Compensation For Riding School Accidents & Injuries

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Accidents & Injuries Sustained At Riding Schools

Three million people ride regularly in the UK, including around a million children who regularly attend riding schools and pony clubs. Horse riding is almost a national obsession, but it is also inherently dangerous. Horses are large, powerful, independent, and often unpredictable animals. Though generally docile by nature, they scare easily and are quick to take flight. Accidents involving horses and riding schools are common, and the injuries that result can be particularly severe, as in the case of Superman actor, Christopher Reeve, left paralysed following a riding accident. Such cases also show that experienced riders can be injured just as easily as novices. Under the Animals Act 1971, owners are responsible for the behaviour of their horses, including damage and injuries that they cause. For this reason riding schools hold public liability insurance to compensate persons injured while handling or riding their horses. A riding school therefore has a duty of care towards all visitors, to provide a safe riding environment and take all reasonable measures to prevent accidents and injuries occurring. This will include providing adequate protective equipment, ensuring constant supervision, comprehensively assessing a rider's abilities and matching their level of skill to a suitable horse.

Typical Causes Of Riding School Accidents

Injuries resulting from accidents at riding schools include fractures, dislocations, bruising, shock, and in severe cases spinal, head and brain injuries. A riding school should be able to predict the way a horse will behave in various circumstances. They should not provide riders with horses which have a history of unpredictability or dangerous behaviour. Riding school instructors should also be experienced and skilled in their level of tuition. Horses have been known to bolt and throw their riders following the flick of a whip. Otherwise an instructor may decide to ride at an inappropriate pace for pupils, or across terrain that is dangerous relative to a rider's skill level, causing them to fall. Inadequate supervision or poor treatment of horses in a riding school yard may cause them to run loose and collide with visitors, or cause a horse to kick, potentially resulting in serious injuries to anyone standing behind them. Often riding helmets will be faulty, badly designed or incorrectly fitted, worsening the effects of a rider's fall. Horse tack, including reins and stirrups may break if they are not properly maintained, again presenting a danger to riders. Horse owners have a duty of care both to customers, and to anyone who they employ or who volunteers to work with horses at a riding school. Venues where horses compete will also owe a duty of care to protect competitors, visitors and anyone else present from accidents and injuries.

Riding School Accident Compensation Claims

Provided your claim relates to an accident at a riding school that has taken place in the last three years, Bartletts Solicitors can represent you on a No Win No Fee basis. You are assured of keeping 100% of any compensation awarded, with no deductions. In the event that your compensation claim is successful our fees are paid by the losing party to the claim. The vast majority of the claims we take on are successful, and where they are not we will charge you nothing. If you win your case the riding school's proprietors and their insurance company will pay all of your legal fees, and if you lose you will not pay a penny. You therefore face no cost or risk when bringing a compensation claim. Using a Solicitor is different to using a Claims Management Company because you are protected by the rules of the Solicitors Regulation Authority which govern firms of solicitors.

Bartletts have been protecting and supporting clients for 150 years and enjoy a reputation nationwide for trusted legal advice. We are specialists in riding school accident compensation claims having successfully represented both injured customers and employees. Call us today on 0800 158 2454 for a free consultation regarding your case or to begin a claim. You can also contact us for free legal advice via our new Live Chat function below.

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