Letting other people ride you horse

[056775]

Just a quick ponder really what with how crazy the world of insurance is and also the blame culture

Do you let other people have "a little go" occasionally and if so do you first of all check they have rider insurance?

I've never given it a second thought but wondering if I should be more cautious?

I have public liability through the BHS and BS - just not sure where the law would stand if some one rode my horse, fell, broke their Ankle and couldn't work

Only let close friends come near the horse but there's always that what if...

 

[PaddyMonty]

Interesting question.
I've spent the last 12 years only riding other peoples horses.
Some were regular rides to compete, some just to deal with an issue and occasionally ride at a comp where I've never met owner or horse before but have been asked to take it in a class as rider is having issues.
In all that time I have never been asked if I have insurance or to sign a disclaimer but then I have always been considerably more experienced than the people I'm riding for which probably makes a huge difference.

 

[chaps89]

Never really had anyone ride the old horse, just because there was no real need.
But any freelance grooms I always asked to have their own insurance as my insurance wouldn't cover anyone being paid to ride/handle the horse. However it would cover anyone riding/handling the horse with my permission & not being paid to do so, although the cover is pretty basic.
Public liability wouldn't come into play I don't believe unless you had deliberately misled that person about the horse (ie, known kicker, you don't tell them, they walk behind it & get their leg shattered as horse kicks out) as it is normally as the name suggests - public or third party insurance, to cover people who were not intending to have anything to do with the horse ie, out riding, horse spooks & lands on a walker, walker didn't ask to be stood on/have anything to do with the horse & so weren't putting themselves in the known position of risk like some-one on the yard bringing in might.
I have rider insurance to cover me on other peoples horses, actually covers me better than on my own horse. I barely ride nowadays but for a few quid a month I keep it running just incase & because the lady I am most likely to ride for insists I have it (understandably)

 

[Dumbo]

Unfortunately a girl used to ride my horse without permission when she knew I wasn't going to the yard that day - she knew if she asked to ride him I would have said no!
I did have a sharer for a month or so but she ended it due to hurting her knee (not sure whether my horse is to blame?)
So no I tend not to let people ride my horse but I have a friend coming to stay next week so will let her have a sit on him

 

[Suechoccy]

BHS gold membership covers you, your horses and anyone riding or handling your horses with your permission for public liability cover. So you are covered even if the rider has no insurance themselves, provided they're riding with your permission.

 

[Goldenstar]

I have insurance for the two free lance grooms I have should they have an accident and sue me.
And liability insurance ,two friends ride my horses now and again I have no special over for them though the any damage the horse caused to a third party or their property is covered.

 

[Rose Folly]

It's worth checking with your insurance company. I did, after a livery (who I considered to be as competent as myself and we've both ridden, hunted, competed all our lives) did a stupid thing while riding my horse on a road. She was dumped, and the horse galloped home, smashing a car's wing mirror to bits en route.

We settled the bill between us and didn't involve insurance, but when I checked as to whether I was covered for someone else riding my horse the answer was "yes - so long as no money has changed hands for the ride" - which it hadn't. The point is that it's not so much about being more or less experienced than the owner - it's ending up in a position where, maybe by freak chance, you, the horse, somebody else or somebody else's property gets damaged. I knew of an oddball incident years ago. A friend of mine was riding another friend's horse in a small gymkhana. She was riding the horse from A to B on the showground when it was spooked, and in its cavortings got its legs entangled in the guy ropes of the Ladies loos, laming itself, injuring the rider, and also bringing down the tent, which was damaged. I never heard the end of the story but I know insurance claims were flying everywhere.

So - it's well worth checking. Don't leave it until things have happened!

 

[Antw23uk]

The only other person to ride my horse is his sharer and she has Gold BHS memebership. I have Gold BHS memebership and he is also insured.

She did ask if her 'new man friend' could ride my horse the other day and the answer is a simple no. No insurance, not enough experience and I dont work hard on my boy for it to be undone by a beginner

Luckily I'm on a private yard but regardless I wouldnt let anyone 'just have a little go' on my boy. Selfish maybe but my horse, my rules

 

[micki]

I have a lass ride one of my horses. I asked her to get rider insurance before she started riding him.

 

[zaminda]

I don't let anyone ride either of my girls. The pony I was always happy to let anyone ride, as he is fine with anyone, and if he ever comes back from his loan home, he will be ridden by all sorts. I spend a huge amount of money on my horses, and neither are overly big which limits who could ride them, and they are not novice rides. One is very funny with strangers on the ground even now, and I suspect she would be unwilling to let anyone else on board, the other is fab 90% of the time, but the 10% she is very unpredictable.
I suspect that if someone you allowed to ride your horse tried to sue you, your public liability insurance might not be sufficient.

 

[056775]

BHS gold membership covers you, your horses and anyone riding or handling your horses with your permission for public liability cover. So you are covered even if the rider has no insurance themselves, provided they're riding with your permission.

Ah yes I am gold, I suppose as I work in FS I was wondering if they could come after me for loss of earnings / private medical care

As I said - only close family and friends are permitted - but having a new horse on the weekend and I wouldn't mind some of the more advanced dressage riders on my yard (Im SJ) having a go and sharing their thoughts on him - but with it being a young horse and unknown to me - just sort of questioned if it was worth it...

When did I get so bloody cynical ?!?!?!?!?

 

[MagicMelon]

Nobody ever rides my horses, mainly because I've never felt the need. Although judges do ride one of mine in working hunter classes - I wonder where I'd stand there, if a judge came off my horse?!

I've ridden other peoples horses - usually to sort out an issue or to sell for them. They've never asked me if I have insurance but then I've always known them so I guess they trust that I wont sue! I did come off one in quite a big way last year, I'd just had a baby so luckily was off work anyway (but would probably have had to take 3 weeks off if I was working!), it would never have occured to me to sue though of course

 

[cbmcts]

The public liability insurance that you get with membership of the BHS (Gold), BS, BD and some RC, while useful is very basic and doesn't cover injury to any rider (including you). It has, the last time I looked an excess of £1k which would be hard for a lot of people to find if you did need to claim and in the case of someone else riding your horse I doubt you could get them to pay it. As owner of the horse you have a legal 'strict liability' to cover the cost of any damage your horse has caused.

Also, in the case of the BHS it is an insurer of the last resort *I think that is the correct term but I'm ready to stand corrected* which means that they expect you to try and claim on any other policy ie your house insurance, another riders insurance policy if they are riding/handling and they have one or even your YO's policy if it happens on the yard.

These policies are great to prevent you being bankrupted and losing all your assets at a low cost in a worse case scenario (horses causing a serious RTA for instance) where the bill could easily be hundreds of thousands but for peace of mind I think I'd prefer a really basic, no vet fees policy with a reputable insurer like PetPlan which would probably be about £100 pa...much smaller excess, no queries about whose taking responsibility for the claim, rider injury cover usually included and often a much higher level of PL cover. JMHO