Horse Share Insurance - Do you have it?

[mumodthreeteens]

Dd has been approached about a horse share. The horse is stabled at a wonderful yard with a huge outdoor and indoor menage oriented towards jumping all year round (it snows a lot where we live so usually jumping will stop next month at her riding stables) . She could ride there 1-3x a week. The stumbling block is insurance to cover vet fees in case of accident or illness. The owners don't have an insurance for that but will cover the cost of worming, jabs and shoeing but dh is adamant that no insurance = no horse.
Do those of you who share have an insurance to cover accident/vet fees/ surgery/ death ?

Hmm, difficult. Due to many exclusions, I don't have my horse insured, she would be covered for very little. I do have 3rd party liability/theft/personal accident though.
I think you need to clarify, probably within the contract, what would happen in the event of accident or illness. It wouldn't be a complete deal breaker but I can see your dh's point.

Dd has the same personal liability insurance with her riding licence and also a school insurance that covers riding but it is the thought that something could go wrong whilst the horse is in her care and suddenly something already expensive becomes astonomical. Dd and I read about an experienced rider who had a horse on a share to cover the owners holiday ; horse had an accident whilst jumping, both rider and horse injured and she was expected to pay half the vet/hospital/ rehab fees which amounted to 1000's of euros.
The owners of horse have said they would expect us to pay if dd was riding/dealing with the horse. I have asked dd to ask if they would be happy to take out an insurance and we pay half the monthly amount.

I have an insurance policy via Petplan for my share pony. It covers me and the pony and 3rd party liability I think. Costs about £10 per month. It is a specific policy for people who ride but don't own their own horse.

British Horse Society membership also provides an element of insurance, although I am informed that doesn't cover you if money changes hands for the share. Perhaps call them to enquire.

Why would you ask for vets' fees insurance on a horse share? Surely responsibility for vet fees remains with the owner and you clarify that in the share agreement.

I can see why you would ask the owner to take out third party insurance for the horse but this is quite cheap and comes as standard with many organisations. You should take out third party but that has nothing to do with the owner and you may want to take out rider's insurance.

I agree with Booboo. If I were sharing a horse (I.e. buying sessions to ride and look after it), I would expect the owner to have continuous insurance to cover vets bills, loss of use etc. I wouldn't expect to have duplicate insurance for this. I would however get third party insurance for myself.

Thank you for your answers. Maybe I haven't been clear Booboo; Dd has 3rd party insurance that is included automatically with her riding licence and we also have 3rd party with the insurance we have to take out for her for school. We live in France so maybe it is done differently here. It is the insurance to cover vet fees/surgery/etc that dh insists that the owners have but they seem reluctant to get it. Dd contacted them but we haven't heard back. Seems such a shame as their poor horse despite living in 5* luxury doesn't get ridden enough. When I asked about insurance the mother said that would be up to us as they don't have it. For a minimun of 212uros a year of which we would pay half I am perplexed as to their reluctance.

A friend mention having a vet check the horse out prior to sharing. Would you?

I am in France as well! If your daughter has her license (through the local riding club) this will include rider's insurance.

Yes I do understand that you want vets' fees insurance (you also mention death so loss of use as well then) but it just doesn't make much sense to ask for these for someone else's horse. When you buy a horse you have invested money in the horse and you have a (moral and to an extent legal) obligation to look after the welfare of the horse. Vets fees insurance is a reasonable precaution if you think, like most people, that you might struggle to pay a hefty bill. These owners are taking their chances. I. Case of accident or injury, they will either pay out of their own pockets, leave untreated or PTS - their horse, their choice. I don't quite get how it affects you as a sharer. You have not got any money in the horse to protect and if it gets sick or injured so you cannot ride you stop sharing it.

I don't have vets' fees insurance for any of my animals, I prefer to take the risk and pay from my pocket. If a sharer demanded I get vets fees insurance before they accepted the share I would tell them to go find another free horse to ride. If you are not making a financial contribution remember that they are doing you a great favour letting your DD ride for free.

You should always vet a horse you are intending to buy, if you were super cautious you might vet a long term loan horse just do that you don't have the hassle of terminating the loan but it is OTT to vet a share.

Having dabbled in horse sharing and loaning..I think this is all a bit much personally.

Yes lay out a contract - get everything and anything you and the owner can think of in it. Down to what titbits the horse is allowed if need be.

At the end of the day its not your horse, its up to the owners if they want insurance or not. If they don't they don't ...you still lay out everything in a contract and make sure everyone knows where they stand.

A vetting on a share is very OTT imo, yes if you buy but for a share it seems silly. Like Booboo says - you have no money invested in the horse so nothing to protect.Its not a permanent commitment - with sharing you have a easy get out if you don't feel like its working. A bit of common sense just needs to go along with it...you break something you replace it, the horse falls and goes lame whilst being ridden by you then you take responsibility etc

A good contract should be enough to cover all sides and if your not happy with it don't do it! :)

If my horse was injured while in the care of my sharer I would not expect them to pay unless they had been negligent. But all this highlights the importance of a really detailed contract.

Thanks again for the feedback. The horse share is most definitely not free; we'd be paying the owners 230 euros a month. They have informed us that there would be a charge of an extra 60 euros a month for a vet fees/medical/surgical insurance so 290 euros a month.

Dh won't change his mind and I think the total amount asked for a horse that isn't even ours is getting expensive. It's not the same but dd could have a lot of extra lessons at her riding stables for that amount of money!

Thanks again everyone for your advice.

I see, I misunderstood. I would assume a share is free, you share rides and care with the owner. If you are paying for part time access to the horse I would tend to call that a part loan and in a full loan I'd expect the loanee to take over all costs.

If this is a full loan vets fees insurance is a sensible investment on your part because even though you can terminate the loan you would be liable for vet fees until the end of the loan period. For a part loan I'd ask for a very short notice period.

Have you seen the BHS loan agreement? It's well worth adapting it to your needs and getting both parties to sign it.