Someone trialing my horse...disclaimer?

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Jay89

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I've got someone coming to ride my horse tomorrow, with a view to sharing him long term. If they do take him on I plan on getting a contract signed and ask them to take out their own insurance etc. I've been very honest about my horse, he is fairly flawless but is strong and been out of work for a few months. I feel like I ought to ask her to sign a disclaimer before letting her ride , just to cover my back of she should fall off, I don't know her from Adam! What are people's views on this, am I just being paranoid? Where could I find something suitable?
 
Have you been riding him? Or is he coming in fresh from the field and she is getting on? Continue to be honest with her when she arrives and ride him first as you would if he was for sale and then let her have a go. Personally I would want someone insured before they turned up and if you think he is going to be a bit fresh then both of you can lunge him first perhaps?
 
Make sure she has her own insurance, or at least make it clear in the contract that she is responsible for her own insurance. A disclaimer isn't worth anything so I wouldn't bother - just do what you can to minimise risks, and be honest with her.
 
He hasn't been ridden due to me being pregnant. He's as sound as a pound, and he is very unlikely to buck or rear, I'm just worried she'll find him to strong, she did sit on him the other day and took him round the field, but tomorrow she wants to try him on a hack. Thanks for the advice, I have just messaged her and asked her about insurance.
 
Thanks spring arising, that is what I'm going to get written into our contract. Just worried that when she comes to try him. I'm sure he'll be fine, I think I'm just being very paranoid!
 
I would, I had a friend who someone tried to sue when she broke her finger leading the horse to the field. All my experiences of sharers have been pretty good but in this suing culture I think I would make them sign a disclaimer along the lines of

'horse riding can be dangerous, despite the owner taking all reasonable precautions accidents can happen. By signing this you are happy to take all risk upon yourself. The owner is in no way liable for any accidents, injuries or losses you sustain.'

And make sure you have at least one witness.
 
Do you have third party insurance for him? If so, as long as you are not receiving money or payment in kind for tomorrow's hack, your own insurance would cover her for accidents.

Once money starts to change hands, for instance if she formally shares him, you would need to up the ante re insurance.
 
I would make sure you have an agreement set between the two of you as to what happens "if", who has responsibility for "what" etc etc. There is so much to think of. What can the sharer do with your horse and what can't he do for example? There are one or two websites you can Google that will give you a draft agreement to read, amend add bits in to suit your arrangement. Once its on paper there is no misunderstanding when things (and they do!) go wrong? In the perfect world, everyone is trustworthy and belongings are returned as good as when we loaned them but in reality this is not always the case. Its a faff I know having an agreement drawn up but if you want a safety net, its time well spent. :)
 
Disclaimers are not worth the paper they are written on ! if the other person is injured and you are proved to be responsible you are liable end of!!!
Seriously if you wanted me to share your horse shoving a disclaimer under my nose would make me walk away it is like saying theres an issue and also you dont trust me.
 
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LadyRascasse said:
I would, I had a friend who someone tried to sue when she broke her finger leading the horse to the field. All my experiences of sharers have been pretty good but in this suing culture I think I would make them sign a disclaimer along the lines of

'horse riding can be dangerous, despite the owner taking all reasonable precautions accidents can happen. By signing this you are happy to take all risk upon yourself. The owner is in no way liable for any accidents, injuries or losses you sustain.'

And make sure you have at least one witness.
Click to expand...

THIS!
 
I would just ask her to have her own insurance and make it clear that she rides at her own risk. I would also be tempted to whizz your horse round on the lunge for a bit in the morning so that he is not too fresh...
 
Tiddlypom said:
Do you have third party insurance for him? If so, as long as you are not receiving money or payment in kind for tomorrow's hack, your own insurance would cover her for accidents.

Once money starts to change hands, for instance if she formally shares him, you would need to up the ante re insurance.
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This is not the case for most insurance cover. 3rd party will cover any damage your horse does. It does NOT cover anyone else who hurts themselves riding your horse. I went over this in painful detail with NFU...
 
Luci07 said:
This is not the case for most insurance cover. 3rd party will cover any damage your horse does. It does NOT cover anyone else who hurts themselves riding your horse. I went over this in painful detail with NFU...
Click to expand...
Oops, my bad :o. Sorry you had trouble with your cover with NFU.

I have the BHS gold membership, which includes third party insurance, as below.

What does the Public Liability Insurance cover me for?
The Public Liability Insurance provides cover for any third party injury or property damage that arises out of your legal liability/negligence as a BHS member. This is in respect of riding/handling of horses and must be for recreational purposes only.

Have I misunderstood the level of cover?
 
They aren't a third party as they have your permission to handle and ride the horse. As far as I am aware (after my mate ran into the back of my partners car and did 2ks worth of damage but none to herself) third party would mean a stranger, generally member of the public so to speak not someone you have given permission to handle and ride your horse
 
Tiddlypom said:
Oops, my bad :o. Sorry you had trouble with your cover with NFU.

I have the BHS gold membership, which includes third party insurance, as below.

What does the Public Liability Insurance cover me for?
The Public Liability Insurance provides cover for any third party injury or property damage that arises out of your legal liability/negligence as a BHS member. This is in respect of riding/handling of horses and must be for recreational purposes only.

Have I misunderstood the level of cover?
Click to expand...

Yup! It is for YOUR legal liability. I think it is very unclear and had made the same assumption you did. However I had gone through my policy and a list of questions and questioned the wording. It's one thing to suffer a risk because you opted out of insurance but another when you truly believe you are covered but are not. Personal riders insurance is not a lot of money either. I had also checked if taking a contribution would invalidate my insurance but in my case, having a sharer was not seen to be making a profit so I was OK.
 
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