Riding schools

summertoots

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If it were not for the number of liveries we have now we would have folded too. We are slowly winding down the RS as the money it makes hardly covers the cost of the insurance.
I feel so sad about this as where are children going to learn to ride and what are the long term effects on horse wellfare.

We used to allow kids to help out at weekends and this gave them the knowledge and experience to go on and look after a pony of their own well. Now we just cant risk it, everything we do has to be acording to strickt H&S rules.
I also teach someone who I know has said to others that if she was ever to have a bad accident she would sue. I risk asses her constantly and her progress is so slow, as I dare not push her even slightly. I think her attitude is terrible, she should have her own rider insurance if she is sensible, and she should not ride if she cant accept that at some point she will fall off, and even a simple fall can cause big injuries.
If the yard was mine I would make it a rule that all riders have a insurance policy in place, as it is I advise any new clients that this is a high risk sport and even though we do our utmost to ensure they are as safe as posible I can not promise the horse will never do something unpredictable.
 

Mellymoo1

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I think long term it will have a serious knock on effect to the whole of the equestrian world. If there is no access for kids to go and learn to ride, less people will be keeping horses in a generations time.

Such a shame...
 

k1963

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I read an article today on the subject & felt saddened . I came from a non horsy family & was invited by a friend to go riding with her . I was hooked & have fond memories of helping out at the riding school in the holidays . I learned so much about the care of horses , that I would never had the chance to otherwise .
We were well supervised , but used to do daft things when we thought we were not being watched - but I learnt the hard way!
I was bitten , kicked , fell off , got concussion , etc , but I still loved every minute !
Providing riding schools use common sense & don't put a nervous novice on a flighty youngster , parents have to accept that riding is risky . My Mum would never watch me as it worried her , but she had the good sense to let me ride as she knew how much I loved it .
Adults taking up riding should know the risks ( or at least be told of them ) & take out insurance should they wish .

I read that this is not so much of a problem in the USA , as the riders take out some form of ' disclaimer' - not sure what it is though ?
 

Lvrees

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It is very sad, I'm a freelance riding instructor and teach in a riding school, and you have to be so carefull with your pupils. Its not the same anymore, you have to double think everything. When I was younger I used to work at another riding school in south wales, and I used to be able to wack the jumps up, get them going over them bareback, no hands etc!! Wouldnt even dream of that now, my level 5 groups dont jump bigger than about 2 foot!!! Wouldnt contemplate taking their stirrups away whilst jumping let alone their saddles!!!
I dont think children I teach are as brave as they used to be either as they are wrapped in cotton wool all the time.

Very very sad.
 

k1963

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I wasn't a brave rider , but the riding school had a part TB pony who was a nutter . I was given him to ride & by the end of the summer , he didn't even bother trying to buck me off (head between legs type of buck) as I got to know when & where he'd try it and was ready for him . I felt quite proud of myself !

I should add that he wasn't used for beginners & I didn't tell my Mum about his ' wicked ways !'
 

JessPickle

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Its so sad, why do people never consider the fact its a risk sport and that all animals are unpredictable

My riding school (where pickle is a livery) relies of the working liveries and other liveries for money without them they would be gone
 

Mid

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We went to a Riding School before we got our three, and in the last few months we'd begun to notice all the things that you weren't allowed to do because of H&S.

No putting on bridles, brushing/washing tails, or picking out feet. I and the other 'saturday clubbers' had always done it, for years and years, but nope, not any more. This left the three allready overworked staff to do everything, and so we were always behind schedule. No riding without stirrups, which imo is pretty important for balance. Absolutely NO riding bareback, even in the arena. Hats must be worn on site. Okay, seems sensible? Nope. Even in the tack room or reception, even on the hottest summers day, in the arena when it was empty... We all had to wear a BHS approved riding hat.

Money was stretched too. Prices had to go up to cover insurance, clients were lost... The whole point of a riding school, in my opinion, was for people who didn't or couldn't afford to have their own horses. But because of H&S you couldn't do ANYTHING. It just wasn't fun anymore.
 

Llwyncwn

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So very sad. When I was a kid, coming from a non horsey family who wouldnt buy me a ponio
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I would beg, borrow and steal just to be near the r/s horses. I learned to groom, muck out, lead, tack up etc. Surely, this is where you learn your basic skills?

Now, having a place of my own, if I were to help someone in the school with tips, or even put jumps up - I would be held liable as it would be considered I was teaching!

How are kids going to become street wise around horses.

The world has gone mad
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Enfys

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A friend of my daughters wanted to ride our pony at the yard we were at, I was advised not to even let her sit on the pony as it would be construed as me teaching her and if anything happened both the yard, and I could be held accountable. What's the world coming to?
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As everyone says, it's frightening the way things are going.
 

Olliedog

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When I joined my riding school I had to sign a disclaimer. You also have to do this if you ever want to compete or if you are at a trail riding centre. I don't know what the preminums are at the moment, but I do know that when one of the big insurance companies collapsed premiums went through the roof, almost to the point that it would have been way too expensive to run most of the competitions anymore. [ QUOTE ]
No putting on bridles, brushing/washing tails, or picking out feet. I and the other 'saturday clubbers' had always done it, for years and years, but nope, not any more. This left the three allready overworked staff to do everything, and so we were always behind schedule. No riding without stirrups, which imo is pretty important for balance. Absolutely NO riding bareback, even in the arena. Hats must be worn on site. Okay, seems sensible? Nope. Even in the tack room or reception, even on the hottest summers day, in the arena when it was empty... We all had to wear a BHS approved riding hat.


[/ QUOTE ]
That is appalling!!!
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I now realise how lucky we are down here
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evsj

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I echo everyone else's sentiments. Chris Evans was talking about it on radio 2 (showing my age now!) last night but i missed most of the debate due to reaching the yard.

i definately learned my secure seat through all sorts of riding without stirrups/reins/eyes shut! and often over jumps. now i am suprised to hear of kids who don't like jumping which was never the case when i was younger, we were totally gung-ho and i would jump anything and everything i could persuade my pony to do.
i did every saturday at cerney wick stables in gloucestershire for about 4 years - despite the cold wet winter days and getting bitten or stood on by naughty ponies, it was about the only chance i had to learn, coming from a non-horsey family.

it is so sad that the 'where there's a blame, there's a claim' attitude has infiltrated every area of our lives. does this mean parents would be happier to see their children safely linked up to video games all weekend, turning their brains to mush rather than getting fresh air, learning and having FUN? I too feel very lucky to have enjoyed being with ponies without the health and safety madness we now have.

Maybe one day common sense will prevail and this situation will go into reverse when people start to take responsibility for their own lives.
 

darksided

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QR the disclaimer idea seems pretty good, personally I'd be delighted to sign one, if it meant I could actually do something other than the ordinary, repetitive activities we do week after week.
tbh I feel like my riding is getting worse, we cannot canter without stirrups, we never jump. How the hell are kids supposed to learn to ride if they can't do stuff like that?
I'd say that in the past 3/4 years I've jumped about 3 times, which is just apalling. Dents the confidence aswell.
 

Erray

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I run a trekking centre and make everyone sign a disclaimer to say they know the risks etc, it also asks their riding experience and states that I will not place them on a pony unsuitable and that they have to wear a hard hat, no jewellery etc. This does not however mean they can't still sue me.

[ QUOTE ]
If the yard was mine I would make it a rule that all riders have a insurance policy in place,

[/ QUOTE ]
I think that this is the way it will go, it will not be too bad for riding schools who have alot of regular riders but it will ruin me as I rely on people who are just on holiday and looking for something to fill their time for an hour.
 

tiggersdad

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No amount of form filling or disclaimers will make the riding schools any safer as the most dangerous thing is the money grabbing compensation seeker. This is widespread in our society where it is more acceptable to have the highest level of obesity in children than actually doing something which would make them motivated , fit and healthy. I have ridden in America where suing is commonplace, health and safety is down to yourself but you have to sign a disclaimer which prevents you suing. The law needs to be changed here so that commonsense would prevail that you are participating in a risk sport and you would expect to be hurt. A disclaimer here does not stop you suing as you cannot sign away your rights.
 

Dutch

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I think if the horses are deemed suitable and people have to be careful and also wear suitable clothing etc then there isn't a problem.

It is very sad that people are so litigious. I used to escort hacks out when I was younger at a riding school, a man fell off a horse which I was watching and I literally have no idea how he fell of considering he said he was experienced and we were trotting slowly.....he tried to sue the riding school because his "designer watch" worth £10,000 had been broken...well then don't wear something like that when you ride then! Dumb ass! I don't think he got anywhere with it but thin how many people will never get the chance to ride regularly or on holiday if riding schools don't exist.

Also what will the horses do who might not be suitable for competition use but have hearts of gold and love nothing more than taking beginners and intermediate riders hacking?

I say that people should have more sense really!
 

Dutch

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[ QUOTE ]
I think its sad cause i think we all started to learn in riding schools and without them we would all be without our horses!

[/ QUOTE ]

Absolutely, and who hasn't taken a knock, galloped up the hill, jumped a huge log and then fallen off a some point? We all have and did as kids, but that is a risk you take...athough as a child I think we used to ride probably a bit fast but more rides went right than went wrong! I must say I'd hate to fall off now, I fell off the Grand prix dressage horse a couple of years ago but it wasn't his fault, a terrier came zooming out of the bushes when we were cantering and he stopped dead and turned around and I fell off. Certainly not his or his owners fault. I brushed my shocked self off and continued. I wasn't hurt but I was insured anyway.

Dutch
 

emma69

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I would hate to see true cases of negligence 'get away with it' if we brought in a system similar to the American one. I was hurt by an instructor's incompetence, and although I didn't sue, I think the ability to claim against that incompetence should be there - had I broken my back rather than my arm, for example, and needed care for the rest of my life, there should be a route for this. As it was the horse and I were fine, but it was clearly the instructor's fault (independent witnesses etc) but it could easily have been much worse.
 

Moggy in Manolos

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Bureaucracy does my head in, where i currently work there is so much bloody red tape (though i am leavng there soon, into the world of temping!) its such a shame we have all this blame and claim culture now, a real shame
 

sunflower

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QR - I think it is a huge shame as I rely on riding schools at the moment for 90% of the riding I do. I do think that people need to realsie it is a risk sport and that accidents do happen, however riding schools do have a responsibility to take every reasonable precaution to ensure the safety of their clients. They should provide suitable horses and instruction for your level. I have been to riding schools where I was put on a completely unsuitable horse for the level of the lesson and was put in a group lesson with no assessment of my ability. The last few schools I have been to insist on 2-3 private lessons initially to assess ability etc in order to find a suitable group if group lessons were wanted.
As for the not riding without stirrups etc, though I agree that this is partially to do with safety I also think the methods of teaching have changed with more emphasis now placed on establishing a secure and independent seat before work without stirrups / jumping etc and don't want beginners bouncing round while trotting without stirrups putting more strain on the horses back while jabbing them in the mouth.
 

teapot

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Sunflower sums up my feelings exactly towards RSs even down to the same experiences.

Think if RSs do the best they can, people can still have fun. My RS for example did a chase me charlie a couple of weeks ago for some of the clients and the final height was 4ft 3 ish - but they removed elements of the risk - basically, only certain level riders, certain horses (and two ponies), in a rubber arena, body protectors etc
 

sunflower

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Exactly - It is still possible to have fun at a riding school but it is more tightly controlled in some ways and they do expect you to be a certain standard before you can take part in all events. I know a couple of places that organise competitions and fun events for adult lessons but tailor it to the standard of the people taking part ie gymkhana games with or without jumping or quadrille competitions etc and only suitable horses are used.
 

sunflower

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[ QUOTE ]
No riding without stirrups, which imo is pretty important for balance.

[/ QUOTE ]

I ride every week at a riding school and typically spend at least half the lesson working without stirrups depending on which horse I'm riding.
 

weevil

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[ QUOTE ]
i definately learned my secure seat through all sorts of riding without stirrups/reins/eyes shut! and often over jumps.

[/ QUOTE ]
While riding like this is very good at helping the rider develop a secure seat I think people are a lot more aware now of the effects of the rider on the horse. Riding school horses generally have to work hard and with riders of varying ability and it is in the RSs interest to protect the horse as much as the rider.
How many people on here with their own horse would be happy to let a novice ride it bareback/with no stirrups purely in the interest of the rider developing a secure seat?
 

teapot

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[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
No riding without stirrups, which imo is pretty important for balance.

[/ QUOTE ]

I ride every week at a riding school and typically spend at least half the lesson working without stirrups depending on which horse I'm riding.

[/ QUOTE ]

I can safely say that the majority, probably 90% of my all my flat work lessons over the last couple of years have been no stirrups.

Sunflower's yard sounds like mine
 

weevil

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Mine too! I can honestly say I have never had an accident whilst riding without stirrups before (though did get catapaulted into a wall once when I was crossing them over LOL)
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