staying safe
wearing the extra bulk of a body protector or layers of hi-viz garments; however the risks are still the same and should not be ignored. Wearing items of hi-viz when you are riding can give vehicle drivers a valuable three seconds extra of ‘reaction time’ that could save the life of both you and your horse. To put it into context, those three seconds are equivalent to a car, driven at 30mph, travelling the length of a full size dressage arena. You should always wear hi-viz clothing when hacking out. Wearing hi-viz doesn’t only protect you on the roads, it can be a life saver when hacking off- road. It also means that if you have an accident, emergency services, both on foot and by air, will have a much better chance of spotting you. And don’t forget your horse - if you become separated, he also needs to be seen.
Think about your hi-viz colour choice too. At certain times of the year you will be more visible in certain colours than in others - for example, your orange hi-viz might stand out clearly against the greens and yellows of summer fields, but think about whether you will stand out amongst vividly coloured autumn trees.
If the worst should happen to you ... It’s a sad fact that the majority
of hacking related injury claims arise as a result of road traffic accidents, but everything from dogs that fail to respond to recall to scrambler bikes colliding with horses while off-roading can be a problem. So if it ever happens to you, what are the important things you should do?
Succeeding in a claim is all about proving that the defendant did something they shouldn’t have done and then proving the loss that it has caused to the Claimant. Whilst in the immediate aftermath of an accident you’re clearly going to be shaken up, by taking a few simple steps, a rider (or a friend at the scene) can dramatically improve your prospects of making a successful claim: It goes without saying that in case of serious injury then someone needs to call 999; Even if it’s not a 999 scenario you should report the accident to the police using the 101 number; Take details of any other parties involved in the accident. The more information you can get the better, but you need at least their name, address and registration number (if they were driving);
See if there are any witnesses who will give you their details. Here you want name, address and phone number; Take photographs of the accident scene and any vehicles and animals involved. In the case of
vehicles, you should try to get pictures of the number plate, any damage and its position on the road. If you need legal advice, making contact with a solicitor sooner rather than later is always better as details in your memory inevitably fade with time. In addition, people are usually far more willing to admit liability for something they’ve done in the immediate aftermath, rather than when you try to bring a claim two years down the line. Even where the person responsible for an accident fails to stop or can’t be traced, it is still possible to claim compensation if the accident resulted in personal injury, because there’s an organisation called the Motor Insurers’ Bureau (MIB) which exists to compensate victims of negligent, untraced drivers. MIB claims however are subject to different rules than standard personal injury claims and therefore expert advice is essential to avoid falling foul of the pitfalls. Neither does the vehicle have to hit the horse; merely frightening it through negligent driving is enough for a claim if it causes injury to the rider. Once made, any claim will consist of two elements; a payment for pain and suffering and then compensation for financial losses, which can even include the unpaid care that family and friends may
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have provided during recovery. Defendants will always try to dispute the value of successful claims, so you should always keep a record of all of the losses you have incurred as a result of the accident. Receipts are difficult to argue with. Whilst it is not always possible, particularly in cases that tragically involve the euthanasia of a horse, the aim must be put you back into the position you would have been in had the accident not occurred and by following the steps outlined you will ensure that you have the best possible chance of receiving the compensation that you are entitled to.
Off road riding is everyone’s idea of good hacking, but some road work to reach the best routes is usually inevitable
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www.equisafety.com
www.theequinesite.co.uk Equine Page 11
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