pipmk
Active Member
Back in the day I dare say we all did things which sensibly are not allowed now. The fact we are here to report it is more about luck than judgement,I had friends who aren't. and the accident figures were correspondingly higher.
5 Year Old Daughter Horse Riding Incident Advice
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Back in the day I dare say we all did things which sensibly are not allowed now. The fact we are here to report it is more about luck than judgement,I had friends who aren't. and the accident figures were correspondingly higher.
brucemillar
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"How heavy is a small crosser?"
That is just wrong on so many levels. :^)
That is just wrong on so many levels. :^)
grober
MB Master
It would appear from this that the licencing of such riding establishments are the responsibility of the local authority. Appears to be current legislation but don't know for certain??
Riding Establishments Act 1970
Riding Establishments Act 1970
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Sorry to hear about your daughters nasty accident, hope she recovers fully.
If you're concerned about the establishment involved try here Who should report? - RIDDOR - HSE
If you're concerned about the establishment involved try here Who should report? - RIDDOR - HSE
grober
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I hope it all works out for you.
My daughter turned 6 yesterday and she has weekly riding lessons in a group. She rides by herself and is very competent on a horse. She has fallen off a few times but has been unharmed. It has made her a better rider IMO.
You have my number if you would like my advice. Don't beat yourself up firstly. I have only watched twice and you can't prevent all accidents.
My daughter turned 6 yesterday and she has weekly riding lessons in a group. She rides by herself and is very competent on a horse. She has fallen off a few times but has been unharmed. It has made her a better rider IMO.
You have my number if you would like my advice. Don't beat yourself up firstly. I have only watched twice and you can't prevent all accidents.
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You can't be called a rider unless one has fallen off, more than once!
I rode a lot (and fell off a lot) during my teens and twenties, mostly hacking and dressage.
Witnessed many falls, some very serious, most rather comical. It's a dangerous sport with a large element of unpredictability....
Loved every minute in the saddle, even the 5am starts to muck out...
I rode a lot (and fell off a lot) during my teens and twenties, mostly hacking and dressage.
Witnessed many falls, some very serious, most rather comical. It's a dangerous sport with a large element of unpredictability....
Loved every minute in the saddle, even the 5am starts to muck out...
wongl
MB Enthusiast
I wish your daughter a speedy and full recovery.
By your own account, your daughter has been learning to ride for around six months at the school since starting last October. You/your wife would have ample time in six months to observe how the riders are treated at this school and raise any concerns with the school and/or withdraw your daughter from the school.
You also accounted that your daughter was trotting unaided and even cantering. Trotting and certainly cantering are quite advanced riding maneuvers so your daughter is doing very well to have mastered such skills in only six months.
No body can prevent a horse from bolting - they often do this when spooked by something (even a simple flash of light) or when stung by a bee. None of us were there, so only you are in a position to determine whether your daughter would have fallen off a bolting horse had a teacher been holding the reigns of the horse in question. Moreover, would it have been possible for a teacher to be holding on to the reigns of a horse while the rider is trotting and/or cantering?
By your own account, your daughter has been learning to ride for around six months at the school since starting last October. You/your wife would have ample time in six months to observe how the riders are treated at this school and raise any concerns with the school and/or withdraw your daughter from the school.
You also accounted that your daughter was trotting unaided and even cantering. Trotting and certainly cantering are quite advanced riding maneuvers so your daughter is doing very well to have mastered such skills in only six months.
No body can prevent a horse from bolting - they often do this when spooked by something (even a simple flash of light) or when stung by a bee. None of us were there, so only you are in a position to determine whether your daughter would have fallen off a bolting horse had a teacher been holding the reigns of the horse in question. Moreover, would it have been possible for a teacher to be holding on to the reigns of a horse while the rider is trotting and/or cantering?
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That's what the lunge rein is for. Even then had the horse shied and tried to bolt it would almost certainly unseat the novice rider.
Pairing rider and horse is the most important thing when starting out. Get it wrong and at the very least one will destroy any confidence in the rider. At the worst, well as has been detailed in the OP.
wongl
MB Enthusiast
Lunge rein for an advance rider while cantering? Not sure it is going to help anyone? Besides, she did not fall while cantering, she fell because the horse bolted. A lunge rein will not stop a horse from bolting.
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jonnyboy
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I was going to reply to this thread last night but decided to have a think about how I should respond.
Dean, firstly, my heart goes out to what your family is going through. Little ones and health issues are never good, my son was very ill indeed when he was 3, it could have killed him at a later date, that was a month (initially) of hell, and six months of back and forth to Great Ormond Street.
A couple of points from my perspective - I hate all forms of litigation that I see as opportunistic. Your later reply to the thread seems to rule that out which I am relieved about as it has altered how I am replying!
Firstly - it's an accident, they happen, she could just as easily have fallen off her bike alongside you/your wife, hit the kerb, and sustained similar injuries. In that circumstance you'd be determined to ensure she got back on a bike ASAP so it din't affect her for life. While she's very young, you need to find a way of preventing a fear/phobia of animals in general with her as has been mentioned - certainly by trying to "minimise" the emotions/fear/reactions that happen around her in the days ahead the last thing she needs is someone saying something well-intentioned that has the opposite effect. So try to keep her cheery, laugh about it (even though your stomach is churning as you do so), try to make it light hearted if you can.
Secondly, you and your wife do need to take some responsibility here - you guys let her do the activity, and you yourself have said that there were things you weren't happy about before the incident occurred. At the end of the day, you don't sign away your own responsibilities as a parent the moment you put your child in the care/control of someone else. It's al very well saying after the fact "well, I wasn't happy with the horse/the fact she was alone etc" - if that was the case you should have intervened.
However......you do have the rights to a reasonable expectation that the experts in the field (no pun intended) actually know what they are doing and have the appropriate procedures in place/risk assessments/qualified and vetted instructors and the likes - after all, they are the experts that you are paying for said expert procedures. It sounds to me like they have been a bit lax and as such this should be investigated initially, with a calm head. But done very discreetly and without any blame attachment until done. Hiring a solicitor at this point would, I feel, be wrong - however an initial discussion with one may stop any mistakes in procedure which may come back to bite you later on. Do you know one who you could take out for a couple of pints, have an off the record chat along the lines of "I hopefully don't need to do anything as we pray she'll be unaffected in the long run, but what should I do/not do just in case we have to revisit that as treatment/diagnosis goes along? Clearly, if she was unfortunate enough to be affected permanently, and the school really have been negligent, then you have the right to look into compensation. Let's hope not. As I said earlier about your responsibilities as a parent continuing - if the bike incident happened as above, and then you had the same loss of work/costs etc as in your current scenario - you'd just have to take it on the chin as it is, after all, a freak incident. That's my take on it.
On a slight tangent - for my sins I was, until recently, heavily involved with a local kids sports club. Volunteer organisation yet the hoops we had to jump through in terms of red tape relating to training/risk assessments/qualifications etc was unreal. It would be interesting to weigh up the needs of any professional overseeing body in the horsey world (ie a business) versus the volunteers, and probably quite shocking. Over my time we had three or four incidents, one fairly serious injury which actually happened off the pitch. We had good procedures in place which worked well, and all of the said incidents were genuine accidents, nothing malicious, and nothing where there was any negligence on our part. However, one such incident, which actually involved me, centred around a sibling who had been left by a parent with the sibling and parent of a team mate during the game (while a coffee/phone/whatever was more important thing was occurring). This young girl literally got under my feet from behind as I was running the line (a thankless job) and we had a major collision, she broke her arm, I was off work for a week (self employed) as I couldn't walk (and I do truthfully think this incident was the precursor to the start of my ankles-rebuild saga over the next five years). The reason I am even mentioning it is twofold. Firstly, the emotions that I, my family, coaching staff etc went through afterwards were not something I would wish on anyone, indeed it made me question whether I wanted to continue as you have this guilt inside you which is quite irrational - especially in my case where I was 100% not to blame. Secondly, the aftermath, the abhorrent reactions from both the injured girl/her returning parent/the person she'd been left with were frankly disgusting, even in the face of every other person there trying to explain that I couldn't be expected to have eyes in the back of my head. Investigations/police involvement (yes really), I won't go into it further as it takes us even more off topic. I'm mentioning it as, so far, you haven't mentioned what contact the stables have made with you since? Have they enquired to her condition? Apologised ? Or just remained silent? It's possible the person in charge has sat with their head in their hands since it happened? Or just completely blase about it?
I know nothing about horse riding, but I rent a warehouse on a farm where there is a riding school. My take on the people I come across, both running thestables, and customers, is that they just seem to have a certain way about themselves - their own values/thoughts on what is right/wrong/acceptable, and in the case of the ones where I am based, this leads to constant battles. So I don't have much time for "horsey" people to be honest.
None of the above is intended to be an attack on you (or the stables), more just a sort of food-for-thought thing. I wish you all the very best.
Dean, firstly, my heart goes out to what your family is going through. Little ones and health issues are never good, my son was very ill indeed when he was 3, it could have killed him at a later date, that was a month (initially) of hell, and six months of back and forth to Great Ormond Street.
A couple of points from my perspective - I hate all forms of litigation that I see as opportunistic. Your later reply to the thread seems to rule that out which I am relieved about as it has altered how I am replying!
Firstly - it's an accident, they happen, she could just as easily have fallen off her bike alongside you/your wife, hit the kerb, and sustained similar injuries. In that circumstance you'd be determined to ensure she got back on a bike ASAP so it din't affect her for life. While she's very young, you need to find a way of preventing a fear/phobia of animals in general with her as has been mentioned - certainly by trying to "minimise" the emotions/fear/reactions that happen around her in the days ahead the last thing she needs is someone saying something well-intentioned that has the opposite effect. So try to keep her cheery, laugh about it (even though your stomach is churning as you do so), try to make it light hearted if you can.
Secondly, you and your wife do need to take some responsibility here - you guys let her do the activity, and you yourself have said that there were things you weren't happy about before the incident occurred. At the end of the day, you don't sign away your own responsibilities as a parent the moment you put your child in the care/control of someone else. It's al very well saying after the fact "well, I wasn't happy with the horse/the fact she was alone etc" - if that was the case you should have intervened.
However......you do have the rights to a reasonable expectation that the experts in the field (no pun intended) actually know what they are doing and have the appropriate procedures in place/risk assessments/qualified and vetted instructors and the likes - after all, they are the experts that you are paying for said expert procedures. It sounds to me like they have been a bit lax and as such this should be investigated initially, with a calm head. But done very discreetly and without any blame attachment until done. Hiring a solicitor at this point would, I feel, be wrong - however an initial discussion with one may stop any mistakes in procedure which may come back to bite you later on. Do you know one who you could take out for a couple of pints, have an off the record chat along the lines of "I hopefully don't need to do anything as we pray she'll be unaffected in the long run, but what should I do/not do just in case we have to revisit that as treatment/diagnosis goes along? Clearly, if she was unfortunate enough to be affected permanently, and the school really have been negligent, then you have the right to look into compensation. Let's hope not. As I said earlier about your responsibilities as a parent continuing - if the bike incident happened as above, and then you had the same loss of work/costs etc as in your current scenario - you'd just have to take it on the chin as it is, after all, a freak incident. That's my take on it.
On a slight tangent - for my sins I was, until recently, heavily involved with a local kids sports club. Volunteer organisation yet the hoops we had to jump through in terms of red tape relating to training/risk assessments/qualifications etc was unreal. It would be interesting to weigh up the needs of any professional overseeing body in the horsey world (ie a business) versus the volunteers, and probably quite shocking. Over my time we had three or four incidents, one fairly serious injury which actually happened off the pitch. We had good procedures in place which worked well, and all of the said incidents were genuine accidents, nothing malicious, and nothing where there was any negligence on our part. However, one such incident, which actually involved me, centred around a sibling who had been left by a parent with the sibling and parent of a team mate during the game (while a coffee/phone/whatever was more important thing was occurring). This young girl literally got under my feet from behind as I was running the line (a thankless job) and we had a major collision, she broke her arm, I was off work for a week (self employed) as I couldn't walk (and I do truthfully think this incident was the precursor to the start of my ankles-rebuild saga over the next five years). The reason I am even mentioning it is twofold. Firstly, the emotions that I, my family, coaching staff etc went through afterwards were not something I would wish on anyone, indeed it made me question whether I wanted to continue as you have this guilt inside you which is quite irrational - especially in my case where I was 100% not to blame. Secondly, the aftermath, the abhorrent reactions from both the injured girl/her returning parent/the person she'd been left with were frankly disgusting, even in the face of every other person there trying to explain that I couldn't be expected to have eyes in the back of my head. Investigations/police involvement (yes really), I won't go into it further as it takes us even more off topic. I'm mentioning it as, so far, you haven't mentioned what contact the stables have made with you since? Have they enquired to her condition? Apologised ? Or just remained silent? It's possible the person in charge has sat with their head in their hands since it happened? Or just completely blase about it?
I know nothing about horse riding, but I rent a warehouse on a farm where there is a riding school. My take on the people I come across, both running thestables, and customers, is that they just seem to have a certain way about themselves - their own values/thoughts on what is right/wrong/acceptable, and in the case of the ones where I am based, this leads to constant battles. So I don't have much time for "horsey" people to be honest.
None of the above is intended to be an attack on you (or the stables), more just a sort of food-for-thought thing. I wish you all the very best.
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OP
OP
rockits
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I think we need to hold fire on a definitive course of action at this stage. It is too early to tell if any longer term injuries have been sustained or will arise. I just don't have that information at this stage to say if this is likely to be the case or not. It doesn't seem so at the moment but it would be prudent to leave our options open at this stage. It would also be all too easy to say OK she is fine, recovering well and find in a year or longer a significant/major issue discovered that causes long term issues and costs that could be substantial. It seems sensible to do this and seems irresponsible not to do so.
It could be financial suicide or ruinous if for whatever reason this became the case. I have no idea, just keen not to close doors that will not be able to be opened again at a later date. I hope and feel that this won't be the case but why close a door that either can't be closed at this stage or doesn't need to be closed at this stage.
There are some issues that clearly need and will be discussed. I do not like litigation and more specifically solicitors. Sorry if I am offending anyone here but my experiences at all stages of my life have never been good when taking any form of litigation using solicitors. It always ends up costing loads with little or no result. Lose lose for us/everyone else and win win for the solicitor. It is not high on my agenda list but is an option if ever required.
We have another follow up appt with a Harley Street Maxillofacial specialist again next week. The swelling should start to go down and the injuries can be easier and more fully assessed. I am keen not to jump to conclusions too earlier, keen not to be negative and blame anyone or everyone else and keen to protect my daughter regardless what anyone or everyone thinks about it. Your opinions and information really does matter and is appreciated.
I am in an industry where information is key to allow us to do our job and do it well. The more information I have the better and more informed decision I can make. I apply this logic in most that I do. Some might say boring, tedious, annoying, live a little etc. but I cannot change the way I was born and brought. I am quite a strong individual who cannot be swayed easily and pride myself on not being able to be 'bought'. I don't go against the grain on occasion just to be different but have no issue in doing anything that will be in a minority or unpopular if I feel it is the right thing to do.
I don't think it is good to react in the heat of the moment or make decisions when your judgement is clouded and imbalanced. That is what the last few days have been about for me. The ultimate and most responsible person at fault here is myself. I know this and am fully aware of this fact. I will not beat myself up about it or let it affect me and know how to deal with it. I have lived with myself for 43 years and know myself quite well know
I was not happy with something and choose not to do something about it immediately.
In my defence I was in a very foreign environment, know nothing or very little about horses or horse riding and didn't want to come across as interfering or a moaner without good reason. I really didn't know what was right or what was to be expected with the assistance level in the lesson. I have no benchmark or level at all to gauge this either in person or by written/read knowledge. All I know is that I felt uncomfortable and felt it didn't seem correct to me. Is that or was that good enough reason to cut in and get the lesson stopped for my daughter? I still have no idea! The lesson is 30 mins long and the incident happened about 20 mins in. There were 4 horses and girls in the class with one central teacher. It was my first visit to see my daughter riding and my sum total of life long experience is therefore about 30 mins. I am not sure that is enough to make a good solid informed decision. It was merely a gut feeling and would have been reactive. Sometimes this makes the best decision and sometimes the worse. I have to live with my decision and am man enough and responsible enough to do so.
I moan a great deal at home about all sorts. I often am told so and told I never smile. There a many bits of information that fill my head on all that I deal with every day. I am not one that seems to be allowed to have simple decision based on one or two pieces of information. My heads seems to become attracted and burdened with a ton of information fully, partly or with a small amount direct relation to what I am trying to think and decide about. It is all in the desire to make the very best decision at all times on everything. As you all know choosing cars is one of those complex tasks that takes some time. Others may be quick, reactive and make snap decisions. I am not one of those people! I can do this when the information I have is clear and find decision making very easy. I do it a great deal in my work. In this case I really wasn't sure what to make of it all and was still trying to gauge if I was being irrational and overbearing. I am still human, always learning but always prepared to do the work required to do the very best I can at all times. No matter what it is.
Nobody will agree about this in their totality as we know everyone is different. My concern is to make sure that if there any lessons to be learnt here, that they are, also if anything that is preventable is prevented.
It could be financial suicide or ruinous if for whatever reason this became the case. I have no idea, just keen not to close doors that will not be able to be opened again at a later date. I hope and feel that this won't be the case but why close a door that either can't be closed at this stage or doesn't need to be closed at this stage.
There are some issues that clearly need and will be discussed. I do not like litigation and more specifically solicitors. Sorry if I am offending anyone here but my experiences at all stages of my life have never been good when taking any form of litigation using solicitors. It always ends up costing loads with little or no result. Lose lose for us/everyone else and win win for the solicitor. It is not high on my agenda list but is an option if ever required.
We have another follow up appt with a Harley Street Maxillofacial specialist again next week. The swelling should start to go down and the injuries can be easier and more fully assessed. I am keen not to jump to conclusions too earlier, keen not to be negative and blame anyone or everyone else and keen to protect my daughter regardless what anyone or everyone thinks about it. Your opinions and information really does matter and is appreciated.
I am in an industry where information is key to allow us to do our job and do it well. The more information I have the better and more informed decision I can make. I apply this logic in most that I do. Some might say boring, tedious, annoying, live a little etc. but I cannot change the way I was born and brought. I am quite a strong individual who cannot be swayed easily and pride myself on not being able to be 'bought'. I don't go against the grain on occasion just to be different but have no issue in doing anything that will be in a minority or unpopular if I feel it is the right thing to do.
I don't think it is good to react in the heat of the moment or make decisions when your judgement is clouded and imbalanced. That is what the last few days have been about for me. The ultimate and most responsible person at fault here is myself. I know this and am fully aware of this fact. I will not beat myself up about it or let it affect me and know how to deal with it. I have lived with myself for 43 years and know myself quite well know
I was not happy with something and choose not to do something about it immediately.In my defence I was in a very foreign environment, know nothing or very little about horses or horse riding and didn't want to come across as interfering or a moaner without good reason. I really didn't know what was right or what was to be expected with the assistance level in the lesson. I have no benchmark or level at all to gauge this either in person or by written/read knowledge. All I know is that I felt uncomfortable and felt it didn't seem correct to me. Is that or was that good enough reason to cut in and get the lesson stopped for my daughter? I still have no idea! The lesson is 30 mins long and the incident happened about 20 mins in. There were 4 horses and girls in the class with one central teacher. It was my first visit to see my daughter riding and my sum total of life long experience is therefore about 30 mins. I am not sure that is enough to make a good solid informed decision. It was merely a gut feeling and would have been reactive. Sometimes this makes the best decision and sometimes the worse. I have to live with my decision and am man enough and responsible enough to do so.
I moan a great deal at home about all sorts. I often am told so and told I never smile. There a many bits of information that fill my head on all that I deal with every day. I am not one that seems to be allowed to have simple decision based on one or two pieces of information. My heads seems to become attracted and burdened with a ton of information fully, partly or with a small amount direct relation to what I am trying to think and decide about. It is all in the desire to make the very best decision at all times on everything. As you all know choosing cars is one of those complex tasks that takes some time. Others may be quick, reactive and make snap decisions. I am not one of those people! I can do this when the information I have is clear and find decision making very easy. I do it a great deal in my work. In this case I really wasn't sure what to make of it all and was still trying to gauge if I was being irrational and overbearing. I am still human, always learning but always prepared to do the work required to do the very best I can at all times. No matter what it is.
Nobody will agree about this in their totality as we know everyone is different. My concern is to make sure that if there any lessons to be learnt here, that they are, also if anything that is preventable is prevented.
I wish your daughter well and swift recovery!
It's all very well to dismiss this and say "it was just an accident" but I agree with leaning towards ensuring that if there was negligence - that it is resolved so no one has to suffer in future unnecessarily.
We all know sh*t happens but I can't help thinking 5 years old is too young to be on a horse alone.
It's all very well to dismiss this and say "it was just an accident" but I agree with leaning towards ensuring that if there was negligence - that it is resolved so no one has to suffer in future unnecessarily.
We all know sh*t happens but I can't help thinking 5 years old is too young to be on a horse alone.
PaulC101
New Member
I'm very sorry to hear of the injury to your daughter and hope she makes a speedy and full recovery.
There are a couple of things to explore. If the riding school is being run as a commercial enterprise then it will be covered by the legislative governance of the Health and Safety Executive. This means that they have a duty to report all injuries on their premises to the HSE and ensure they are fully recorded. They should at the very least keep an Incidents and Accidents book for any reasonable person to inspect. The response by the HSE may to be either investigate it or not.
It's not a police matter unless there is a criminal aspect suspected. They would refer you to the HSE in any case.
The riding school should also have some kind of Public Liability Insurance. While you or your wife may (or may not) have signed some forms with regards to T&Cs and perhaps disclaimers (you'll need to check) these do not absolve the riding school from their Duty of Care and responsibility in ensuring the safety and welfare of visitors to their premises and those using the facilities.
You may only find answers to these questions by engaging with the riding school on a non-confrontational basis in the first instance. If the responses are not forthcoming or not to your satisfaction, then I would suggest contacting the HSE for their advice and guidance.
HTH.
PaulC.
There are a couple of things to explore. If the riding school is being run as a commercial enterprise then it will be covered by the legislative governance of the Health and Safety Executive. This means that they have a duty to report all injuries on their premises to the HSE and ensure they are fully recorded. They should at the very least keep an Incidents and Accidents book for any reasonable person to inspect. The response by the HSE may to be either investigate it or not.
It's not a police matter unless there is a criminal aspect suspected. They would refer you to the HSE in any case.
The riding school should also have some kind of Public Liability Insurance. While you or your wife may (or may not) have signed some forms with regards to T&Cs and perhaps disclaimers (you'll need to check) these do not absolve the riding school from their Duty of Care and responsibility in ensuring the safety and welfare of visitors to their premises and those using the facilities.
You may only find answers to these questions by engaging with the riding school on a non-confrontational basis in the first instance. If the responses are not forthcoming or not to your satisfaction, then I would suggest contacting the HSE for their advice and guidance.
HTH.
PaulC.
I cannot offer any legal advice but horses can be very temperamental and can cause significant harm so all possible precautions must be taken.
My wife's cousins daughter aged I believe 8 years and had been around horses for a while was killed when one lashed out and kicked her in the head.
I hope your little girl recovers quickly and if I was you then I believe it right to take this further if for no other reason than to ensure the policies used by the school are tightened up.
My wife's cousins daughter aged I believe 8 years and had been around horses for a while was killed when one lashed out and kicked her in the head.
I hope your little girl recovers quickly and if I was you then I believe it right to take this further if for no other reason than to ensure the policies used by the school are tightened up.
davidjpowell
MB Enthusiast
I think it depends on a lot. Certainly where my daughter rides they know which pony's are docile, and they are fed a diet that encourages a slow predictable ride, rather than lots of horsey sugar.. Checked with my wife last night and it was about 18 months before our daughter was riding without a leader. Even then it was very controlled.
oldguy57
MB Enthusiast
One thing to bear in mind is that I doubt the riding school will enter into any discussions with you directly regarding the incident for fear of prejudicing their insurance or legal position- they will probably have been advised of this by their Insurers and that is the correct position. But 1 trainer looking after 4 young riders at the same time?- sorry that does not gel at all . If you are not a horsey person perhaps its not unreasonable for you to have relied on the expertise of the establishment as to what was a safe procedure. You are doing the correct thing in considering the matter carefully before making any decisions but as I said before do not count on sorting this out directly with the school - they will not be allowed to do this. Good luck.
ChrisEdu
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Yikes! I can imagine how scary this must have been for all involved. I hope your daughter makes a full recovery.
As a teacher, we have countless policies in school to cover just about everything imaginable. As such, I think this would be my starting point. Were their policies being followed correctly, not only in terms of supervision ratios, but also first aid and accident procedures?
I might also be tempted to follow-up on what you said about the 999 response, as a young child falling and being kicked by a horse has the potential to be a very serious medical emergency.
I'm sorry, I've not managed to read the entire thread so, ultimately, what are you aiming for in regards to the incident? No matter what, I would certainly be raining concerns with the school and emergency service. I would also be considering speaking with the HSE to get their gist on the situation. Then, if seeking compensation, a good lawyer with experience in the field. Obviously, in this case, getting any witness statements would be useful.
Anyhow, best wishes for a speedy recovery.
As a teacher, we have countless policies in school to cover just about everything imaginable. As such, I think this would be my starting point. Were their policies being followed correctly, not only in terms of supervision ratios, but also first aid and accident procedures?
I might also be tempted to follow-up on what you said about the 999 response, as a young child falling and being kicked by a horse has the potential to be a very serious medical emergency.
I'm sorry, I've not managed to read the entire thread so, ultimately, what are you aiming for in regards to the incident? No matter what, I would certainly be raining concerns with the school and emergency service. I would also be considering speaking with the HSE to get their gist on the situation. Then, if seeking compensation, a good lawyer with experience in the field. Obviously, in this case, getting any witness statements would be useful.
Anyhow, best wishes for a speedy recovery.
Firstly let me say best wishes to your daughter for a speedy recovery.
My daughter, now in her 30's, works with horses, she is a dressage competition groom and was at the London Olympics, unfortunately working for a Danish rider Over the years she has been kicked, trod on, had several broken fingers, her partner has been kicked badly resulting in several broken ribs and fractured vertibrae. You are dealing with an animal who may spook at the most innocuous thing. Now form possibly a legal standpoint, what spooked the horse? May have been a paper bag blowing in the breeze or the sight of something unusual. If a trainer was holding onto the rein when the horse decided to go, it is doubtful the trainer would have held on for very long if at all, that is how fingers are broken.
That being said, the riding school should have Public Liability Insurance to cover such events, however some recent court cases have been thrown out because "You chose to get on the horse" but the fact that the horse bolted would suggest "The horse was unsuitable for a rider of that age and ability"
Good luck and best wishes to your daughter.
My daughter, now in her 30's, works with horses, she is a dressage competition groom and was at the London Olympics, unfortunately working for a Danish rider
Over the years she has been kicked, trod on, had several broken fingers, her partner has been kicked badly resulting in several broken ribs and fractured vertibrae. You are dealing with an animal who may spook at the most innocuous thing. Now form possibly a legal standpoint, what spooked the horse? May have been a paper bag blowing in the breeze or the sight of something unusual. If a trainer was holding onto the rein when the horse decided to go, it is doubtful the trainer would have held on for very long if at all, that is how fingers are broken. That being said, the riding school should have Public Liability Insurance to cover such events, however some recent court cases have been thrown out because "You chose to get on the horse" but the fact that the horse bolted would suggest "The horse was unsuitable for a rider of that age and ability"
Good luck and best wishes to your daughter.
I was about to type this. This seems the obvious first line of investigation. Check the paperwork that (I assume, your wife) signed when your child was signed up. That should tell you what she was signed-up to.
Clearly, the ultimate responsbility is with the parent, if 20 people are telling you "it's fine, this is the way it's supposed to be", but in your own mind it looks risky, it's your call to remove her from the situation. I'd suggest it's not up to you or your wife to know what is considered safe practise for young children learning to ride, it's up to the establishment. So it is key that the establishment is following the correct protocol for kids on horses. If they are not, then whether you personally want to litigate or not, you have some responsibility to others to report. If they are, and your kid had an incident that is viewed as an acceptable part of the process, then, provided that was laid out to you / your wife at the time, then that's a risk that you accepted.
For exampe one assumes that if geof capes is leading her horse around, it's still possible that the horse bolts such that he can't hold it, and an incident happens, and a reasonable person would know this. However, it's a lot less likely, than if there is no one leading the horse, or a 12 year old was leading the horse around. If an adult was supposed to be in control of the horse, but was not, then thats something that needs to be addressed.
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