Young Horse tabbards?

Blizzard

Blizzard

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Ive seen a few posts regading lettering on tabbards and how it can or cannot affect your insurance.

For example if you are involved in a road accident and you are wearing a 'young horse' tabbard it has been suggested (on here, in mags, in coversations) that your insurance would be invalid because you are admitting that the horse is inexperienced, and a judge could rule that he shouldnt be out on the roads and therefore you are liable for the accident.

On the other hand people have said that is rubbish and lettering on your tabbard is to be taken as an extra safety measure on your part, and so a good thing.

And finally some say it depends on your insurance company as to whether you would be covered.


What are peoples toughts on this and has anyone actually been in a situation where an issue like this has arisen?


My Hi Viz waistcoat says 'Young Horse' on the back, and iI ride both my young horse, and Lance who is 18 in it.
For me I think its better to wear that (and hopefully have people respect your personal space a bit more if possible too), and of course be seen, than say go out with no high viz, surely a tabbard with certain words on is better than no tabbard when it comes down to it?

And finally, if the lettering could void your insurance or leave you liable, then surely this must extend to tabbards seen as humorous, such as the 'stroppy mare' ones.
Are you then admitting fault to any accident because you are saying your horse can be a handful?
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To be honest I really don't know, all I do know is that when I have ridden young horses out I slap cheap sticky 'L' plates on my high viz and that really makes drivers slow down.
 
See thats part of the reason I wear a young horse tabbard even on Lance, because it really does stop a lot of drivers getting right up your bum or squashing you into a hedge!
 
TBH the safer bet is 'Pass Wide and Slow' as understood by all,and Young Horse Tabards mean very little to non horsey drivers,whom would not understand that it could be unpredictable!
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TBH the safer bet is 'Pass Wide and Slow' as understood by all,and Young Horse Tabards mean very little to non horsey drivers,whom would not understand that it could be unpredictable!
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But could even 'Pass wide and slow' then be seen as voiding your insurance, where is the line drawn?
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I've heard people say this before but if you didn't take an inexperienced horse out onto the roads, they don't suddenly hit 7 and behave themselves
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I'm sure that if you had that tabbard on and got into an accident, it wouldn't make any difference. Like you say, I'm sure it's better to have a tabbard than not, and there are no rules in the HC about not taking young horses out on the roads.
 
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TBH the safer bet is 'Pass Wide and Slow' as understood by all,and Young Horse Tabards mean very little to non horsey drivers,whom would not understand that it could be unpredictable!
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But could even 'Pass wide and slow' then be seen as voiding your insurance, where is the line drawn?
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Christ....we're living in a bl**dy Nanny state!
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I've been trying to persuade my YO to buy one of these for her baby who hacked for the first time this weekend (horsey was fab) but now wondering if she should wear one? I wanted her to make it clear to the local farmers etc that it wasn't her normal 7yo hack - they are very similar looking!

However, HBII came out with a classic - we want a hi-viz that says on the front:

CAUTION!! HORSE KICKS!!

and on the back:

....AND RIDER PUNCHES....

Could this be liable?
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Sadly, in our litigation happy society I think almost anything you write on a tabbard could be used the wrong way by someone so inclined.

I have one which reads "Please be patient - thank you" - at least that seems to put the onus back on the driver, make some feel sightly guilty and back off a bit.
 
I think the BHS recommend simple wording that motorists can understand such as PLEASE PASS WIDE & SLOW. The one I wear has a red triangle with a horse in it - which is a universal caution sign. (Have just bought a new flashing one at YHL
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). I don't think some motorists would necessarily understand that YOUNG HORSE means anything. The L plates is another good idea. The most important thing is to wear as much Hi Viz as possible - God forbid you are in an accident, but at least the motorist cannot say he/she never saw you which would be one way for your insurance to contest a claim. A non-horsey friend recently told me that they were amazed that it wasn't a legal requirement for horseriders to use hi-viz when riding on the road.
 
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To be honest I really don't know, all I do know is that when I have ridden young horses out I slap cheap sticky 'L' plates on my high viz and that really makes drivers slow down.

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That's such a good idea...but quite fun...and drivers will understand better. I think I'll steal that when I break my two youngsters.
Thanks
S
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It doesn't matter a jot what it says on your tabard, when you take your horses on the road, you will be strictly liable for any accident that occurs.

The courts will not consider whether or not you are negligent or whether you are admitting liability, or denying liability. The fact is simply that the recent interpretation of the Animals Act, in light of the decision in Mirvahedy v. Henley, decided by the House of Lords, is that you will be held strictly liable.

Anyone who worries that in wearing a "young horse" tabard they will be "more liable" is mistaken. It will have no effect to how accountable you are held. Although of course, not wearing a tabard could well increase your chance of an accident and therefore the chance of getting sued.
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I expect there is also a chance that not wearing high viz may also invalidate your insurance, it would depend on your policy.

I personally think "please pass wide and slow" is the best one to use as it tell motorists how to pass a horse - then they've no blooming excuse hey?!
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But could even 'Pass wide and slow' then be seen as voiding your insurance, where is the line drawn?
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No!
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i think SLOW PLEASE is the best to have. any more words than that takes too long to read... i want the motorist to glance at my tabard and then back at my horse, just in case it's chosen that nanosecond to shy at an imaginary dragon in the hedge. a Learner sticker below SLOW PLEASE also works very well - every motorist knows what that means.
 
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I personally think "please pass wide and slow" is the best one to use as it tell motorists how to pass a horse - then they've no blooming excuse hey?!
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I always thought it was a description of the rider....
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I would suggest that anyone who's worried about writing on tabards should check the wording of their insurance policy to see if there is a specific mention of this.
 
Personally I love the idea of the big L plates, but I do know of a few snobby people who think this would be aimed at their riding & therefore wouldn't use it in case people think THEY not the horse is the learner. Stupid I know, but it takes all sorts......
 
I have a tabbard with caution young horse, and TBH people dont take much notice, perhaps i will get the other one mentioned, i have a green 4yo and she is fine with traffic, unless they wizz by quickly and she will shy.
 
have been told by several lorry drivers that it is actually off putting/distracting to have lettering on a tabbard....much better to be just plain and bright!

no-body is really interested what is written..preferably nothing at all...

as for Ins....yes, i can see that point of view.
 
i have one that says pass wide and slow i wrote "young horse" under that when i was riding quite a few young horses i tell you now more people slow down now than they did before. I didnt have a clue it effected insurance!
 
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I have been advised NEVER to wear the following

L Plates
Young Horse
Young Rider

I only wear 'Please Pass Wide and Slow'

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Who by??
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i have not read all of the previus post so this may of been said.... i wear a please pass wide and slow, if some idiot hits you because they were too close yr covered
 
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i have not read all of the previus post so this may of been said.... i wear a please pass wide and slow, if some idiot hits you because they were too close yr covered

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Clearly you haven't read the thread because that's not accurate...
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I found no one ever read what was on my tabard, so I went for humorous ones.
I noticed that if they found it funny, motorists will give you those few seconds of your time.
I don't ride worry about insurance. I chose my wording for humour and to catch people's eyes so they were forced to slow down.
So I wear "Caution: Lady rider with PMT!"
 
johnson59 I love yours, that would certainly make drivers slow down!

Mine has a red triangle and Caution - personally I think the fewer words the better, but we do also have a flurourescent exercise sheet, tail cover, hat band and bridle straps - I suspect we can be seen from space!!
 
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I have been advised NEVER to wear the following

L Plates
Young Horse
Young Rider

I only wear 'Please Pass Wide and Slow'

[/ QUOTE ]

Who by??
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when I did my Riding And Road Safety. the instructor told me
 
Going back to the days of the BHS forum... a barrister posted on this topic and said that, were it to be argued in court that Caution Young Horse showed you were being irresponsible by riding the horse out, it could equally be argued that you were in fact being very responsible by warning drivers. The conclusion was that this stuff about being more liable because of the wording on your tabard is rubbish, almost like an urban legend. So many people have heard it from "someone who told someone" that it's being quoted as legal advice - by tack shops, people on forums and now it appears even riding road safety trainers.
 
I would only ever wear 'please pass wide and slow' or just a high viz with no writing. Simply because drivers won't have a clue what your on about if you have things like 'novice horse' or 'young horse'.
 
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