Mary Allen
A horse costs a lot of time – and to be honest, it also costs a lot of money. Taking part in riding is sometimes a good relief. There are a few things to consider so that both the horse and the person are satisfied when participating in a horse ride.
In principle, there is care or riding participation. Both help the horse owner and take care of his horse. In the case of riding participation, this is usually done for a predetermined fee. How much you have to pay for riding participation or how much you can take as a horse owner depends on the horse and its stable. For a well-trained horse that helps you learn to ride better as riding participation, the owner will certainly get more money than for a young horse that can not do that much or for an old horse that can only be ridden for a walk.
In an expensive stable with a full board and an indoor riding arena, riding participation will be more expensive than in an open stable where help is the order of the day. The location also plays a role: riding stables close to the city are easier to reach and therefore much more popular. Not everyone has a car with which he can drive to his riding stake. So if you are looking for riding participation for a horse in the country, it sometimes has a harder time.
The Care Participation
If you enjoy spending time with horses and riding isn’t the most important thing, then care participation might be right for you. Even for someone who is not yet able to ride safely on their own, care participation is a good fit for the time being. As a horse owner, a care share is great for young horses that are not yet ridden and especially for older horses who would like a little more attention. A friendly, older, and relaxed horse may also be something for even more inexperienced care participants. Of course, only experienced people are suitable for young horses.
As a caring participant, you are usually allowed to clean the horse, but you may also be allowed to go for a walk. If you already know a bit more, you can lunge the horse or feed it. The horse owner will discuss with you exactly what your duties are. And even if you are not (yet) allowed to ride: It’s just nice to spend time with a horse or pony that you get to know better and better …
The Riding Participation
As for riding participation, you can also ride the horse. Usually, the horse owner first looks at how you ride his horse a few times and checks whether you and his horse fit together. Riding lessons and rides are also often allowed. The horse owner will determine what exactly you are allowed to do depending on the horse and your riding talent and level of training. He determines these details. It also determines whether you can jump on horseback, for example, or take part in tournaments and courses.
You should adhere to such agreements, a riding participation is mutual trust. After all, a horse owner entrusts his horse to you!
As a horse owner, participating in a riding gives you the advantage that your horse gets more exercise. Especially in winter, when it gets dark early, this is very practical, especially when kept outdoors. Even those who are busy at work are often happy to have one or two days a week “horse-free”. Especially when the participation in riding also takes on work on the horse, such as feeding, mucking, or fetching horses from the pasture, it is a great relief.
Riding participation usually pays money for the horse. How much that is, you have to discuss individually. In addition to the horse’s level of training, the frequency of riding per week and any help in the stable are criteria for pricing.
Insurance Coverage and Legal Situation
Normally, the riding participation and the horse owner sign a written contract in which all agreements are recorded and in which it is stated how much money will be spent on them. However, it is also important that the horse owner has taken out liability insurance for his horse, which also includes damage that the horse may cause if the horse participant does something with him.
In addition, you should take out accident insurance and possibly private liability insurance with the risk of “riding” as riding participation. Damage that you yourself suffer to the horse is usually not included in the horse’s liability insurance!
By the way: Under certain circumstances, participation in riding is legally treated as the owner of the horse – i.e. he is fully liable for any damage caused by the horse. Exception: the so-called “unpredictable and independent behavior of the animal corresponding to the animal nature”. Misconduct caused by the nature of the horse is in turn covered by liability insurance. In general, liability is quite complicated, so it is really important to think about it and clarify open questions. Anyone planning riding participation, whether as a horse owner or riding participation, should always – in advance! – speak to the respective insurance company.