Tentativley thinking of advertising for a sharer and althought we have BHS Gold Membership I am assuming any sharer will need their own 'riders' insurance ? Is there anything else I would need to ensure was covered ?
I am a sharer. BHS gold membership includes rider insurance or one can get same through an insurance broker. It seems that 3rd party liability is also on some house insurance policies.
The BHS is the policy of last resort and does not pay out unless there is no other cover. In spite of this, I felt it simpler to get equestrian rider cover before my very first hack 20 years ago and this cover is still recommended by our current yard. I carry my BHS membership card when I ride.
The insurance of a sharer is 3rd party liability. One cannot insure for veterinary care of the horse one shares. The horse owner needs to insure for this and the fees paid for sharing can contribute to that expense. But the sharer is not the policy holder.
I have long accepted that this is quite a grey area. An owner might allege that a sharer had injured their horse or damaged their tack. In practice this is unlikely to happen as most sharing is worked out on a personal basis. Owners want a sharer who pays promptly, turns up regularly on time and rides their horse carefully.
What is often not mentioned is the horse. Both my share horses have seemed to like me, although I never give treats. For an owner it might be hard to see their beloved horse really liking another person, even a vague and elderly woman like myself. But the good relationsip with the horse and being able to groom and spend time with the horse one is riding, is an important part of sharing for me. And if your horse isnt happy with the sharer or walks all over them, find another - another sharer, not another horse.
