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I'm a lawyer.  Ask for a written opinion as to your liability in this 
situation from your homeowner's insurance co. (through your agent), 
mentioning that you're not charging (that will matter).

Unless you are covered by your homeowner's insurance or you obtain 
additional liability coverage, I'd be leary of this man's daughter, because 
he sounds like a big Red Flag.

Dabney

Get the liability insurance and have any riders/students' parents sign a 
waiver (ask for a discount from your insurance co. because of this).


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Laney Humphrey" <laneyhh@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: "Mary Krauss" <lazykfarm@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Cc: <ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Friday, September 16, 2005 7:31 PM
Subject: Re: [RC] liability and neighborhood kids?


> I'm not a lawyer but I've worked and boarded at various horse/rider 
> training facilities.  I would urge you to get insurance!!!  To my 
> suspicious mind, it seems like dealing with parents with agendas would 
> just open you up for a law suit if anything displeased one or the other. 
> You would be the one caught in the middle.  We live in a litigious world, 
> like it or not!
> Laney
>
> Mary Krauss wrote:
> > Do any of you lawyerly sorts know what kind of liability one undertakes 
> > when one gives informal riding lessons to neighbor kids?  I understand 
> > the liability has lessened considerably in Oregon where they put teeth 
> > into the waivers typically used in professional situations but:  1) I 
> > live in Washington, and 2) I'm not a professional.
> >
> > I need to learn both what my liability is and what I can do to lessen it.
> >
> > The particulars are this:  a fourth-grade school friend of my daughter 
> > loves horses, is very sensible, and needs an outlet. (Her parents 
> > divorced poorly, ie, without much regard for protecting their children 
> > from their anger at one another.)  Mom (she seems to be the main parent, 
> > though I think they share custody)  loves the fact that I'll work with 
> > her daughter.  I asked her to sign a flaky little handwritten waiver, 
> > then, because they had no time to really take a lesson that day, let her 
> > sit on my horse while I led him around inside the round pen for about 2 
> > minutes.  The next morning I got a call from Dad who, all in the same 
> > breath, asked if I'd work with his daughter every week on a set schedule, 
> > then chewed me out for letting her "ride" without a helmet and boots. 
> > I've usually taken a pretty pragmatic stance on these things--I'm pretty 
> > cautious around horses in general, and I'm usually boorishly concerned 
> > about the surroundings, the horse's mood, the weather, and certainly 
> > about helmets.  I admit I haven't cared so much about boots.  At the same 
> > time, I like to think that one should be open to experience when it 
> > presents itself:  she was there, the horse was there, it didn't seem like 
> > a big deal to lead her around an arena for a minute or two.  So, what I 
> > hope to hear is that I shouldn't worry too much, but, I don't want to be 
> > an idiot and lose the farm, literally.  If it matters, no, I'm not being 
> > paid.
> >
> > Thank you for your input.
> > Mary K.
> >
> >
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