Riding Alone, Should I risk it?

Cadfael&Coffee said:
??? Really? I think nothing of jumping on horses by myself, maybe I'm a bit madder than I thought lol

Most of the time, if I didn't ride alone I wouldn't get to ride!!!
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You aren't mad at all. Most experienced riders ride and jump when there's no-one around but Annielusian is a novice riding school rider so I think she's being sensible to not ride when there isn't anyone around :)
 
I used to go thundering about on Archie by myself, we'd go for full-blast gallops around fields! But, his owner was home and just a phone call away AND Archie was fab. When he did spook they were little and a couple of nudges with my legs he'd go past anything. He'd also stop with a small twitch of my finger, even galloping towards home.
The only problem I had with him was when we came across a nasty 'lads mag' which had been ripped up and left on the roads. He just stood looking at it! It took me a full 10mins to get him past! Silly perverted horse :P teehee!

Ned is a completely different kettle of fish though, he can be a plod sometimes, even in the school! I'll see how it goes, I won't get on if he's at all twitchy or nervous. I could do with some good bonding time with him anyway!
 
I would also suggest that you might not be covered under RS insurance if riding one of their horses unsupervised and something happened.

I ride alone a lot, hacking and schooling, but I am competent enough to cope with most things thrown at me (still yet to master looking stylish whilst doing so but that's another matter lol) and my old lad is particularly steady and sturdy. I wouldn't be riding a spooky sharp type as a novice alone especially if I felt a bit nervous myself about it. No point pushing it and getting hurt.
 
Free school or lunge if you're worried.

I do ride on my own but carry my mobile with me at all times - unless there's someone at the yard whilst I'm in the school.

Having had a really serious accident in the school i'd hate to have thought what would have happened if no one was at the yard.
 
You could have just as easy fallen off Archie as Ned. I know someone who fell off her old reliable horse at a walk and was knocked unconscious in her school when all on her own.

So even if they are placid u can still fall off and injure yourself!

I ride and jump alone all the time. I don't think about the consequences. I could be killed driving to work tomorrow, but no point worrying about it as not in my control!

Just do what you want to do. But if you do do it, don't be nervous and uptight, he'll sense it and it'll wind him up!
 
I'm just as bad away from horses, as with them XD I'm even cautious about having a bath when no one's in the house!

Scary movies aren't scary, but the news is!!
 
AprilBlossom said:
I would also suggest that you might not be covered under RS insurance if riding one of their horses unsupervised and something happened.

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This. Be very careful if you are riding at any time without supervision. I take it the RS does have full insurance for public liability etc, and the owner is insured/qualified to teach? Riding schools have to jump through hoops these days to get all the appropriate licences and insurances. It might seem a nuisance, but they are all very necessary to protect not only the riders, but the proprietors as well. It would be dreadful if something untoward happened and you were left badly injured or worse, particularly as Ned can be a little 'challenging'. It actually does concern me that a RS is prepared to let someone ride/handle their horses without direct supervision. :(
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I've known her since I was 9-ish, so I'm more a family friend than a client :)
However, as well as I know her, I've never asked about insurance, silly of me, I know! But it's not really something that's crossed my mind.

I often just give her a quick text, turn up and take a horse out. I never considered taking Ned in the school alone, untill one day I turned up and the woman I was meant to be riding with hadn't arrived. She said "Have a go in the school, never know, he might do it for you"
Like I said, he didn't first time, but that was entirely my fault. I got on right away and hadn't shown him around. I learnt for next time! He was fantastic.
 
Annielusian said:
I've known her since I was 9-ish, so I'm more a family friend than a client :)
However, as well as I know her, I've never asked about insurance, silly of me, I know! But it's not really something that's crossed my mind.

I often just give her a quick text, turn up and take a horse out. I never considered taking Ned in the school alone, untill one day I turned up and the woman I was meant to be riding with hadn't arrived. She said "Have a go in the school, never know, he might do it for you"
Like I said, he didn't first time, but that was entirely my fault. I got on right away and hadn't shown him around. I learnt for next time! He was fantastic.
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If you pay, you are a client, however long you have known her, as is anyone else who uses the horses and facilities. I believe she should have her public liability insurance certificate, and local authority licences on display in the office. If someone were riding any of my horses (no payment) I would still insist they had their own 'rider policy' in force. This is so I am protected from expensive litigation in case of an accident, and to ensure the rider has some comeback in the case of a serious injury. If someone is charging for children and adults to ride their horses at their premises, it is a riding school and must follow the rules and guidelines for that. The most basic one is proper insurance. The last (BHS approved) riding school I had any dealings with, recently, had a risk assessment on each pony which clearly stated who could ride/handle each one ie, staff only, or staff and clients under supervision. No one was allowed on the yard without a hard hat. The rules are there to protect everyone. Most clients are children, and the parents should be confident that that their children are being supervised properly, and Child Protection guidelines are understood and followed. There is a huge difference between 'council approved' and 'BHS/ABRS approved'. I am getting the feeling that this 'riding school' is rather 'under the radar' and there are few, if any, insurances or licences in place. :(
 
Hmmm, that was my observation too. Any riding school that is trying to encourage a novice rider to go hunting on a 'nutter' (annielusian's own description) is in my mind not responsible in their duty of care.
What's the name of this riding school?
 
in your case OP i wouldn't ride alone, if you have doubts then it's obviously not right for you at the moment.
I always ride alone, same as a few others if i didn't i'd never ride! i always have my mobile with me but i guess if i had a really bad accident that wouldn't be much use to me:eek:
 
My advice would be to use a neck strap if the horse is spooky, an old stirrup leather does the trick.
Could you not persuade a friend or a family member to come and watch you?
 
I'm not a novice rider :P I'm a novice in the school, meaning I'm not really sure what to do in there! I ride him fine out on hacks, we gallop, we jump...all sorts!

Anyway, panic is over! Turns out the hunt will be back sooner than we thought, so I'll only have to be alone for an hour, tops, and in that time I won't get on, just groom and general bonding time :)
 
I would personally let someone know (the idea of calling) but i would decide on the day instead of worrying about it now, but thats just me personally as i often (not as bad now) over think a situation :)
 
I ride alone, but if I am alone at the yard I make sure my phone is in my pocket at all times in case of an emergency. It isn't just falls or horse related accidents, it is weirdos hanging around or needing to call the vet too. I also make sure DH knows I have gone to the yard and roughly how long I am likely to be. If i have been longer than expected he texts to check i am still alive! If I didn't reply to the text I hope he'd raise the alarm.

I don't bother so much when people are around in shouting distance.

But I am also concerned about this riding school, it all seems a bit too relaxed. I can't imagine that they have insurance for clients hunting on their horses or riding alone.

If in any doubt OP take out your own policy. BHS gold membership would cover you if something went wrong and the riding school turned out not to have valid insurance.

Even if they have insurance you are likely to be riding outside the terms of it one way or another.
 
Ditto all of the above. Considering you've been extensively agonising over whether or not to ride alone you seem very unconcerned by your potential lack f insurance.
You wouldn't borrow your family friends car and drive it without it being properly insured, it's no different with a horse really.
 
I ride before work and strangely no one wants to come and babysit me at 6 am lol. I don't jump big or courses alone but only coz both mine are a little bit nuts.
 
I'm pretty sure she must have insurance. There's no way she could do the things she does without it. She's very public in the area and holds several shows a year.
I know she didn't used to have insurance, but there was a bit hoohaa several years ago and I really doubt she'd still be up and running if she hadn't done something about it.

I'd really appreciate it if you all dropped the subject :\
I've had it sorted and I know the plan for tomorrow.

She's a darned fantastic woman.
 
Even if she has insurance you may be riding outside the terms of it if you are riding unsupervised.

This is really important, what would happen if there was a serious accident?
 
If she has insurance and licences they will be on display.
You may be happy to put yourself at risk, you are an adult.
What about the children who are riding there, whose parents may have no idea about such things, and would be horrified if they knew the risks they were taking by letting their children ride at an unlicenced, uninsured school. I'm sure she is a good, and well meaning, person, probably with considerable experience. However, if she is taking money and teaching young children, she needs to follow the rules. They are there to protect children, and the general public.
I'm sorry if this is not what you want to hear.
 
Just wondering, seeing as how riding can be a dangerous pastime, that riding schools do not seem to have to be registered with the AALA like other providers of outdoor sports do to enable them to deliver their services to under 18s. Also, there should be CRB checks in place if children are being left unatended? I am not sure of the regulations concerning riding schools, but if it is a non registered/licensed school, then there is a concern that it might not be meeting those standards that licensing would expect.

I am an outdoor instructor, and to take children anywhere, you must be CRB checked, insured, fill out a detailed risk accessment and if it is a company providing those courses, then they must be registered with the AALA. This regulation came about after the Lyme Regis tragedy. It does seem to be a closely monitored industry, this includes climbing, canoeing, hillwalking, and also horse riding if the centre provides that.

It seems strange therefore that a riding school can teach kids, take them hunting, and leave them alone on the yard, and yet may well have no insurance, no CRB clearance and no license/inspection to declare it safe. There should also always be a duty first aider, but who will check that if it has no paperwork?

All riding schools should have a clear fire drill in place for all to see, insurance and license should be on display and there should be a duty first aider at all times.

Does your riding school have all of this in place Annielucian?
 
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This is the 2nd thread of mine you've hijacked :\

It's ANNIELUSIAN, btw. There's an S in there, not a C.

I'm done talking with you, are you trying to prove you're...better than me in some way? I don't get what your problem is with me.
What the hell do you expect ME to do about it anyway? Stop riding there? No!

I don't think I've been to ANY riding schools that have all that, not one, not in 16yrs.
 
What I will add is that from looking at some of your videos, the horses do all look extremely well, so I have no doubt that the lady who runs the place knows what she is doing.
Sorry I mis-spelt your name, people often do with mine, it's Lhotse, not ihotse, but I don't worry about it.
No problem with you at all, I was merely questioning why riding schools don't seem to have the same strict licensing that providers of other outdoor recreations do concerning children. It seems odd to me, considering that riding is just as dangerous as many other activities like hillwalking or climbing.
 
She often buys complete messes, unwanted, abused etc..horses and brings them back into work with love and care.
She's fantastic, the best place I've ever been too. She has more knowledge that the other places I've been too as well, because she's learnt through experience and growing up in a very horsey family. Some places I've been to seem to employ really b*tchy young lass's, some younger than me!! (I'm 21) they strut around like they know everything and frankly, act very dangerously and stupidly around horses. The place I go to allows not 'horse-play' as it were.

I must admit, I thought it was ihotse XD Sorry!

I find it's very rare (atleast in my area, apparently) to find places with all the correct licences and insurance. I even know of a few places that "closed down" and are still running behind the authorities back! Children and all!

I don't know, perhaps I'm not very health and safety conscious, I do hillwalking and all sorts with no thought about insurance and have been doing so since I was very small.
 
lhotse said:
Sorry I mis-spelt your name, people often do with mine, it's Lhotse, not ihotse, but I don't worry about it
.
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Interesting, I thought it was ihotse... What's the story behind it, if you don't mind me asking?

The limited experience I've had of RSs lately (one local, two in London, I'm not a client, just been on the premises and seen the offices) have all displayed certificates and had notices up about insurance, CRB checks and things. But these are pretty big schools, none of the smaller ones exist round here anymore.
 
Annielusian said:
This is the 2nd thread of mine you've hijacked :\

It's ANNIELUSIAN, btw. There's an S in there, not a C.

I'm done talking with you, are you trying to prove you're...better than me in some way? I don't get what your problem is with me.
What the hell do you expect ME to do about it anyway? Stop riding there? No!

I don't think I've been to ANY riding schools that have all that, not one, not in 16yrs.
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I don't think anyone has a problem with you, or thinks they are better. These are genuine, legitimate concerns. You may be able to take out your own insurance via the BHS - very worthwhile -, but a child of 8 or 9, with non horsy parents won't have that option, or the parents won't even know about it. There have been several high profile cases in recent years, one of which involved a child catching her own pony which was on livery. She was kicked by another pony in the field, and sustained serious head injuries. The Court held the yard responsible. and awarded her over £2million pounds taking into account her very young age and the fact that she will require specialist care for the rest of her life. The insurance paid. Where would she be if her RS did not have insurance? No one is saying you cannot choose where to ride. However, if you had been to an approved BHS or ABRS school over the last 16 years you would see that they all have proper safeguards in place, and just maybe, you would have better memories of your earliest years riding.
 
There's a pretty big one around here, and I don't know if they have it hidden away, but I couldn't see anything! Some of the girls there acted VERY dangerously. Jumping and galloping with no hats on and sometimes bareback too!
Another one I went to DID have everything on display, but were riding in obvious disregard for their own safety! No riding shoes, no hats, even riding in DRESSES! Insurance doesn't mean much if you're killed from a smashed skull! Atleast as far as the emotional side is concerned.

I'm trying to be very careful about naming names of schools or places, I don't want to get anyone in trouble!
 
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