Negligent dog-walker held liable for rider’s life-changing injuries in legal case that could help others

[skinnydipper]

Negligent dog-walker held liable for rider’s life-changing injuries in legal case that could help others - Horse & Hound

A rider who suffered life-changing injuries when her horse was spooked by dogs out with a professional walker hopes her legal case may help prevent other such situations. International grand prix dressage rider Melissa Smith suffered a smashed pelvis, broken back and head injury when her mare...

www.horseandhound.co.uk

 

[Clodagh]

Thank you for sharing that. Sadly to me it seems completely obvious that your dog should be under complete control when off leash in public areas. How can that even be a debatable fact?
If you knew your car had no brakes and you drove into someone you’d be responsible, you’d think? Or even if you couldn’t hold your horse and it ran over an under control dog, you’d be responsible.

 

[AShetlandBitMeOnce]

I do often see hat cams of people blaming traffic for things when I actually think the horse they are riding isn't prepared enough to be out on the public roads.
We cannot expect the countryside and world around us to bend to our every whim because we chose to sit on 600kg prey animals, especially if you have not done the groundwork to prepare your horse to face that world in an appropriate manner.

That being said, a mutual respect should be had and of course having out of control dogs is something that just shouldn't happen.

 

[bonny]

Sounds like it was relevant that it was a dog walker with multiple dogs and insurance.

 

[Exasperated]

Sounds like it was relevant that it was a dog walker with multiple dogs and insurance.

Only in that someone who does this for a living should know better.
Professional these people ain’t - some more responsible than than others, and at least this one had some insurance - but there is no professional body, no essential training and qualification, no continual professional development, no code of practice, no compulsory insurance - nothing professional about them, whatsoever.
They are commercial dog walkers, pure and simple, and HMRC increasingly interested in taxation issues.
If you have any dog in a public area, it needs to be drop-instant under voice control, or on a lead. If you can’t manage that, keep it on your own property or in a ‘dog park’.
There’s been an explosion of pet dogs, completely unmatched by numbers of owners who can deal with them, and the carnage to other people, animals, dogs, wildlife, the environment, is incalculable.