Equine Disputes
Owning and riding a horse comes with its risks. Even if you have taken steps such as;
• Drafting an appropriate ownership agreement, or
• Having insurance in place
Disputes can still arise.
As such, a proper knowledge of equestrian law is vital in understanding your rights and responsibilities.
At Rothera Bray, our equine solicitors can help at whatever stage. Whether you are buying or selling a horse or are in dispute with a co-owner.
Our knowledge of equine law and commercial law means we are well placed to provide tailored advice.
Caroline Bowler heads up our equine law team. Caroline is experienced in using alternative dispute resolution methods to resolve disputes. As well as traditional court proceedings where needed.
Call our Equine Law Team Email our Equine Law Team
I have bought a horse that is lame – can I make a claim against the seller?
This depends on the terms stated in the contract of sale and what you agreed with the seller.
In England and Wales, the law relating to the sale of goods applies when purchasing horses. An agreement for the sale of a horse will include both;
- Terms that were specifically agreed between the parties (“express terms”) and
- In certain circumstances terms implied by law (“implied terms”)
If;
- You bought a horse for a particular purpose, such as competing in a certain event, and
- You made this known to the seller before buying the horse
It will be an implied term of the agreement that the horse was fit for that purpose. As such, the seller may be liable if the horse is lame and not fit for the purpose that you made clear to the seller.
My horse has injured someone. Am I liable?
The injured party can bring a claim under the Animals Act 1971.
However, horses can be unpredictable and sometimes cause injuries. Also, the law around animals causing damage can be difficult to understand. As a result, the Court will use a three-stage test to determine if the owner of the horse is liable.
First, the injured party needs to establish that;
- The horse was likely to cause damage unless restrained, or
- If the horse caused damage, it was likely to be severe
Next, the claimant must prove that the damage caused by the horse;
- Was due to behaviour that is not usually found in horses, or
- Only found in horses in particular circumstances, which may require expert evidence.
Finally, factual evidence will be needed to determine whether the behaviour which caused the injury or damage was known to the owner.
What rights do you have when buying a horse?
If the sale of the horse is between a trader and consumer, you will have some protection under the Consumer Rights Act 2015.
This automatically implies that the horse;
- Must be of satisfactory quality
- Fit for purpose, and
- Sold as described, both at the time of the sale and delivery
You have 30 days to reject the horse and claim additional losses if:
- There is a breach in its quality
- Fitness for purpose, or
- If it’s not as described
This starts from the date of receipt.
If you do not reject the horse within 30 days, then under the Act you must exercise a right of repair or replacement at the seller’s expense.
Will I have to go to court to resolve an equine dispute?
In most cases we can resolve equine disputes using alternative dispute resolution methods.
If your case goes to court our Equine Law specialists have considerable experience. in court proceedings. We will be able to support and guide you through every step.
Why use Rothera Bray for equine disputes?
We can provide advice on:
- Horse sale and purchase disputes
- Co-ownership disputes
- Veterinary negligence disputes
- Livery yard disputes
- Faulty equestrian equipment
- Disputes relating to the Animal Act 1971
- Horse riding accidents
- Horse loan agreements
- Horse sale or purchase agreements
Rothera Bray LLP are Official Legal Partners to British Dressage and The British Show Pony Society
Send us a message
“We’re specialists in equine disputes”
Caroline Bowler
Equine Solicitor
Employment law update: what’s changing from 6 April 2026?
From 6 April 2026 employers will face a number of changes to statutory payment rates and employment law compensation limits. These changes, which are the result of both annual rate adjustments and wider reforms under the Employment Rights Act 2025, will increase employer costs, expand eligibility for workers, and require updates to payroll processes, policies and budgeting.
National Minimum Wage increase 2026: what UK employers need to know
Nearly 400 employers have been failing to pay the National Minimum Wage in findings published by the Government recently. This has resulted in them being told to repay almost £7.3 million in wages owed to workers as well as the almost £12.6 million which they will have to pay in penalties.
Conduct in financial remedy proceedings: are we seeing a shift in judicial approach?
Ewan Paton from our Family Law team provides comment for legal practitioners on recent case law developments, and whether the courts may be adopting a more nuanced approach to conduct in financial remedy proceedings.
A hat-trick of commercial property deals
It’s been a busy year for Rothera Bray’s Commercial Property team, including Partner Russell Thompson, who has completed a standout hat-trick of deals that illustrate perfectly the range and complexity of work handled by the team.
stars
Posted 9 April 2026
I had the pleasure of working with Lauren Kilbride at Rothera Bray, and I’m so grateful for her support. She was brilliant throughout—her advice was always clear, practical, and incredibly helpful. What really stood out was how approachable and reassuring she was. She was always quick to respond and took the time to make everything feel straightforward and manageable. I genuinely felt in safe hands and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend her.
Lisa Reid
stars
Posted 9 April 2026
Nelissa made the whole process of setting up our estate after we have gone so easy and dare I say, her style made the experience an enjoyable one for such a morbid topic. She has a brilliant way of explaining the complex in a very simple pictorial representation making it it easy to decide the next course of action for our family. Extremely efficient and diligent - she was a pleasure to work with.
Arran
stars
Posted 8 April 2026
I dealt with Ellie Robinson as my solicitor and she was fantastic, easy to talk to and helped me understand everything as a first time buyer.
Jake Ashton
stars
Posted 8 April 2026
Ellie Robinson helped us remortgage recently and was a pleasure to work with! She was very knowledgeable and communicative and I will be working with her again in future!
Eliot Morris
stars
Posted 8 April 2026
Very happy with the excellent service I received from Rothera bray and in particular Will who was very helpful explaining everything in a clear and concise manner. Will is very approachable and clearly very knowledgeable and a credit to his business.
Sarah Newman
stars
Posted 7 April 2026
Absolute total professionalism throughout. Very thorough and very helpful. Always there to answer questions promptly and held my hand through a very emotional time. The move was quick and easy thanks to Ellie Robinson and her team at Derby, I can’t thank her enough.
Ruth Haywood
stars
Posted 4 April 2026
I was recommended to Rothera Bray Solicitors and Sara Odedra has been incredible from start to end. Sara has kept us up to date at every stage, has been quick to get back to us via email or phone call and explained anything that we weren't sure of. I would recommend Sara and Julian Ryan again and again - they are an asset to the team and have made this process easy! Thank you!
Carina
stars
Posted 2 April 2026
A very easy team to deal with. We were kept informed throughout the process which gave us total confidence during the successful sale of our property.
Bob C
stars
Posted 1 April 2026
Ellie Robinson was fantastic as our remortgage solicitor. Great communication and sorted everything for us! Would recommend to everyone!!
Evie
stars
Posted 31 March 2026
I recently worked with Will in relation to a settlement agreement and found him to be professional, knowledgeable and very supportive throughout the process. He explained everything clearly, took the time to answer my questions, and ensured I fully understood my options at each stage. I particularly valued his balanced approach — setting out the legal position while also supporting my preference for a more amicable and practical resolution. His guidance helped me feel confident in my decisions and ultimately achieve a fair outcome. I would not hesitate to recommend Will to anyone seeking clear and professional legal advice.
Employment client
stars
Posted 31 March 2026
I would like to express my sincere thanks to Ellie, our solicitor, ( and Grace) who have been absolutely wonderful in handling a particularly complicated situation involving my late mother’s assets. Ellie has shown exceptional professionalism, patience, and understanding throughout the entire process. At times, I know I may have been a little impatient myself, but she remained calm, supportive, and consistently reassuring, which made a very difficult time much easier to manage, with no hidden costs. I am truly grateful for all her hard work and dedication, and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend her to others. She is a real credit to your team.
Claire Betts
stars
Posted 30 March 2026
Had fantastic service from Will recently. He was very professional, friendly and efficient. Highly recommended.
Pete Lambert