The magic of the Paris Olympics may have come to an end, but that doesn’t mean your horsey fix needs to stop there. The Olympics is the perfect reminder of the wonderful bond between horse and rider. If you, like millions of others, have been glued to your television this summer watching your favourite riders compete on the big stage, maybe you have been inspired to return to your childhood hobby, or even take the next step of buying your own four-legged best friend.
Getting back in the saddle
Riding has so many health benefits, from boosting self-confidence and mental wellbeing to providing great physical exercise. If you’ve had a break from riding, it’s completely natural to feel a little nervous about getting back in the saddle. The British Horse Society and the Association of British Riding Schools have directories of approved riding centres, where you will find expert coaches to help you build your confidence, improve and learn new skills, and meet lots of new friends – equine and human.
Riding schools have a range of horses and ponies to suit all ages and abilities, and you will be learning in a safe and professional facility.
Ready for the next step
Or maybe you’ve been riding for some time and now feel ready to take the plunge into horse ownership so you can build a one-to-one bond with a special new friend.
Buying a horse can be an exciting time, but first you should consider the basics, like where you will keep them, your experience level and the type of horse that will match your ability, the care and time you can offer, and what activities you would like to do together. Do you want an older horse or pony that will enjoy relaxed hacking at the weekend, or an all-rounder who you can do a little bit of everything with – or maybe a horse that has specialised in a specific discipline, such as a dressage schoolmaster who is ready to teach their next rider the ropes?
When viewing a potential horse or pony to join your family, bringing a professional along, such as your riding coach, can be useful to get an expert opinion on whether you are the perfect match. You might also want to consider having a pre-purchase examination carried out by a vet to make sure your new best friend is healthy and suitable for the activities you hope to do together. You might need to provide this information to your insurance company, so it might save you time later.
(Image credit: creditUnknown)
Planning for fun – and the unexpected
Once you have your new horse, as you plan for exciting activities and fun-filled days together, you might also want to plan for the unexpected. Here at The Insurance Emporium we know the joy that horses bring, but we know that sometimes unforeseen events can happen, and so you might want to consider having horse insurance in place.
Our horse insurance policy provides cover for horses and ponies for death, theft, or straying, as standard for your special friends from just 31 days old to under 20 years old. Some of the activities covered under the two types of use of our policy include Pony Club and Riding Club, hacking, showjumping, dressage, cross-country, and horses at grass*. Our policy also offers a range of additional optional benefits including vets’ fees for injury and illness, saddlery and tack, rider dental treatment, and personal accident cover**.
Getting an older horse? We also provide veteran horse cover for those horses aged 20 years and over – which includes death due to external visible accidental injury only, theft or straying cover. Again, you can select optional benefits to extend your cover to suit your needs.
If you ride but don’t own your horse or pony, The Insurance Emporium also offers riding policies, for juniors aged 5-17, and adults aged 18-75, with standard benefits including emergency vets’ fees, saddlery and tack, and rider dental treatment. Junior policies also include private tutoring cover, if they are unable to attend full-time education owing to a riding accident.
*The full list of activities covered under type of use, **plus other additional optional benefits can be viewed on here.
Lifestyle Policy Limited is an appointed representatives of The Equine and Livestock Insurance Company Limited. The Insurance Emporium is a trading name of The Equine and Livestock Insurance Company Limited (registered in England and Wales no: 294940) which is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority no:202748.
We offer a variety of cover levels, so please check the policy cover suits your needs before purchasing. For your protection, please ensure you read the Insurance Product Information Document (IPID) and policy wording, for information on policy exclusions and limitations.
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