# Letting others ride your horse?



## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

The BO's protecting herself and her assets. Even if a waiver is signed, an outside party can (and has been known to) sue a barn owner for negligence even when it's the rider's own stupidity that got them hurt.

The person is less likely to sue if they're directly related to you, like a husband, sister, or mother.

The only thing you can do is either convince the BO to let you have an exception, or switch barns. Her barn, her rules.


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## verona1016 (Jul 3, 2011)

I haven't run across this at any barn I've been to, but I haven't gone riding other people's horses at other barns very often either.

I understand the BO is trying to limit her liability, and if you live in one of those states that doesn't have strong equine liability laws then I can understand even more. However, it can seriously hurt a boarding business to have such rigid rules, and that's one of those reasons why businesses have liability insurance! I'd expect that she'd be doing her "due diligence" as far as the insurance company is concerned in getting a waiver signed, but who knows... maybe she's been bitten by this in the past?


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## TrojanCowgirl (Jun 1, 2012)

I've never had that problem but I'd like to hear more about it!

I was always allowed to ride other's horses. As long as I called and they said it was ok, the BO was fine with it.


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## mangomelon (May 11, 2012)

At my barn as long as the person signs the waiver and has my permission to ride, anyone is allowed to ride your horse. I don't know what I think about that situation. On one hand, it's your horse but on the other, it's her barn. I guess you could talk to her about an exception for this girl especially if she's going to ride your horse on a regular basis and/or show him.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## eclipseranch (May 31, 2012)

1 BO I boarded with was furious & yelled at me for bringing in a professional trainer to ride my horse..her so called rule was not in the contract & needless to say I moved my horses within 1 week of her being in my face!


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## heymckate (Nov 23, 2010)

I used to be at a barn where the BO didn't want other trainers coming in to work on your horse--if you wanted someone else to train it, you had to take it off-property. I understood that since she was also operating a training business out of her barn, though personally I thought she was a terrible trainer. But aside from that, anyone could ride your horse as long as you gave permission.

I'm glad I'm not the only one who has never seen what's going on at my current barn. I do understand her wanting to protect herself and her property--that makes sense. But still... my horse. I haven't approached her about this, but if I do I will update you all. It only came to my attention when someone else approached BO to ask about me riding their horse while they were out of town, and the reply was absolutely not, that no one but family could ride. And this wasn't in the boarding agreement either... which is strange to me.


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## verona1016 (Jul 3, 2011)

I have heard of barns with rules against bringing in outside trainers- it's not just a competition thing, but an insurance thing. My barn allows outside trainers, but they have to prove they have insurance and name the barn as a co-insured(?) before they can do anything for money on their property.


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## Nicole (Mar 21, 2008)

Unfortunately, your BO can make any rules she wants at her barn. I think it's a little extreme, though. If anything, you should be the one more worried in the event of a lawsuit if you do not have personal liability coverage in the event that your horse injures the third party. I would think that as long as the barn has liability insurance, they would be covered for any third party injuries regardless of whose horse "committed the crime." Then again, I'm no expert in equine insurance.


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## Chardavej (Mar 13, 2011)

From a BO perspective I have the same rule, although mine extends to family too.

I have liability insurance and I have everyone sign waivers. But waivers aren't worth the paper they are written on. It might stop someone from winning, but it wont stop them from SUEING you, which can costs you tens of thousands of dollars in attorneys fees and lost revenue.

Not a chance I am willing at all to take so someone's friend can go for a little horse ride.

I also don't let people selling their horse while on the property, they must trailer their horse offsite to a public park to show them.

I have this all upfront in my boarding contract, and I also stress it to people looking to board before they board. I will give them a copy of the board contract while they are visiting and they can take it home to review it.

I'm not a tirant, and all the boarders are happy and love it here, and the horses are calm, friendly and happy also (they also often tease me that this is probably one of the few boarding barns where boarders complain about horses being fed a lot. Not in a mean way.


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## gypsygirl (Oct 15, 2009)

release waivers also dont stop someones insurance company from coming after you if someone gets hurt on your property.


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## Chardavej (Mar 13, 2011)

I'm also a small boarding barn, ADULT only, private and in my back yard, most of my boarders are older people who just want to relax, no kids. So that makes a difference probably. When you get older, you start to realize it's a sue happy society, lawyers will about take any case and everyone is looking for easy money. Not a risk I can take, not that there isn't a risk boarding horses, but at least I can minimize the risk by letting only themselves ride their own horses.

At least I am upfront about it, and they can decide if it's something they can live with if they board here or they can pass and move on the the next barn.


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## TrojanCowgirl (Jun 1, 2012)

^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^
Yeah, I too have a boarding barn in my backyard. Very small, 6 boarders at most atm. I make everyone sign waivers, etc. Children and guests must wear a helmet and sign a waiver while handling/riding a horse.

And tell me about sue happy! In fact I'm being sued. My lawyer says they have no case and we have all the evidence we need to win the case, which is good. People are just sue happy! lol


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## boots (Jan 16, 2012)

Set up a lease agreement for your youth rider. Would that help? Does your BO allow lease situations?


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