Where there's blame there's a claim :(

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strawberryplant

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Selling my beloved Section D which I've shared with my daughter for the past 3 years.

A mother and daughter came to try him today. The daughter about 5'7 and mum assured me a competent rider. 'can ride anything jumps anything' etc.

Girl gets on my lovely animal, I walk her round the arena. I had to tell her her reins were all twisted but whatever that could've just been stage fright. Anyhoooo....

Starts trotting in the arena, it became apparent to me that the kid could not ride. No contact and my boy just sort of ambled along with his nose out in front of him like a confused camel. No matter I thought, I'll pull her in in a minute and say I don't think he's her ride.

However. They go round the corner (in trot) she leans and unbalances him, she kicks him on and he takes off at a big trot, then a bigger trot (she had her reins so long that they were in her tummy by this point. He swerves, she exits stage left.

Kids ok thankfully, gets up straight away etc. I'm in bits not knowing what to do so grab my boy who'd come right on up to me for help, and whizz him into the stable before any more damage could be done. Mum and daughter meet me at the stable, daughter understandably shaken, I apologise profusely. Walked her back to the car as they sped off.

She is now harrassing me on the phone saying daughter is in A&E and she's going to sue me. I got upset on the phone and told her maybe too emotionally that she'd overhorsed her daughter and she really only had herself to blame as she'd made her out to be Ellen Whittaker....

Don't know what to do now. She wants to know if I'm insured. I am, but don't think this is really my fault :(

Any thoughts wise people?
 
She's saying I knew the horse was dangerous (*******s) and I've not ridden it for years! I said I got straight back on him the moment she'd gone to reach an understanding with him and he was fine, if a little nervy from the ordeal :(

I have a 14 year old girl who regularly rides him for me, who can attest that he has never done anything like that before.

I should have known really when I said to the mum 'he's a cob, so he's a tendency to go on his forehand' and mum said 'what does that mean' Grrrrr
 
My friend had a very similiar inicdent recently - they were showing a pony to a prospective buyer who fell off, and phoned later to say she had broken her collar bone and wanted insurance details.

My friends were understandibly worried, but so far nothing has come of it - they just were very apologetic but told the lady that she had tried it at her own risk and 'that's horses'.

Assuming you have some sort of 3rd party insurance, one would hope that would cover you. If you have BHS gold membership they have a legal helpline, or you could try the CAB.

Tbh I wondered if this was a new type of 'scam', especially as they provided no evidence of said injury.....

Good luck and what a sad world we live in now.
 
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It's a shame it happened but I think you are making a mountain out of a mole hill. I doubt very much that your pony is as disturbed as you're making him out to be. Trotting around on a lose rein is not going to 'damage' him.
 
I'd block her calls and if she'd really insistent give her your insurance details and wish her good luck. It's difficult to get an insurance co to pay out on a clear cut claim so in your situation with the evidence you have of good behaviour and the generally accepted 'risk' of riding horses she's got no chance.
 
Is the rider actually injured? Surely a&e would have to actually find something wrong with the girl first. Not that's its any help, but hopefully karma will bite them on the arse, and pretty hard.
 
i would hand over insurance details and say in no uncertain terms that horse riding is a high risk sport and the common saying is you have to fall off 100 times to be a good rider, so at least now she only has another 99 times to go!!
 
If you have insurance (this will either be on your home contents, your horse's insurance or bsh membership etc) then you need to report to your insurer, not just hand over insurance details and let her get on with it. This is not like a motor claim where insurance is compulsory and you are required to exchange details.
I would not provide her with any details at all and follow the advice of your insurer, they will tell you how to respond to her.
I would also suggest you delete this thread, you really shouldn't be discussing it on an open forum if you think she intends to claim.
 
Bucks Fizz said:
If you have insurance (this will either be on your home contents, your horse's insurance or bsh membership etc) then you need to report to your insurer, not just hand over insurance details and let her get on with it. This is not like a motor claim where insurance is compulsory and you are required to exchange details.
I would not provide her with any details at all and follow the advice of your insurer, they will tell you how to respond to her.
I would also suggest you delete this thread, you really shouldn't be discussing it on an open forum if you think she intends to claim.
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Yes exactly this. I had an almost identical situation to yours OP. The would-be rider was pregnant (didn't tell me) and very novice and as soon as she sat on the pony he trotted off, she became unbalanced, the pony went into canter and off she came. She was hurt quite badly with concussion and fractured ribs and she was whisked off to hospital.

A couple of days later her husband phoned. He was very angry and threatened to sue me. I immediately contacted my insurance company who sent their claims specialist to see me and took over two hours taking every little detail down in case of a lawsuit but we never heard another thing.
 
I would just ignore it to be honest. Shame you apologised at the time to be honest as that is almost admitting you/your horse was at fault. I bet had you been the one who was a bit miffed and said to her that she told you she could ride whens she clearly couldn't, then you wouldn't have heard anything.

It does concern me that this seems to be a more common occurrence to be honest and seems almost like straight-out-of-the-riding-school people are deciding they can ride sufficiently enough, go try a horse, it all goes wrong and they decide the owner is to blame!

I can see it coming to a stage where vendors will not be able to allow people to ride their horse for sale unless that prospective buyer has their own insurance. Your horse insurance is extremely unlikely to cover anything like this as it is 3rd party liability cover only. Yes, had it kicked her as she was walking behind it, you'd be covered. Her riding it and coming off - not covered!
 
I would cease all contact and certainly not give any insurance details. Write everything down while it is fresh in your mind and keep copies of ads and text messages/email.
If she wants to make a claim, let her do the legal stuff before you involve your insurance.
 
Vodkagirly said:
I would cease all contact and certainly not give any insurance details. Write everything down while it is fresh in your mind and keep copies of ads and text messages/email.
If she wants to make a claim, let her do the legal stuff before you involve your insurance.
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This. And don't discuss it online, although in light of Oliver12's experience maybe phoning the insurer might be a good idea.
 
I would phone the insurers and ask them what to do next

In the meantime tell the lady she wont get the details until you have taken advice
 
Yes the claims specialist told me they need to be notified straightaway and for all details to be recorded whilst the memory is still fresh. They are then prepared for a lawsuit.
 
Put in a counter claim stress and anxiety for your horse and stress and trauma and PTSD!

No seriously please:

Contact the horse and hound solicitor NOW

http://www.clarkewillmott.com/our-people/f/stuart-farr.php

I would advise as well you do not even give over any insurance details at all!

I would think one letter from Stuart will send them running to the hills anyway!

If anymore idiots arrive to try your lovely boy, get a disclaimer out to sign and video any one arriving.

Your disclaimer should read that they take full responsibility for riding, that they are capable of riding 4**** eventer/Dobbin/wonky donky etc delete where necessary lol put in what you need there. Also state that horses are animals at the end of the day and are unpredictable and that you are not responsible for anything.
 
Spring Feather said:
I personally wouldn't be saying anything to her. I'd probably block her number tbh.
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Vodkagirly said:
I would cease all contact and certainly not give any insurance details. Write everything down while it is fresh in your mind and keep copies of ads and text messages/email.
If she wants to make a claim, let her do the legal stuff before you involve your insurance.
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^^^^this

To be quite honest I would just laugh and tell them to jog on. They certainly wouldn't be getting any insurance details, and I wouldn't mention it to my insurer either as it will only result in higher premiums.

Remember - people will only walk all over you if you LET them.

Good luck
 
Patterdale said:
^^^^this

To be quite honest I would just laugh and tell them to jog on. They certainly wouldn't be getting any insurance details, and I wouldn't mention it to my insurer either as it will only result in higher premiums.
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It didn't make my insurance premiums any higher.
 
Spring Feather said:
Presumably the horse was ridden at the viewing by you or your rider prior to them getting onboard?
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As Spring Feather said, surely someone rode the horse before the person viewing it?

If not and you're still looking to sell it might be an idea to get the person viewing the horse to groom and tack up before they ride - as this will instantly rule out the complete novices and will give you some gauge on how comfortable/confident they are around horses. Then have either yourself or someone else ride the horse before the potential buyer gets on so there's absolutely no chance of them claiming the horse is unsafe/hasn't been ridden in years etc.

Personally I would never get on a horse I hadn't seen ridden by someone else first at a viewing as I like to watch how the horse is with it's current rider first.

As for them trying to sue you, I highly doubt they will be successful but would keep correspondence with them to a minimum and only in writing until you've sought legal advice yourself.
 
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