What age…

[SEL]

Thank you, I mentioned insurance last night so hopefully the YO will toddle off to investigate further. It’s apparently been made clear to the parents we will not be supervising. Which I personally feel maybe, in certain situations, easier said than done.

hopefully it will all come out in the wash as my mother used to say …. ??

I think the day my friend lost the plot was when the kids were all organising a bareback jumping competition and she was the only adult on the yard. (Not that we ever did that as kids!!!!)

 

[Leandy]

I agree that it is for parents and yard owner rather than for you to worry about this. I don't think you have a legal duty of care.

I would not have let my 11 year old ride on a yard unattended. I think at that age mine only rode when I was there but she wasn't much older, say 12/13 when I was happy for her to go to the yard on her bike down quiet country lanes and ride in the school holidays when I was at work but I always insisted that she phoned or texted me at every stage of the journey eg leaving home, arrived at yard, getting on, finished riding, leaving yard, home and we also had a rule that she must not ride unless someone else was on the yard in case of an accident and she must not jump unless someone is actually assisting her. Her father worked fairly close so could have been there in the event of an emergency in a reasonable time. The yard owner was happy about this, for which I was grateful. Now in her later teens we still have a rule that she must not ride her rather sharp youngster unless someone is around. I have never expected other adults to supervise per se, just to be around to notice and dial 999 and/or me in case of need. Just the same as a good citizen would for anyone. I know the yard owners of the yards we have been on have called an ambulance far more often for ladies of a certain age who come off than for youngsters, who generally just bounce back on. One would hope in your case that the parents have sensible arrangements for keeping in touch with her to check she is all right, and that they would miss her and come looking if she did not appear home when expected. Perhaps you could check with them, and if they don't, suggest that they put such measures in place? The one thing I would however be concerned about in your case is whether she can and should be trusted to lock up tack room etc on leaving and how secure the yard is if it is only her there. I'm not sure I would be happy with that. Kids can be dappy and rarely see the importance of such things and if your tack is at risk then that is an issue for you. I doubt the presence of a child would stop certain types of opportunist thieves from sniffing around either and I wouldn't want to risk that situation if I were her parents.

 

[scruffyponies]

I find this thread really sad. A competent, sensible child of 11 is not a baby, and much more capable of handling a pony than a novice adult. It's about the right age to start doing things for themselves.

No wonder people are so incapable and risk averse these days. They have had no space to learn and develop.

 

[ponynutz]

Agreed between the parents and YO. I was always left from the age of 11 because there were multiple kids on the yard and a few adults dotted about (who chose to keep an eye) but none of them had a duty of care; was their choice.

 

[Red-1]

Not even a primary school age kid, say 8 years of age?

I certainly wouldn't be happy about an 8yo. I would wait once, until it was reported and parents told I was leaving in future, but wouldn't use it as a way to be forced to babysit long term.

I dislike the way a lot of children are brought up. I believe there should be some education, qualification even. I would be inclined to re-home children who are not looked after much quicker than SS do. I have had to professionally leave kids in bad situations, SS aware. I dislike kids younger than 8 playing in the street, unsupervised, even after SS are informed. That doesn't mean I am on constant child watch though. I can't look after all of them.

 

[twiggy2]

My daughter rode and was at the yard on her own at 11, some days there would be a group if youngsters, sometimes completely novice friends with them, they would ride bareback, jump the logs, hack out on the farm, they just got on with it like everyone before them did.

 

[teapot]

We stipulated 14 in my old yard for kids that were loaning/liveries.

Think it's 12 to be left alone at home in comparison.

 

[Gloi]

I’ve stayed whilst an older lady rode because i wasn’t convinced she was entirely safe to be left alone!)

i hope nobody does that to me.

 

[cauda equina]

i hope nobody does that to me.

'Are you alright dear?
I said are you alright?'

 

[The Xmas Furry]

i hope nobody does that to me.

They can't do that to me, as it's just me on my yard ?
DH would only realise something might be amiss if his supper wasnt on the go when he got home from work, but he might think I'm gassing with the neighbours tho.......

 

[SEL]

I find this thread really sad. A competent, sensible child of 11 is not a baby, and much more capable of handling a pony than a novice adult. It's about the right age to start doing things for themselves.

No wonder people are so incapable and risk averse these days. They have had no space to learn and develop.

Trouble is an accident these days could lead to dire consequences for the YO if it happened on an empty yard

 

[MidChristmasCrisis]

At a previous yard we regularly had parents leave youngsters unsupervised…most owners worked so often I was the only adult on yard. There were concussions..loose ponies..broken bones and falls out on hacks… I kept out of the way and after one mum got my number and would ring to let me know th3 taxi was dropping child off and what time it would collect…I refused to swop phone numbers. Yard owner tried to impose an under 16s have to be supervised rule but it was not supported by others on the yard so fizzled out. If you are happy with the responsibility and the possible consequences of an accident on your watch…then OK….but personally I am not at all comfortable or insured to supervise children on a yard I don’t own.

 

[dorsetladette]

11 would be to young for me to be happy with them being unsupervised. My livery sent her 13yr old over to feed her pony one afternoon when she (livery) was ill. (pony is daughters pony) Pony had head in bucket, child lent over to see how much food left in bucket (we all do it) pony jumped, lifted head quickly and bashed child on the nose. Child went home with a nose bleed. It could happen to any of us, but I do think a child should be supervised around even the most bombproof of ponies.

 

[smolmaus]

I find this thread really sad. A competent, sensible child of 11 is not a baby, and much more capable of handling a pony than a novice adult. It's about the right age to start doing things for themselves.

No wonder people are so incapable and risk averse these days. They have had no space to learn and develop.

It is good for their development and learning responsibility and independence etc absolutely but only up until something goes wrong. Then it's "where were the adults?" There are some things that can happen that no 11 yo would be equipped to, or should have to deal with. A horse gets through a fence or a gate onto the road, a trip and slip from child or pony can cause injury, a water pipe could burst somewhere, I dunno anything could happen really.

It's no slight on the child or their capabilities when an accident sometimes happens and it isn't fair in my mind to leave a child to deal with that kind of stress on their own.

 

[Tarragon]

This is the NSPCC guidline for leaving children at HOME alone, without the associated risks of being around horses.

The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) advises that:

• babies, toddlers and very young children should never be left alone
• children under the age of 12 are rarely mature enough to cope in an emergency and should not be left at home alone for a long period of time
• children under the age of 16 should not be left alone overnight

 

[splashgirl45]

its not your responsibility to supervise someone else's child but i would not be happy leaving her completely on her own at the yard.. you are right to text the YO and the mother so you are covered. anyone at any age can have an accident and although the child may be a good rider and capable of looking after her pony if i was the YO i wouldnt want her there on her own...one of the yards i was on had a rule that no one should ride if there was no other person at the yard, i think the YO was trying to cover herself in case of an accident. anyway if someone came off and was badly injured it could make a huge difference to them if help didnt come for a number of hours, this applies to any age not just children..

 

[scruffyponies]

children under the age of 12 are rarely mature enough to cope in an emergency

... neither are adults. Especially if they haven't had any practice.

 

[Esmae]

Someone else's child is not your responsibility. If I needed to leave and child was there alone I would just say I was going and let them all get on with it. Sounds a bit harsh, but it is my opinion that parents have to take responsibility for their own children. I feel it is unreasonable for you to have the worry.

 

[LegOn]

Insurance wise this might be a whole other issue - regardless of how competent the 11 year old is!

My yards insurance says no one under the age of 16 can ride unless they are supervised by parent or named guardian.

Definitely not your responsibility unless you have a text from the mother saying you are now the named guardian of my child, please ensure she doesnt get hurt.

I know someone mentioned its sad that an 11 year shouldnt be trusted - its not about being trusted or not, its about the fact that accidents can happen and no one would want an 11 year responsible for anything on the yard by themselves.

 

[Charley657]

Unless you are the yard owner I wouldn't worry too much. You are there to ride your horse and the yard provide a service to you. Its not your responsibility to care for people who are there while you ride your horse, no matter their age. They are lucky to have a kind person like you around but try not to let anxiety feel you need to take on more responsibility that you should. I wouldn't even ask for the parents contact number.

Red-1 is right, you wouldn't look after a kid who was alone in a park at that age, you would just go home.

 

[splashgirl45]

Unless you are the yard owner I wouldn't worry too much. You are there to ride your horse and the yard provide a service to you. Its not your responsibility to care for people who are there while you ride your horse, no matter their age. They are lucky to have a kind person like you around but try not to let anxiety feel you need to take on more responsibility that you should. I wouldn't even ask for the parents contact number.

Red-1 is right, you wouldn't look after a kid who was alone in a park at that age, you would just go home.

if there was a child completely alone in a deserted park i would not be happy going home and not doing anything...

 

[Winters100]

Personally it would not worry me at all. As a fellow customer it is not your responsibility, many 11 year olds are quite capable, and as she bringing herself to the stable I would assume that she can call her parents in case of problems. I would not get into the habit of messaging to say that I was leaving, as if I did it a few times then I would feel obliged to do it every time. The child has parents, and it does not sound as if you have reason to believe that she is neglected, so I would leave them to it.

 

[Leandy]

if there was a child completely alone in a deserted park i would not be happy going home and not doing anything...

what do you think might happen in a deserted park??

 

[splashgirl45]

it might not always be deserted and a child on their own could be targeted by someone who wants to do them harm. i am remembering a case in a park in leyton where a child was molested when she was on her own after storming off from her parents who lived in the same road...i would hate to be the one who had left in that case..

 

[Red-1]

if there was a child completely alone in a deserted park i would not be happy going home and not doing anything...

If I had a child, it would not be in that situation.

I have worked on many rough estates where young kids are out on the street until late at night, every night, unattended. I knew one where the transom window was left on the latch and they would use a plank of wood to climb up to let themselves in. Their bed was a bare mattress on the floor, with dog poo in the room.

Social services were aware and did not remove the children.

I am not happy about it, it makes me cross, especially now I work in a primary school and actually like kids. But, short of opening a huge house and allowing them all in, I don't feel like I can do anything about it. A competent kid, in a reasonably safe area, with a known pony, meh, I can't get excited about that. I would prefer they weren't there alone, I would prefer their guardian came and supervised, but would it stop me leaving and going home? No.

 

[splashgirl45]

it wouldnt stop me going home either but i would feel better if i had informed the YO before leaving, and i dont particularly like kids

 

[Winters100]

Id be tempted to have a word with parents/ yo… if you get nowhere there is an anonymous social services line. Its not acceptable in my eyes to leave an 11 year old with a dangerous animal and no one to supervise is not acceptable to me so id have to act.

For me this would be a total overreaction. You cannot report people to social services just because their parenting style is different from your own. The fact that there are so many different views as to whether or not it is ok highlights that it is not clear cut, and depends on the child and the other precautions taken.

 

[Goldenstar]

I would text the Yoer when I left nothing more .

 

[paddy555]

I find this thread really sad. A competent, sensible child of 11 is not a baby, and much more capable of handling a pony than a novice adult. It's about the right age to start doing things for themselves.

No wonder people are so incapable and risk averse these days. They have had no space to learn and develop.

I totally agree. At 8 or 9 I was going for long bike rides alone on country lanes.
The question though is not about the child but about OP and does she have any responsibility in all of this.

 

[blitznbobs]

For me this would be a total overreaction. You cannot report people to social services just because their parenting style is different from your own. The fact that there are so many different views as to whether or not it is ok highlights that it is not clear cut, and depends on the child and the other precautions taken.

I would rather say something than do nothing and then live with consequences of doing nothing. Would you say the same for a child with a gun ?