suing riding schools

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lizzieshimmer

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just wondered how many other people at riding schools are finding they have had claims made against them,. and how they have turned out. we at current have 4!all of which are pathetic and should not be happening. but really need support as its getting me down
thanks
 
Couple of bits of advice you need to have H&S information everywhere. You need to ensure that your yard is properly risk assessed and method statements kept up to date, even better is a proper H&S policy. On top of all this new riders need to be inducted and sign to say they have been and practice what you preach...do all the above and you'll be fine but yes parents etc are becoming a bunch of arses in this matter riding will soon be a thing of the passed at this rate.

Tell you had bad it is I was having problems jumping a few months ago, one of the yard assitances offered their assistance. It improved the situation but unfortunately I ended up falling off. The first thing she did was run for the accident book...the right thing was done and I limped off. Ultimately her actions could have led to a legal situation, very sad.
 
we do get them to sign forms, saying any disabilities they have. and that they understand it is a dangerous sport and injuries can occur and that we will do our best to prevent them but it is not our fault if something happens. Yet we were told by the man who came to take details that in a court situation these will not stand up! despite being given to us by the insurance company! we have accident books which are detailed for every fall off. and do have health and safety notices with a policy book.
o well hopefully it will be ok
thanks
 
do you make them all get their own rider insurance - about 50 quid per year ??
whilst that wouldn't stop one insurance comp. trying to claim off yours - at least the muppets could try claiming off their own insurance first before ambulance chasing you
 
Forms on their own are worthless you need to demonstate that you impliment the H&S and manage it effectively. In other words every possible system was in place to prevent the accident occurring in the first place
 
You cannot disclaim against negligence and I am guessing this is what the man was saying - if a rider has an accident that is the fault of one of your staff then they can absolutely make a claim against you. I had a really nasty fall several years back that was entirely the instructors fault - she put a bounce up at the wrong distance, so the horse could not take off again, I only realized the error when we came over the first part as I was concentrating on me, not what the instructor was doing. This was back before people decided to sue left right and centre, and although I was told I had a very good case, had no desire to cause problems for my yard. If that claim went to court today, I have no doubt it would suceed - it was negligence on her part, I had witnesses etc.

On the other hand, we had a claim against us from a lady that came off hacking, quite rightly, it was ruled that riding is a risk sport and the yard had done it's best to minimize the risk - the forms you have will go some way to helping those sorts of claims, as they are acknowledging it is a risk sport. We always had an accident book, at least 15 years ago, that the rider and the instructor had to complete and sign if something happened - I have to say I wish I had a copy as some of the explanations are hysterical!

The claims I have heard suceed are negligence on the part of the instructor (asking the lesson to do something beyond its capabilities, unsafe jumpts etc) and ones involving unsuitable horses (e.g. newly broken 4 year old for a novice, a horse that stag jumps being used for a beginner jumping lesson etc) or facilities (tack breaking causing an accident, broken fence causing injury, horses tied up on the yard kicking a passer by etc) Genuine accidents that could not have been forseen / anticipated or prevented by a knowlegable person are generally seen as such.
 
Our yard someone attempted to sue because there precious darling daughter fell off jumping because the pony refused (pony is an amazing pony that normally does nothing of the sort!)

(she was unhurt and got back on and never found to have any injuries!!) and the claim was just shoved away they insurers thought it was ridiculous

And one of my old friends once told me she was going to sue us because pickle kicked her, afterwards it all came out she walloped him with a rope he got scared an ran off bucked and just scraped her (she was completely unhurt and trust me if he had aimed at her she may well me dead!) she even went to hospital and when they said nothing was wrong borrowed her nans crutches to try and be realistic!

Just make sure everything like risk assessment is all in order and I assume you have forms everyone has to sign, and signs on the yard saying riding is a risk sport etc.

Everyone at my yard has to have there own rider insurance for kids from the BHS it really is only £30 a year! I think. Then the yard has photocopies of everyones insurance
 
Hmm. I used to ride at a large riding school in the Middle of MK and fell off the same horse s few times as he was very sharp and would explode without any warning. I didn't hurt myself badly (although was stiff for a few days) and got straight back on; perhaps this is why I never saw an accident report book?
 
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