This case involves an elderly man who suffered severe injuries after being kicked by a horse. The man was on a recreational horseback riding trip at a ranch in South Carolina with his wife. During the trip, the horse in front of the man became defiant and stopped obeying the commands of its rider. The horse kicked back, shattering the man’s kneecap. In spite of surgery and physical therapy, the man was unable to fully recover from the injuries. It was later discovered that the horse in question was known to have aggressive tendencies, but was put to ride because the trip was overbooked.
Question(s) For Expert Witness
1. Please explain your experience managing a ranch with regards to patron safety.
2. What are the proper steps and protocols that need to be followed in order to prevent accidents like this from taking place?
3. How would you determine if a horse's behavior is within reason that patrons can ride it?
Expert Witness Response E-159329
I have 30 years of experience as a back country wilderness horseback and pack trip guide and 16 years of experience as the president of a dude ranch. I put at least 1500 people on horses each year. I would be interested in hearing more about the history of the horse and the experience level of the rider. I would want to know if the horse had a history of excessive bucking or rearing, how old it was, and what the pattern of abuse was. It is standard to have all guests fill out a form that indicates their level of expertise and match the horses up accordingly. However, if a horse is known to buck or rear then it should never be paired with a guest. Horses typically have a two year training period where they are only ridden and trained by ranch personnel and this is done to prevent dangerous horses from being paired with guests.
About the author
Victoria Negron
Victoria Negron has extensive experience in journalism and thought leadership in the legal space, with a background crafting content, whitepapers, webinars, and current event articles pertaining to the role of expert witnesses in complex litigation matters. She is a skilled professional specializing in B2B product marketing and content marketing. Currently, she serves as an Enterprise Product Marketing Manager at Postman, and previously held the position of Technical Product Marketing Manager at Palantir Technologies, where she developed her skills in launch strategies, go-to-market strategy, and competitive analysis.
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