following on from 15 and unders hacking...

[catwithclaws]

im 23 and often hack out with u16's on my yard - luckily they both ride very well and have reasonably sensible horses.

however if there WAS to be some form of accident - would i be held as the 'responsible/supervising adult'??

there is a new girl started sharing a horse on our yard but she is only 12 and i've not seen her ride - if it was the case that i was the 'responsible adult' then it would worry me to be riding out with her - however there is a rule on our yard that u16s cannot ride without an adult on the yard, so bit of a catch 22??

obviously if thats not the case then i don't need to worry

 

[Jazzy B]

when I worked on a riding school I was able to escort hacks from the age of 15 and that was with a second escort too. When I was 16 I was able to take out hacks on my own, but that was on safe well schooled horses and insured horses/clients. Personally these days, I would never take anyone out I didn't know really well! Too many risks and couldn't cope with parent come back... If it was someone who I knew and who was a confident rider then of course but I would never take responsibility for them or their horse.

 

[RuthM]

From the time I was an adult I hacked out with yard helps and the owner's daughter. I was in charge, I would always have acted in a protective way and wouldn't be riding with any kid that didn't respect/understand that.

It's impossible to prevent bad things happening but an adult with a kid does have a moral obligation to watch out for them, any adult, any kid. I'd stop a complete stranger's child running on to the road if I was there (not on a horse).

The thought of legalities is secondary to just what's basically right to do. These days, if I was with any other child - anywhere not just riding, I probably would make where I stand explicit and talk to parents first rather than just roll with it. That's possibly a hang over from work since I left horses though.

 

[Shay]

I'm the parent of a 13 year old who regulalrly hacks out both with others her age and with over 16's. (Not all at the same time!) She took her BHS Riding and Road Safety earlier in the year - 12 is the minimum age. She has been riding since she was 3. I trust her and I trust the horse. She also hunts, often without an accompanying adult as I can no longer ride having broken my back in a fall a number of years ago - but always with the permission of the feild master who knows her fairly well after the last 3 seasons.

Accidents happen. Horses are horses. I would never hold one of those with her accountable for anything. She goes out in a group so that if there is an incident hopefully someone is still alive to call for help. (And horses prefer being in groups!)

There are people I don't allow her to hack out with becuase I am not satisfied they are safe. And thier age has nothing to do with it.

Parents need to be responsible. Other than in a riding school situation I cannot see how a parent can have any formal comeback against others also on a hack any more than they could if a group of freinds out in town had a car accident or whatever. But I do understand non horsey parents could make life a bit difficult!

But my point is - don't cut the kids off without someone to hack with just because they are kids. Look at the whole picture.