Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting an other horse accident

Friend of mine got thrown off a horse near Craig, CO. The way I'm hearing it the horse thru him about 12 feet. Several broken ribs and in the hospital for about 3 weeks. I think he got to fly back to GA in the last few days. Most of the CO hunting accidents I hear about Elk hunting involve horses. I guess the people that provide these basically wild horses don't have any liability? I'm posting this with the hope hunters will be aware they aren't being give trained saddle horses. Dave

Liability? I can't imagine any insurance co. writing a policy against being tossed from a horse. There's no such thing as a 100% safe horse. Even the best training can't eliminate the chance of an accident.

Never a chance the rider could have been at fault.

'basically wild horses' LMAO...

greenhorns.....sheesh

Registered just in time to post this "warning" how nice! Gotta love the "why should I be responsible for my own actions, its somebody elses fault".

Being out in the wilds comes with some inherent risks, if you cant accept that stay home in your bubble! Then it wil be less crowded for the rest of us.

There, Im done with my rant. Enjoy this fine day.

You take chances getting on a horse,in a car, on a 4wheeler, or out of bed. It's an unsafe world.

"Basically untrained saddle horses"? Outfitters/guides want to insure a clients safety as much as the client. One accident + one good lawyer can put a guy out of business.

A buckoff netted me $15K worth of hospital costs, caused by a dumb move on my part. But I still rather ride than walk.

Colorado law limits liability of equine accidents because of the inherent dangers. Every business that uses equines has this posted on their premises.

Sombrero Ranches rents a few thousand horses every year across northern CO. Some darn good, some so-so and some questionable. If you don't have experience with them or are not going to have someone along that does, it's best if you stay on foot.

More danger is involved driving that 1500 miles to the hunt area than there is on a horse.

Of course, I ride mules and that takes the stupidness out of the equation that many horses seem to have . A person does have to be smarter than the mule though.

Colorado law absolves Outfitters from any liability involving accidents with horses of any kind. Every hunter that signs with an Outfitter has to sign an agreement that they understand they can get hurt. This year we had three horses slip in the mud and actually fall on one hunter. He was luckily unhurt. Sorry that your friend was hurt though.

I believe 7 western states passed the equine law many years ago, because Ins rates were going through the roof and putting horse riding co's out of business.
The Wyoming equine liability provisions immunize equine professionals by declaring that those who engage in equine activities or any recreational activities assume the inherent risks in the sport or recreational opportunity.
(a) Any person who takes part in any sport or recreational opportunity assumes the inherent risks in that sport or recreational opportunity, whether those risks are known or unknown, and is legally responsible for any and all damage, injury or death to himself or other persons or property that results from the inherent risks in that sport or recreational opportunity.

(b) A provider of any sport or recreational opportunity is not required to eliminate, alter or control the inherent risks within the particular sport or recreational opportunity.
Part of the law.

I did recently read a hunting report where I believe 3 hunters on the same trip were injured due to horses. The hunter writing the report came out uninjured but his horse was one that kept rushing ahead of the guides.

I believe he questioned the guide to how they pick horses and guides got first pick for themselves, granted I prefer the best horse for myself but if someone is paying me i'm going to put THEM on the best mounts

chit happens and an experienced rider can get hurt in the mountain riding a horse that has no idea who the stranger on his back is. Horse by nature can be dangerous, they are strong and big, but people who work with them day in and day out learn to live with this. Most hunters from the east on a paid hunt have no experience riding on level ground only in the steep mountains and should know the risk they take when they climb in the saddle. You take the risk and if you get hurt then live with it, no ones fault but your own if you get hurt.

What's your friend's experience level of riding? A lot of things can happen when inexperienced riders get on a horse, and it's always the horses fault. Horses like people have personalities and sometimes the rider and the horses don't go together.

It's unfortunate that your friend got hurt, but he's the one that decided to get on the horse. They sell adventure travel insurance for instances just like these.

It ain't too hard to walk, especially if you have a horse to carry all of your crap.

So you weren't there but it's the horses fault, the outfitter's fault, the legal systems's fault, ... anyone missing from that list?

I once went trail riding with a friend on his wife's horse. That horse would cross any creek but she absolutely balked at crossing muddy water where she couldn't see the bottom. Trying to force her across was an invitation to a wreck. It was much safer to just go around.

You climb up into a saddle "you" take your chances, period.

Riding a horse is a lot like riding a whore, you can walk away with a grin or crawl away in pain. Have seen more than one non horse riding jack off jump in a saddle thinking they can handle a horse when they should let the horse handle the ride. If you don't have the experience it is best to follow moms direction, sit there, don't move and shutup. Works with horses and whores but your still taking a risk.

People that grow up around horses have a sense of what the animal is doing or about to do. This is called Horse Sense. They have a feel for what is going on around them and how it will impact the horses/mules/cattle.

That's very true but most people don't have the luxury of riding a horse every day.

nathanial;
Top of the morning to you sir and thanks for the chuckle with your colorful analogy.

I was blessed to have grown up on a farm that pretty much always had a horse around, but really and truly didn't "know" much about horses until we bought our own pair of riding horses that became part of our lives for 17 years. During that time I trained myself and mostly both horses to withstand gunfire - both successful - and packing game animals - one success and one spectacular, repeated failure.

Anyway during that time we rubbed shoulders and made friends with a few lifetime horse folks and ranchers - not always the same thing I hasten to add....

From those years I've found that the sayings "If you ride, you'll walk" and "It's not if you're going to get hurt, but when and how bad" were truisms indeed.

Honestly sir I still miss misty November mountain hunts on the back of a sometimes knotheaded Appaloosa mare, so I'm biased for sure and certain towards the horse being innocent more often than not.

Some folks too I believe, have watched one too many westerns and think everyone is a born horseman - just like everyone is a born rifleman I suppose, no?

Thanks again for the chuckle and for twigging a ton of fond memories for me this morning sir. All the best to you.

Dwayne