Red ribbon in tail - damage insurance?

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MagicMelon

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I was just wondering, I used to put a red ribbon in my horses tail when he was a baby and would occassionally think about kicking if a horse got too close at a show. But where would this place the rider if the horse did kick a person? Surely its admitting you KNEW the horse kicked, therefore you possibly shouldn't have been there? Opinions?
 
If you have put a red ribbon in ponies tail and they havent seen it, i'd say its their fault. Why would they stand behind a horse that is clearly a 'kicker'? If I had a horse and put a red ribbon in tail and then it kicked someone, I would not accept liability at all.
 
Bears 1st shows he wore a red ribbon just incase, if he HAD kicked out its not you're fault as you wear the ribbon as a warning. Some people are dippy though!!! If I walk/ride past a horse with a red ribbon I steer clear!
 
Anyone attending a horse show should be aware that some horses kick and keep well away from all their back ends. The red ribbon is just an extra warning to confirm this one definitely does.

It isnt a crime for a horse to kick, whether you are liable would not I think depend on knowledge of its kicking, and more to do with how much care you took to minimise the risk - and the red ribbon helps with that.

I know people have been worried in the same kind of way about having tabards with 'caution young horse' for the same reason (should they be out on the roads then? yes of course they should so that the horse learns to be safe on them like drivers learn !). From what I hear, that worry about being auto liable is a bit of a myth, and this one could well be too.

It might be worth ringing your insurance company to get their view, but cant see they wouldnt think it better to try to prevent an incident than to hide a potential danger.
 
And from the other side, you knew your horse might kick and rode it in a situation where it may kick another
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Just playing devil's advocate, do try and avoid taking offense.
 
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It isnt a crime for a horse to kick, whether you are liable would not I think depend on knowledge of its kicking, and more to do with how much care you took to minimise the risk - and the red ribbon helps with that.

I know people have been worried in the same kind of way about having tabards with 'caution young horse' for the same reason (should they be out on the roads then? yes of course they should so that the horse learns to be safe on them like drivers learn !). From what I hear, that worry about being auto liable is a bit of a myth, and this one could well be too.

It might be worth ringing your insurance company to get their view, but cant see they wouldnt think it better to try to prevent an incident than to hide a potential danger.

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You are absolutely correct, we have a responsibility to mitigate harm and danger, so putting a ribbon on the tail is the responsible thing to do
 
If you have insurance the best thing to do it check with ur insurance company - some policies are very tight and having a ribbon in the tail can void the insurance.
 
A clever lawyer could argue that this was malfeasance (doing an unlawful act) Vs. nonfeasance (neglect or failing to do an act which should have been done). Basically you are b@ggered either way, but for different reasons under civil law.
 
I have always thought that putting a ribbon (red or green) in a tail is a sign to others that your horse may be a problem to them in some way, but that it does not give you license to allow your horse to behave in a way likely to cause damage or injury.

This would mean that in a hunting field, for example, it is your responsibility to keep your horse out of situations that might pre-dispose him to kick another, and I would say that the same would go in a warm up arena at a show. You KNOW your horse kicks, or is green or young or whatever, so it is YOUR repsonsibility to ensure that others don't get hurt. The ribbon is there as a courtesy to others, not an excuse for bad behaviour.

That I beleive is the etiquette, I'm not sure about any legal liability implications.
 
The thing is, you can do everything you possibly can to prevent any mishaps, but you cannot possibly stop every fool from walking too close behind your horse.
 
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