the event of (god forbid) an accident. :) Anyone on here can give opinions etc but all you'll get is the same info as on previous threads. :D

ETA = http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/horsecare/1374/264016.html
Horse & Hound explains whether wearing high-visibility riding clothing affects insurance cover
Q: IS a rider's insurance cover affected if high-visibility clothing is not worn? Does the use of the words "Caution — young horse" on the back of a high-vis bib in any way impact on a rider's insurance cover? Are there any insurance industry guidelines for what might constitute an acceptable standard for high-vis gear on the rider and/or the horse? And would the use of a defined "industry standard" suite of high-visibility aids attract a discounted premium?

GJ, Somerset

WE asked David Ashby of Amlin Plus Sport Horse Insurance for his thoughts.

"This is difficult to answer from the perspective of third party insurance, as I can envisage courts holding a rider responsible to some degree if they were on the road and had not taken all reasonable steps to make themselves visible," he said.

"I believe this has already been used as a way of reducing damages and assessing liability in claims relating to incidents involving motorcycles.

"From an equine insurance perspective, I have seen nothing that requires riders to wear high-visibility clothing, or suggests that insurance coverage could be reduced or limited in its absence. That said, if a rider were involved in an accident after dusk and no precautions were taken, simply being insured does not remove the responsibility to exercise common sense," David continued.

"I believe there was advice in the equestrian press stating that tabards with wording such as 'Beware: young horse' could be viewed as unwise, since, by their nature, horses are often unpredictable — admitting the horse was even more likely to misbehave simply gives ammunition to those alleging 'contributory negligence'. It also potentially raises the argument, was the horse safe to be on the road in the first place? As a rider myself, I am well able to understand the answer to this, but it is a line of questioning best not provoked.

"There are no guidelines from the insurance industry that I am aware of about clothing (aside from safety helmets), although of course, insurers would expect the Road Traffic Act (RTA) requirements to be met in all reasonable circumstances.

"The use of high-visibility clothing would be unlikely to entitle a policyholder to a reduced premium because firstly, it is common sense, and secondly, the time spent hacking on roads is only a very small proportion of the risk an insurer is assessing on an equine combined policy," David concluded.
 
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sea_view

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I would have thought all you were doing was making a statement that someone to take as they will, I think you would be admitting liability if it said 'Young Horse likely to Spook' or something like that but I thnk all your tabbard is stating really is caution.
 

golddustsara

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Thanks guys, I'll phone Petplan on Monday and see what they think about it....

It's a shame we live in this compensation culture where you have to worry about all your actions.
 

windseywoo

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I use my "caution young horse" tabard on both my horses. One is six and the other is twenty. If people want to ignore the caution and drive like idiots that is upto them, but considering my youngster (not really young anymore but had from foal) is far better in traffic than the oldie it would be interesting to see if in an accident someone said I shouldn't have a young horse on the road!!!
 

Libbylou

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I use my "caution young horse" tabard on both my horses. One is six and the other is twenty. If people want to ignore the caution and drive like idiots that is upto them, but considering my youngster (not really young anymore but had from foal) is far better in traffic than the oldie it would be interesting to see if in an accident someone said I shouldn't have a young horse on the road!!!
ditto I use one on my oap.
 

Dizzydancer

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Hi my dad is a solicitor and he tells me that these bibs although your insurance may say its not admitting liability if a solicitor for a car driver was to take you to court then it would be a major factor and probably would end up with them winning.
So YES it does admit liability, a bit like the "beware of the dog" signs if your dog bit someone, the sign suggests you think you needed to warn people of your dog hence that would be you taking liability for any incident!!
Dont wear one of these bibs you are basically saying your horse is young and likely to do something, just a plain flurescent is all oyu need.
 

Kellys Heroes

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Divided opinions.
I think its a good idea in my opinion BUT wouldn't wear one since I heard that its like admitting you are aware that your horse could cause a problem.
Its like dogs - if you have a "BEWARE - dogs/breed" sign you are taking liability of the fact you are warning people that your dogs are potentially dangerous.
What a mad world.
I'd stick to the "please pass slow and wide" if I were you
K x
 

Paint it Lucky

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I considered getting one once that said 'caution horse is an idiot in traffic,' but decided this wasn't the best idea. (My horse is generally fine by the way just gets wound up if people come past us very quickly or close as a few drivers do and wanted a way to warn them that this wasn't a good idea!)
 

mon

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know some one had a sign made with "these dogs may suck very hard" when told shouldn't have bite in the sign
 

custard

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I bought one of these the other day on ebay but someone at the yard mentioned that by wearing it, I'd be admitting liability for an accident?

My baby is pretty sensible but sometimes cyclists or cars can whoosh past which can make him startle - so I thought a ''Caution Young Horse'' tabard might help other road users think a bit more.....

I think you are better off with something bland such as 'caution' or 'Please pass wide' but your insurance company would be pretty miserly not to cover you if it said something different. To be honest the kind of driver your tabard is aimed at really doesn't give a toss whether the horse is young, doesn't have a conscience and is probably half asleep anyway. The point is just to get yourself seen and if it 'buys' you a couple of seconds ie they see you sooner and slow down then that's a good thing but you can't rely on what the tabard says to protect you, you still need eyes in the back of your head and to ride 'defensively'
 

Hollyberry

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I think we are all in danger of letting political correctness cloud our judgement here. I always wear a "caution Young Horse" tabard because it works, whereas my plain one saying, "Please pass wide and slow" makes no difference whatsoever. If people will persist in driving like complete prats, at speed, and very close to my horse, I am sorry but it is just ridiculous to say that my tabard is telling the motorist that he is in the right in an accident as my horse is a danger on the road, it is the usual rubbish about the victim being at fault as per usual. I will do whatever is necessary to make sure my horse and myself are as safe as I can possibly be on the road. He is excellent in traffic but the idiots who regularly try to cut us up and push us off the road are increasing the longer we hack out and we are actually in a quite (relatively) quiet part of sussex with what should be country lanes. The problem is not the tabards it is driver training and getting enough policeman out on the streets to make sure these idiots drive safely.
 

Starbucks

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I bought one of these the other day on ebay but someone at the yard mentioned that by wearing it, I'd be admitting liability for an accident?

My baby is pretty sensible but sometimes cyclists or cars can whoosh past which can make him startle - so I thought a ''Caution Young Horse'' tabard might help other road users think a bit more.....

Had a scan on the internet and opinions are divided.....

I do wonder if "Caution young horse" would really mean much to your average driver anyway? I mean if they are happy to whoose pass any horse, they probably aren't going to slow down because it's a young one, or even bother to think why it would make any difference because it's young. Maybe I should give the average driver more credit!

I'd wear it, seen as you've bought it.
 

soulfull

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I do wonder if "Caution young horse" would really mean much to your average driver anyway? I mean if they are happy to whoose pass any horse, they probably aren't going to slow down because it's a young one, or even bother to think why it would make any difference because it's young. Maybe I should give the average driver more credit!

I'd wear it, seen as you've bought it.


I used to wear one with sewn on 'L plates' as this is what your average driver understands. Have to say it worked fantastically!!

I had checked with my insurance and they said so long as I hadn't just taken a young just backed youngster on the road for the first time with no company I had taken 'reasonable precautions' so would not be any more liable than without it
 
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Holly Hocks

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I think it might have been 1stclassalan or Mike007 who stated on one of the threads the other day that a horse has some sort of ancient right to be on the highway and that car drivers are supposed to be aware that any horse, despite having a rider on board is an unpredictable animal. I don't think it matters what you have written on the tabard. If the driver is going to drive like a d!ckhead, they will do it whatever you have written on your tabard. I have a flourescent one with the word "Caution" in blue - like the police ones on the back which flashes if I put it on that setting. Doesn't make a *****e of difference.
 

Topstripe

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I wear "Caution Young Horse" tabard as I am riding a 4 year old on the roads albeit he is very good in all types of traffic, since I have only had him since September still getting to know him.

I find its not the tabard that makes the drivers take note.

I rode my 17.1hh for 16 years on the road and never had a problem with passing cars, they always slowed down and if they were coming fast I would just nudge her out a little bit more and that would slow them down.
I then moved onto a 15.1hh 4 year old who was terrible in traffic and they just zoomed past like idiots wherever I put her in the road!
I now have another 17hh ID 4 year old and I find the cars have once again slowed down for me and give me more respect on him than on my 15.1hh!!!

All of the horses above I have used my tabard on, so I reckon its more like the cars respect the size of horse, as they would not want my ID to sit on their bonnet LOL x x x
 

Tangaroo

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I have a letter from my insurance company saying that i would be covered by them if i was wearing a 'Caution Young Horse' tabbard should i have an accident.
I have a new horse who is quite worried on the road so i am only hacking in company at the moment. I wear a plain high viz and hat band.
The other one i have seen says 'Caution Horse in Training' on the back which i thought was quite a good idea
 
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