Letting someone use your arena

[MrsMurs]

Hi there, my best mate has an arena which she sometimes lets me use. Known her for years, I always ask if I can use and never expect.

My friends now had someone else ask if they can excercise their pony in the arena and while my mate has no issues as such, is it wise?

not really sure how to advise as I am in a privalidged position of being able to use it myself but we’ve know each other years.

advice welcome x

 

[j1ffy]

I'd say that it's your friend's arena and it's up to her who she allows to use it!

The only thing I would mention, if you really feel the need to intervene, is clarity on insurance and who would be responsible for any damage.

 

[MrsMurs]

For a casual agreement on using the school would she need insurance?

 

[j1ffy]

For a casual agreement on using the school would she need insurance?

Ideally she should check with her insurance company

 

[MrsMurs]

Thank you

 

[blitznbobs]

It gets complicated if you take money for it nfu cover letting a friend use arena on their standard policy

 

[nutjob]

Mine has a planning restriction that I am not allowed to have other people using it. Insured or not I would also not want to be involved with any claim. You can find yourself responsible if someone else has an accident on your property even if it's their own moronic behaviour that caused it.

 

[MrsMurs]

Mine has a planning restriction that I am not allowed to have other people using it. Insured or not I would also not want to be involved with any claim. You can find yourself responsible if someone else has an accident on your property even if it's their own moronic behaviour that caused it.

Thank you for your reply x

 

[cauda equina]

Isn't there also the chance of being deemed to be a business and rated accordingly if other people are using a private arena?

 

[Pearlsasinger]

Isn't there also the chance of being deemed to be a business and rated accordingly if other people are using a private arena?

Only if you are charging for the use, surely?

 

[Abacus]

I have the only arena in my village and there aren’t any others that can be hired in hacking distance. I allow a couple of neighbours to use it mostly to be nice and also because we have a good community and all help each other. I also really like seeing them enjoying their horses and being able to school, jump etc, and it’s lovely to have a chat as they come and go. I am insured for it but also stress to them that they are at own risk (which is surely not legally binding but hopefully makes them consider not doing silly or dangerous things, not that I think they would). Two of them pay a small amount, which I use for things like buying the odd new jump or fixing the quad we use for maintenance. I believe legally this is justifiable - it’s not a business as what they pay is simply to support maintenance and probably doesn’t come close to covering the real cost. I let one use it free as we have her pony on loan and have been v grateful for that.

 

[stormox]

As its her arena, surely she can let who she likes use it?

 

[Tiddlypom]

For a casual agreement on using the school would she need insurance?

Insured or not, if the arena borrower suffers a catastrophic injury or loss while using the arena they might come chasing for compensation if the arena owner could in any way be deemed liable.

So clear and unambiguous insurance cover is vital, IMHO.

For instance, I leave my arena leveller parked in the corner of my arena. When I did used to let others use the arena occasionally I felt compelled to move the darn thing out of the way just in case someone fell on it. It ended up simply being too much hassle to let anyone else use the arena. Anyway, it's strictly against my planning permission.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

I have the only arena in my village and there aren’t any others that can be hired in hacking distance. I allow a couple of neighbours to use it mostly to be nice and also because we have a good community and all help each other. I also really like seeing them enjoying their horses and being able to school, jump etc, and it’s lovely to have a chat as they come and go. I am insured for it but also stress to them that they are at own risk (which is surely not legally binding but hopefully makes them consider not doing silly or dangerous things, not that I think they would). Two of them pay a small amount, which I use for things like buying the odd new jump or fixing the quad we use for maintenance. I believe legally this is justifiable - it’s not a business as what they pay is simply to support maintenance
and probably doesn’t come close to covering the real cost. I let one use it free as we have her pony on loan and have been v grateful for that.

I would check that out very carefully, I believe that if you charge *anything at all*, you are running a business. Businesses do sometimes run at a loss.

 

[dixie]

I’m very grateful to our neighbour that lets me use her school. Would be lost without it.
Doesn’t answer the question though ?

 

[AmyMay]

Has your friend asked for your advice on this?

 

[MrsMurs]

Has your friend asked for your advice on this?

She asked what I thought and then as always we started on with legally where does anyone stand if, god forbid, there was an accident. You could argue the same goes for me using the arena, however I think we know each other well enough by now that sue understands I would never pursue a claim if I fell over her pitch fork ?

 

[stormox]

She asked what I thought and then as always we started on with legally where does anyone stand if, god forbid, there was an accident. You could argue the same goes for me using the arena, however I think we know each other well enough by now that sue understands I would never pursue a claim if I fell over her pitch fork ?

But it isn't only you who might claim if you got injured- suppose you were in a coma, or in hospital with a broken back, what's to say your next of kin or family mrmbers won't clsim? You will need to be cared for..

 

[poiuytrewq]

So if I owned an arena I’d gladly let people use it. As I do my pony, and here is where I’ve learnt that I may be wrong to be so blasé about things.
The people who actually own the farm where I live and keep my horses we’re not impressed at my friend coming and leading her little daughter round the fields on my tiny pony. They said that if anyone has an accident on their land that could be liable and that they didn’t want other people riding my horses on their land.
Im not sure how correct that is but they are usually very legally correct.
As I have said on here before aswell being suddenly disabled or severely injured is VERY expensive. It can make people need money desperately and persue any means possible, because what else can they do?
Im not saying say no, I would however make sure a disclaimer is in place.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

I'm sure that they are correct. I hope that you have insurance which covers you for other people riding your horses, too. As you say, people who need high levels of care because of an acquired injury need to find a way of funding that.

 

[sunnyone]

What sad times we live in, that planning permission and insurance worries stop us being kind and friendly, by letting others use something we have bought and paid for i.e. an arena on our own land!

 

[Muddywellies]

Mine has a planning restriction that I am not allowed to have other people using it. Insured or not I would also not want to be involved with any claim. You can find yourself responsible if someone else has an accident on your property even if it's their own moronic behaviour that caused it.

Mine did too

 

[Sprout]

My planning restrictions specify family and friends only. I refuse any offers of payment and make sure they understand it is at their own risk.

 

[Goldenstar]

She needs of course to be insured .
If there was a accident she could be held responsible so she needs to think all that through .
Where is the leveller ? I keep mine in my school but am never happy with that if others are using the school what do you do with the dogs mine are loose while I ride might they startle a strange horse a cause a fall .Even horses in the field are a potential hazard having to think these things is the side effect of letting people use your school .

 

[Goldenstar]

Mine did too

What’s the wording of your restriction ?

 

[Wishfilly]

She asked what I thought and then as always we started on with legally where does anyone stand if, god forbid, there was an accident. You could argue the same goes for me using the arena, however I think we know each other well enough by now that sue understands I would never pursue a claim if I fell over her pitch fork ?

Do you have personal injury insurance? If so, and you wanted to claim on it, the decision on whether to sue could be taken out of your hands. As others have said, it's also not always down to you, e.g. if you had a very serious accident and lost capacity.

 

[MrsMurs]

Do you have personal injury insurance? If so, and you wanted to claim on it, the decision on whether to sue could be taken out of your hands. As others have said, it's also not always down to you, e.g. if you had a very serious accident and lost capacity.

Yes I have BHS Gold

 

[Annagain]

Yes I have BHS Gold

That's personal liability not personal injury.

 

[Goldenstar]

There is some Personal accident cover with BHS gold but it’s not what I would meaningful I think it’s a max of 10k and difficult to qualify for.

 

[scruffyponies]

I would check that out very carefully, I believe that if you charge *anything at all*, you are running a business. Businesses do sometimes run at a loss.

HMRC would take a very dim view of you running a business at a loss with no intention to make a profit, since the resulting loss would reduce your other taxable income. They can't have it both ways, so accepting a modest contribution towards maintenance expenses on a non-commercial basis should be fine.