Although the workshop I mentioned in the post below lasted from 10.30 to 1.30 it didn't feel long at all and I found it quite interesting. Plenty of the issues discussed were common sense but there was also a lot of useful topics on the table and it certainly got me thinking... First of all, I decided to make up a copy of an accident book, typical for every BHS approved riding school/centre yet I didn't really think about having one when freelancing. Some incidents discussed were rather incredible, example: a woman took a lesson in 1994 and had a fall. Got straight back on after mentioning a slight pain in her foot. Ten (TEN!!!) years later, instructor who gave that lesson receives a letter informing her that the woman had been experiencing recurring problems with that foot and is now seeking injury compensation for long term care costs...Call me naive but I was pretty shocked.
See, that instructor did remember the incident but no report was written and signed. The Accident Book has a section where you put your recommended actions to be taken and if the rider signs it you are in a much better position than if you had no records at all.
Most of the workshop was dedicated to good and poor coaching practise, dealing with abuse (neglect, physical, sexual, emotional abuse) and bullying in sports; how to recognise abused children and what signs to look for (apart from obvious bruising, behavioural changes etc); the role of policy and procedures when recruiting employees and trainees ( both paid and unpaid); dealing with abusive colleagues and other coaches etc
In the second part of the workshop we were given some case studies to discuss in groups and to come up with the course of actions to be taken to solve the problems described.
2 comments
Wow, that is incredible. Here (not necessarily in the whole country but in Washington state) we have an equine liability law. If the sign is posted on your property, no one can sue. The law is based on the fact that equine activities are potentally dangerous and people participate at their own risk. Sounds like you guys need something like that as well.
It's shocking to hear how quick people are to sue riding instructors over all sorts of things, despite the fact that riding is a high risk sport!
Sounds like you learnt a lot from the workshop so hopefully you won't have clients trying to sue you.
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