Stable Yard Safety HELP ADVISE PLZ!!

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townfieldlass

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I am on a small DIY livery yard. The owner is non-horsey and never run a livery yard before. We have been on there for about 18 months now and I love it. My horses are really settled and its just round the corner from my house however.....

There is lady on our yard who refuses to headcollar her horse when she turns him out. He is a 17hh ID horse and he is herded loose and out to his field. About 2 months ago he paniced and ran down his owner braking her arm and we found her semi-conscious with her horse loose on the yard. When approached about it she says she can't headcollar him because of a broken arm and a slight incline into the field?????? When we are on the yard we are now worried we will get squashed when he is loose.

The rule on the yard is horses must be headcollared when moved around. She has been told many times to ensure it is headcollared but refuses. She will put a headcollar on it but then still leave it to run out by himself (in theory the horse is headcollared as the rules request).


The yard owner won't throw her off the yard so...

My Questions....
Is there any way she could be MADE to or is there any law that means she HAS TO headcollar the horse?

Is this common on yards - not sure how to deal with this as I've never come across it before???

Who is liable if we got injured? Could we sue her?

Please help.....any advise plz

confused.gif
 
Sounds like a tricky situation. I've never been in that situation personally. I don't think there is a law that states the horse must be headcollared, but I'm sure there must be something about ensuring animals don't pose a threat to people?

If she is not suitably restraining the horse then presumably she would liable (not 100% sure though) for an injury but it sounds like it should be sorted before it gets that far.

The BHS has a free legal advice line for members and also have guidelines for livery yards so it might be worth asking their advice on how to approach the situation. And talking again to the yard owner might be an idea, try to explain how worried you are for everybody's safety, and that coming to look after your horse is now a stressful situation and that by paying livery you expect to have a safe environment for you and your horse; that a serious accident would not be good for the person involved or for the yard as a business and the yard owner could be liable for not enforcing rules? If everybody spoke to her together or it was put in writing, perhaps the YO would take it more seriously. And perhaps talking again to the horses owner?

Good luck
 
It is up to the YO to tell her not to do it. it is clearly dangerous and putting others at risk. if the YO fails to enforce this and something does happen then he has invalidated any insurance he has as he has been negligent. As a YO I will not allow my liveries to just let their horses loose to run in/out to the fields. anyone on the yard could be on the way in or out at teh same time and it could be so dangerous to be in front of him. I would go to the YO and express your concern, and get the other liveries to do the same and insist the YO acts. Point out about his insurance and see what he does then.
 
shes obviously a little stupid after her own accident you wouldn't think she's want it to happen again to herself or you.
im afraid there probably isn't anything you can do about it though. id mention you'll sue her if you or your horses get injured whilst shes 'herding' her horse.

i have a person on my yard who thinks its clever to loose her horse into his box for tea without its head collar on (she doesn't even watch him go in) accident waiting to happen im afraid but she cant be told either. simply stupid.
 
i would have thought it would be the responsibility of the YO to ensure adequate safety for her clients. If someone got injured by this horse I think it could be the YOs liability? if so she should insist the horse be headcollared or leave the yard.
 
Sounds like she is scared of her horse after her accident. She needs to get professional help to get the two of them back on track.

In the meantime if anyone on the yard gets hurt your YO is absolutely liable as you have made him aware of the problem and he should be addressing it.

It's ludicrous to have a loose horse able to bomb around without any ability to stop it.
 
She is definitely scared of the horse - its 14 and not been ridden in 10years!!

We had a yard meeting as previously other people did it too....she is the only one since the meeting that refuses...what is worse is he goes through the barn. When the yard owner put the rules up she simply said 'Cause I broke my arm I can't reach to put a headcollar on'.

I have even offered to put the horse out myself.....I will have to mention it again to the YO...he is a sweet old chap and doesn't really want to get involved.

The amusing thing is because this has caused an atmosphere she and I don't speak but she requested that we HAVE to say hello and goodbye when we are on the yard for safety......laughable!!

xx
 
Surely if the broken arm means she can't reach to put a headcollar on then she isn't fit to be in charge of the horse full stop. Can't the horse just have a headcollar left on 24/7 (not ideal I know) and then all she'd have to do is snap a lead rope on. Can't believe sanyone would be so idiotic to allow their horse to cavort around loose.
 
Perhaps slight over kill, but can yopu call the RSPCA or BHS Welfare Officer in to speak to her? Even a local CS Police Officer.

As far as I'm aware, any animal that isn't under control in any public place (such as fields with footapths, etc) is liable if a third party is injured. For example, if my horses booted a dog that was with it's owner visiting my yard, and the horse was loose and the dog on a lead, I'd be in trouble. This is a clear cut case of a large horse being far from under control and you're well within your rights to be worried about accidents.

She's obviously too frightened of the horse to put a headcollar on him, so she's simply waiting for an excuse to sell him. Don't let him trampling you be her excuse, please. Get some sort of official in to warn her of the stupidity of her actions. It might just save a life!
 
Your yard owner, whether she/he realises this or not has a duty of care towards all other horses at the yard and towards all other users of the yard and this includes visiting users like farriers, delivery people and so on. I think it needs someone to speak to the owner informally about this and point out gently that the yard owner is leaving herself wide open by knowingly allowing this practice to continue. If the yard owner then doesn't show any interest in taking any steps to deal appropriately with the problem I think I would be inclined to put my grievances in writing to her. She cannot later deny having been told about the issue. But ultimately it sounds like quite an unsafe set up and does the YO even have any insurance cover?
 
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