Working Livery advice please

[Jetcat]

I have recently brought my first horse and have been given the opportunity to keep him on working livery at my local riding school, which would work out perfect for me financially and time wise. I’m just a bit confused, mine and my horses insurance (plus all the ones I had quotes from) will only cover myself, my horse and third party, they all state they cannot cover us if a claim arises that is in connection to his use for riding school purposes. He would be used by the school for lessons, but mainly hacks since the majority of the schools custom is people wanting to ride in the surrounding countryside. So for example: if someone fell off him badly or he was in a car accident (though I really hope not!

)Whilst being used by the school and someone wanted to sue for damages, who would they be sueing? Me as his owner or the riding school? Is there a way to safeguard myself and my horse for the work he does for the school i.e. some kind of contract between myself and the riding school owner? or is there no need to do that? I have no idea what legal/general protocol is in place for horses on working livery, so any info would be great. Sorry to sound so ignorant, please humour me, thanks

 

[Lisa2manyponies]

the riding school should have its own insurance which will cover all third parties and public liabitly ie if someone fell off the riding schools insurance would cover it car accident again riding school
you will need your own for vets fees hope this helps

 

[svincent]

If the school were using him for lessons/hacks then it would be up to them to make sure they are properly insured, the same as they would insure their own horses. If he went lame during a lesson or had an accident out on a hack while they were using him and needed vet treatment, would they expect you to pay for that or would you be expecting them to do it?

I dont know what the protocol is here but I would expect him/her to be covered by the riding school's insurance while they are using him and that this should be put into writing as part of your working livery contract. Likewise, make sure you agree in advance who will be liable for any vets fees arising from the times they use him and get that in writing too.

 

[LCobby]

Also check out what would happen if he became lame or unwell and no specific link to a riding school incident. Would your insurnace pay and would you have ot oay Full Livery whislt he could not be working to pay towards his keep?

 

[JessPickle]

My horse is on working livery, while being used on lessons/hacks by the riding school he is covered by there insurance. When I am riding I my insurance is covering third party etc. One key thing to check with working livery is what happens if illness occurs. My contract says that the discount for working livery will continue for a month despite illness but after that they will go onto full livery price.

 

[Brandysnap]

Hi Rocky16,

Firstly, great that you've got your first horse! Wishing you lots of fun + happy times!

Re the working livery advice, lots of good advice from other friends above already. I'd add to the 'getting in writing' bit, exactly how many hours your horse will be working each day, + when you have access to him. It may also be worth knowing what level of riding the clients using him are likely to be (ie while more experienced riders are likely to improve his way of going, if he has a lot of very novice riders, it could have a more negative effect on him)

A word of warning, also, which i sincerely hope doesn't apply to your yard - i once worked in a riding school where a livery horse was so lovely - forward-going, weight-carrying, sensible, etc that he was - er - 'borrowed' for clients more often than he should have been, by some of the staff, as he was much more compliant than some of the school horses. The worst thing for me was seeing his (very nice) owner come to ride him one Sunday, to be told he was out on a hack (this was without her permission). He'd already done an hour's lesson. She declined to ride him after, as he was so tired (+ i handed in my notice shortly after!)

I sincerely hope that your experience of working livery is better than the example i've quoted, + hope all works very well for you + your new horse.

Please keep asking this forum if you're unsure of anything - they're such a nice, helpful lot! All bests, + enjoy! BS x

 

[gothdolly]

My mother keeps her horse at an equestrian center where he is used for 2 hours a day - and he is covered by their insurance when they use him but she had to get her own third party insurance for when she rode. Its an EC linked to a university so the rates go up to full livery during the holidays when the students go home.

When I was a teenager my mother put my pony on working livery at a riding school thinking it would be better for the pony to be schooled regularly and more sociable for me than riding with her at home all the time but it was a disaster - the pony was always out on a ride when I turned up to ride (even when not supposed to be) and was used on every lesson from 10 am to 4pm at weekends. We went home pretty quickly... I think this can be a common problem if you have a popular horse or pony!

 

[melaniemarks]

I would ask the yard owner/manager exactly what their insurance does and does not cover including where you stand if your tack gets nicked off the premises.
I had my horse on working livery for about 18 months when i first got him and generally it was ok. He was mainly used for hacking cos he is pants at jumping and schooling. However after being told by the YO that all of our tack was covered by the yard insurance, after a break in and we were all cleaned out it turned out that the insurance did NOT cover tack!! Had all of my tack stolen including a brand new saddle that I'd not even sat on!!

 

[Jetcat]

Thanks loads for your help everyone, realy nice to get advice from horsey people that dont look down their noses.

Well, luckily (for him anyway) my horse is having slight issues with control in the school at the moment, so is not greatly popular for novices off the lead, so he would be used mostly for on led beginners, hacks or advanced lessons I think.

Trouble is the YO is slightly doolaly (dont ask, long story) getting info from her regarding her insurance, would be like getting blood from a stone, i know for a fact the riding school and her horses are covered, would that immediately include mine while shes using him?. So i need a way to make sure she is held resonsible in the event of an accident, whether her insurance turns out to cover my horse or not.

Kallie- sorry to hear about your tack, is there no way to get the money for it back off the yard owner? I used to help in a riding school and it was robbed, they couldnt get actual tack as it was locked up elsewhere, but they took all the grooming stuff and every single headcollar and rope, in the midddle off the summer holidays on a fully booked day, nightmare!
p.s. CassandraRose- Read your Chizzy section, so sweet, almost made me cry

 

[JessPickle]

get a contract sorted immediatly, this will mention whether your horse is covered by there insurance while they use him, number of hours, who is reponsible for what. On ours we also wrote all the belongings of the horse, what saddles etc. Also what they can/can't do with him, for example when Pickle first came he wasn't to go out with clients as he was so badly behaved it would been dangerous