Would you teach a friends child to ride on your own horse?

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Sunny08

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Can't believe society has gotten this bad that I even have to ask this but really interested in others views and what I could do to protect myself?

My horse is an absolute angel to ride, but she is a 16.2hh WB. On lead rein she doesn't put a foot wrong. A couple of weeks ago I let my neighbours grand-daughter have a ride round our field on my mare, just walking on lead rope. The girl is a tall, leggy 9 yr old, very sweet and wants to learn.

They have now asked me if I will teach her to ride and let her spend time with me looking after the horse. They can't afford lessons as such but have offered to put money towards my horses shoes/ rugs etc. I am really happy about this as this is exactly how i learnt and would love to pass it on. Though I am not an instructor I have a BHS ride leader qualification so have done some basic teaching at a trekking yard.

however, though I know the grandparents and really, really like them, I don't know the parents as well. what would happen if she had an accident? Can I do anything to protect myself. I am very clear to them I am not giving 'lessons' or charging (they did offer this!) I just would love to share my passion with this little girl. she is shy and unconfident and has had a rough time, I really think this would be something to help her get confidence etc.

Views???
 
I think its a brilliant idea but as you say society nowadays...!!
Just make sure you get the parents permission, make sure you are clear on what you are doing and make sure you have correct insurance - can't really go wrong with that.
K x
 
I would start by phoning the BHS, I don't know if their Gold Membership would cover you, but they will be able to help/give information. :)
 
Faracat said:
I would start by phoning the BHS, I don't know if their Gold Membership would cover you, but they will be able to help/give information. :)
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Cheers, I have BHS gold anyway so will get in contact with them. Horse isn't insured and can only do light work anyhow.
 
Taught my sisters friends sister how to jump after she had 4 years of riding lessons and never really got anywhere, and although she did fall off a couple of times after being left behind I never regretted it, and she was a much better rider when we finished. I've also given my nephew and a friends daughter beginner lessons before we went down the route of paying for a riding school to make sure they were going to stick with it.
 
You could get the parents to take out insurance on the girl for riding, I think the NFU used to do it. When I worked in a riding school we couldn't take under 6's so some parents got their own insurance:)
 
make sure you are covered for worst case scenario... ie child plops off and ends up in a wheelchair .. or dead. but sadly by supplying horse and also teaching ... indicates riding school insurance. doubt BHS gold would cover you or your own horses policy. personnally i wouldnt let her ride .. she could get a policy to allow her to ride other peoples horses which might cover accident, but if you are teaching then you jump into the grey area IF siomething happens.
 
No absolutely not! Sorry to be blunt but people train to become instructors for a reason, i.e. it is difficult to teach and you need to know what you are doing. However nice your mare is, a 16.2hh horse can't possibly be suitable for a 9 year old who will need to come off the lead rein if she is to learn anything anyway.
 
Booboos said:
No absolutely not! Sorry to be blunt but people train to become instructors for a reason, i.e. it is difficult to teach and you need to know what you are doing. However nice your mare is, a 16.2hh horse can't possibly be suitable for a 9 year old who will need to come off the lead rein if she is to learn anything anyway.
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Though I agree with this in long term I disagree in shorter term. If someone hadn't taken the chance on me when I was a child I would never had had the chance to develop the love I now have of horses. I learnt to ride side saddle on a 16.3hh TB. I never left lunge and never went beyond trot, but it gave me a fantastic foundation in horsemanship, I learnt how to care, handle and look after horses. I proved my dedication to my parents who weren't well off and they then found the money for me to have lessons on a pony but I am so, so grateful to the lady on our local farm who started me off, she changed my life and set it on a course of an ongoing love affair with horses!
 
That is an absolutely wonderful story, what you are risking though is that this girl's story may not have such a happy ending. Riding is a risk sport and at least if it is done under the care of a qualified instructor on a suitable pony some of the risk is managed. You are taking this responsibility on yourself and, since you did ask, this is not something I would ever take on.
 
I have "started" a couple of friends children on our old pony. That is to say when they first showed an interest in riding they came round and had a few very basic lessons, e.g. how to get on hold the reins etc, a bit of walking and start of rising trot. They also spent hours grooming her, and just generally getting used to being around ponies, they never went off the lead rein and once they were ready to progress further I recommended local riding schools. I would not have done more than this, a) because I have no teaching qualifications and b) I would be worried about an accident once they progressed to going off lead rein.
All the above was on a 11.2hh pony, I would agree that 16.2 is quite big even for a tall 8 year old . I would see no harm in doing some very basic stuff but any more than that I think it would be best to recommend a riding school.
 
i have thought about this now and thank you for people's comments. I have decided not to go ahead with teaching her on any level. what I have done is found out about a few local riding schools for children nd passed this info on, offering to take her for her first few lessons.

Feel bad but I think it is as Booboos said, just because I had a wonderful experience this way doesn't mean the same will apply. Also I know this girls grandparents very well but not her parents, so I don't have quite the same relationship with them and wouldn't know how they would react if something did go wrong.

Thanks all.
 
I've had a few youngsters come to 'help' and ride. Never anything formal, but always happy to share the fun of being around horses. I am quite safety conscious and responsible and the children respect that.

I've let small kids accompanied by their parents have a 'ride' when we've stopped at pubs. The children and parents have thoroughly enjoyed the unexpected surprise and the horses love being trusted with the young ones.

Couldn't give a stuff about the compensation culture, I won't let the possibility of one person trying to claim spoil the enjoyment of others, particularly when the horses are bombproof and kid proof.

I don't let kids on the 5 year old ISH as she is still growing in wisdom.:rolleyes:
 
I have qualifications (BHSAI and ABRS) and have a small band of regular 'pupils'. Having looked into the insurance stuff, I don't charge money and don't accept any form of token 'in kind', that way, I've been assured, I am merely assisting in what is accepted as a risk sport. I don't teach anybody who isn't insured themselves and, if I'm using Markie, they have to have their own rider insurance. As I'm on a livery yard, have also checked with YO that it's okay, insurance wise, to have other people at the farm with me.
I've been teaching when there's been some horrific accidents (large riding school, not freelance) where, had it been today's sueing culture, those 'no win, no fee' companies would have had an absolute field day! I've also freelanced properly, with correct insurance, but it's just not, financially, worth it.
Appreciate that you're trying to do a good thing, I specialise with people that have lost their nerve and, because of that, feel under pressure with a 'proper' trainer (even though I have the pieces of paper to say I can teach and they usually don't, lol). If they have rider insurance, you have your horse insured and the yard has public liability, you should be covered as long as you accept no reward.
 
I bought cheap 2nd hand kids body protector and a cheap but new good brand hat in a size that fits most kids. Think it's a 52 or 53. No ones kid has a go without hat and body protecter and the understanding that accidents happen.
 
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