Horse Riding Accident Claims

Specialist legal advice when riding accidents cause injury

Horse riding is a popular activity in the UK but is not without risks. Accidents while riding or being near horses are common. They can cause minor to life threatening injuries.

If you have been in a horse riding accident, our equine law specialists and Serious Personal Injury team can help. We can work with you to establish who was at fault and ensure you get the compensation you’re entitled to.

Call our Equine Law team
Accidents while riding or being near horses are common and can cause minor to life threatening injuries

What can I make a claim for?

You can make a claim if you have been injured whilst working with or training horses. This could be:

  • During a riding lesson
  • A road traffic accident
  • Injuries sustained during a competitive event
  • Injuries to spectators at an event
  • Accidents or injuries caused by ill-fitting or defective equipment
  • If you were injured by a horse and carriage

Common injuries caused by horse riding accidents

Horse riding accidents can cause a range of injuries. From minor injuries to serious injuries and even death.

The most common injuries we see include;

  • Broken bones and crush injuries
  • Cuts and lacerations
  • Spinal injuries
  • Head and brain injuries

For some, horse riding accidents and the injuries they cause are part of owning and riding horses. Whether you were riding a horse or not, if you have suffered injury in an accident that wasn’t your fault, you could have a claim.

I have been injured by a horse – can I make a claim?

You may be able to claim against the owner of the horse if it was behaving dangerously. However, you will need to satisfy the conditions of the Animals Act 1971.You will need to prove that:

  1. The horse displayed characteristics not usually found in horses, and
  2. The owner or keeper of the horse was aware of these characteristics

How much compensation could I claim?

All horse-riding accidents are different, and the injuries and outcomes are wide-ranging. As such, we’re unable to say how much your claim could be worth.

To calculate your claim, we’ll consider every aspect, including:

  • The severity of your injuries
  • How much pain and suffering you have gone through
  • How they have affected/will affect your life
  • Any loss of earnings, including wages, commissions, bonuses, pension contributions etc
  • The cost of any medical bills, treatment and support
  • Psychological support
  • Out of pocket expenses
  • Costs to adapt your home
  • Veterinary costs if your horse is injured
  • Damaged riding and personal equipment
Partner Caroline Bowler with a horse
Partner Caroline Bowler with a friend

How long do I have to make a claim?

In most cases, you have three years from the date of your accident to make a claim.

That said, there are two exceptions:

  1. Child claims: If you’re making a claim on behalf of a child you can make a claim any time before they turn 18. Once they are 18, they can make their own claim until they turn 21.
  2. Mental capacity: If you’re claiming on behalf of someone who lacks mental capacity, there are no time limits.

How long do horse riding accident claims take?

The amount of time it takes to settle a claim depends on the severity and complexity of your case.

If your injuries are minor and the other side accepts liability, your case might take a matter of months.

However, if you have suffered life changing injuries or the other side refuses to accept liability, it could take years.

Where we can, we will also seek to claim early compensation payments. These will help to cover the costs of specialist treatment and any other financial obligations.

Can I make a “no win, no fee” claim?

We handle most personal injury claims on a no win, no fee basis.

This means:

  • You don’t have to pay anything to start a claim, and
  • You’ll have nothing to pay if your claim isn’t successful

You’ll only have anything to pay if your claim is successful. Even then, the other side will pay most of the legal costs.

 

Rothera Bray Solicitors' Horse Law solicitors

Why use Rothera Bray for horse riding accident and injury claims

We can advise you on:

  • Injuries sustained by a horse behaving dangerously due to a trait you were not aware of
  • Injuries whilst riding a horse, caused by someone else’s wrongdoing
  • Road traffic accidents involving horses
  • Injuries to children, for example at a riding school
  • Injuries caused by a horse you have purchased where the previous owner did not warn you about dangerous behaviour
  • Injuries sustained while attending equestrian events
  • Injuries from being crushed, kicked or bitten by a horse
  • Injuries caused by an employer/working in the equine industry
If you’ve had a horse riding accident, our equine solicitors will work with our personal injury department to assess and progress a “no-win, no fee” claim for your injuries
Caroline Bowler
Caroline Bowler

Contact our Equine Law team

Equine Law reviews

August 27, 2026
I am writing to express my appreciation and thanks for all your hard work guiding us through the process. At every stage of the sale you provided clear guidance and support and always made sure we were fully updated. I felt confident working with you as you were approachable, calm and understanding and responded to any queries that we had.
- Property sale
August 25, 2026
Have used Rothera Bray 3 times in the last year and each time my cases have been handled with care and speed.
- Aden Millen
August 25, 2026
Claire, thank you so much for all of your help discussing my birth, reviewing the notes and talking me through the legal process. I am so grateful that you took the time. Understanding the process has helped me heal
- Mrs. L
August 25, 2026
I’ve bought and sold several properties over the last 10 years and, as a result, have used a number of different solicitors. Rothera Bray have been by far the most consistent and reliable.Julekha and Sarrina have always been amazing to deal with. They’re clear, honest and proactive throughout the whole process, keeping you informed and making what can often be a stressful experience feel straightforward.Their communication is excellent, they genuinely take the time to explain things, and I’ve always felt that they have my best interests at heart.I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Julekha, Sarrina and the team at Rothera Bray, and I’ll definitely continue to use them for any future property transactions.
- Heena Kankali
August 24, 2026
I cannot speak highly enough of the team, especially Lisa and Laura. They worked efficiently. They were very supportive, contactable and very accommodating of any questions or additional support required. They remained professional and made the process as smooth as possible for my house completion. I definitely recommend the team. Thank you.
- Amrin
August 24, 2026
Updated our wills. A very straightforward and painless process. Brett was very professional in executing our instructions.
- Peter
August 24, 2026
Our experience with the conveyancing team at Rothera Bray has been exemplary from start to finish. Lisa was very helpful from the outset, making it clear we could contact her if we had any problems completing the paperwork which put our minds at rest. As a result the entire process was seamless, culminating in us meeting Laura who is very personable. We would have no hesitation in recommending Rothera Bray's conveyancing team, in particular Lisa and Laura, who are both friendly and helpful. Many thanks to both.
- Tony Jones
August 23, 2026
Rothera Bray are outstanding solicitors, Abbey and Luisa were very professional, helpful and supportive throughout the entire process. They kept me updated with all information and explained everything clearly, they always available and happy to answer any question or queries I had.Their expertise and dedication was outstanding. I am very grateful for the support they gave me. I would highly recommend Rothera Bray to anyone seeking legal advice or representation and would certainly seek their services should I ever require them in the near future.
- Joanne Maddocks
August 23, 2026
Fantastic service from both Abbey and Louisa. They were extremely responsive, helpful and supportive throughout the entire process. Everything moved quickly, and they did everything they could to keep things progressing as quickly as possible. I couldn’t recommend them highly enough and will definitely be returning to them for anything I need in the future.
- Clare Jacobs
August 20, 2026
Abbey was recommended by estate agents in Loughborough and I am so pleased I took the recommendation! I cannot fault her or Luisa, from response times to proactively keeping us up to date at every stage of purchasing our house. They made what could have (and has been previously) a very stressful process a smooth one without the hassle of having to chase for updates. I cannot recommend Rothera Bray, Loughborough enough.
- Lisa H
August 19, 2026
I would first like to sincerely thank you and counsel for all your help with the inquest. You both have been brilliant and a great support during this process. I know that yourself and other associates have put a lot of effort into this proceeding, and this is very much appreciated.
- Paulina
August 19, 2026
We worked with Jo to make changes to our premises licence, and I genuinely couldn’t recommend them more highly! Jo was always available to answer any questions we had and made what could have been a complicated process feel incredibly straightforward. They handled everything for us, kept us updated throughout, and made the whole licence change completely stress-free. We felt in very safe hands from start to finish and wouldn’t hesitate to work with Jo again.
- Meg Geraghty
August 19, 2026
Really positive from my initial phone enquiry to 1st meeting, the whole team at Rothera Bray was extremely supportive and offered guide guidance throughout my situation with regards to a settlement agreement I needed advice on. It was a very difficult situation and in the end a positive result was achieved, giving me some additional benefits to which I was originally offered. I phoned a few companies in Nottingham originally to get support and Rothera Bray by far made me feel the most at ease and it was an easy decision and fast turnaround to get the result I wanted.
- Settlement agreement
August 19, 2026
We would like to thank you all, for everything you have done. From the bottom of our hearts. You have all worked above and beyond. I honestly cannot thank you enough. If anyone needs a family solicitor, I will recommend your team.
- Family law client
August 19, 2026
I recognise these are not ideal circumstances and there is still some way to go, but I wanted to say thank you to you (Gabriella), Lucy and Hannah for getting me to a stage where I have been reunited with my daughter.
- Anonymous child care law client
August 19, 2026
I cannot begin to thank you for the countless hours you devoted to ensuring everything was presented clearly and thoroughly. Throughout this entire journey, you have been an advocate not only for me, but for my children as well. I truly do not believe I would have achieved the outcome I did today without your guidance, support, and belief in me from day one.
- Child care client