Informal teaching question...

[jumpthemoon]

I occasionally give my friend lessons for a small fee. She has rider insurance and the lessons are on her own horse, but am I in danger of being in trouble if anything went wrong?

 

[JACQSZOO]

If you are taking money - then yes I think you may be.

 

[Weezy]

Yes I think so too - you need to have liability insurance I believe to protect yourself.

 

[jumpthemoon]

Do I need special teaching insurance? What about if she signed a disclaimer? It seems a lot of trouble to go to to insure myself when I only teach her once a month or so.

 

[Weezy]

Is she a minor? If so then you need to deal with the parents. I think it is all a load of claptrap, but one has to protect oneself in these days of litigation sadly

 

[bex1984]

How about if she volunteers to help out with your horses instead? ; )

Sure she will happily sign a disclaimer though because your help is very much appreciated : )

 

[jumpthemoon]

she's not a minor - she's about 23. She is a novice, but all we do is a few serpentines and transitions etc. It's not as if I'm whacking up 4ft 6in fences for her! I know she is covered for personal accident so if I got her to sign a disclaimer, do you think that would be enough? I'm not going to get insurance, I'll just have to stop helping her, but it seems a shame. It's not like I'm really making any money out of it, either - it probably covers my diesel

 

[jumpthemoon]

Haha, hello! I wondered if you'd be on here! I was thinking about it the other day because you know what YO is like. Not that I think for a second that that would happen, but it's not always in your control, is it?

 

[bex1984]

Definitely no 4ft 6 fences!!!

If it were me you were teaching (ahem...) I would happily sign a disclaimer to say I totally take responsibility for myself and if I am foolish enough to fall off my pony (again, ahem...) it is totally my fault.

 

[jumpthemoon]

Well, if it were you I was teaching it looks like I'd be okay! I'll have to ask the person in question and see if she is as accommodating as you are (ahem..)

I do think all this mollycoddling is way OTT!

 

[bex1984]

We'll have to do it like a dodgy drug deal, not let anyone see money changing hands.

 

[eventing_chick]

[ QUOTE ]
I occasionally give my friend lessons for a small fee. She has rider insurance and the lessons are on her own horse, but am I in danger of being in trouble if anything went wrong?

[/ QUOTE ]
Yes absolutly.

 

[Rowreach]

The issue here is that you are taking money (however little) for teaching her, which means you are potentially liable if she has an accident as a result of your negligence (not saying you would be, but you know what I mean!). If you are just a friend giving another friend a bit of help with no money changing hands, then no problem. A disclaimer unfortunately gives you no cover in law, and is really not worth the paper it's written on.

Sadly, even if your friend is not the sort to sue you in the event of an accident, the reality is that if she suffers some horrible injury and is off work for months on end, she may have no choice financially other than to try and recoup some money from you.

I taught people for years without insurance, but times change, and eventually I decided to get qualified and insured in order to carry on teaching. Otherwise I would have stopped.

It's such a shame, because you are only trying to help someone out, but you risk losing literally everything if something goes wrong.

 

[jumpthemoon]

Thanks everyone. I think we are going to reconsider how we do things until I can get qualified/insured. I'm glad I put the post on - God forbid anything went wrong I wouldn't like to be in a position where I was liable.