In the first British Eventing Support Trust blog of 2026 we’re taking a deep dive into insurance and sharing more about why it matters, what you need to consider and how it can help protect more than just your finances.
We all know that working with horses isn’t like a straightforward nine-to-five office job. Equestrian work is physical, horses and ponies can be unpredictable, and your career is often closely tied to your health and ability to ride or care for horses.
That’s why, even though insurance can feel like a dry or uncomfortable subject, it plays a vital role for both the employed and self-employed – whether you work with horses or not. Insurance is there to protect not just your finances, but also your mental wellbeing and long-term career.
At British Eventing Support Trust, we’re here to support British Eventing competing members when they’re facing difficult times. However, it’s important to be clear from the outset: the charity is not a substitute for having appropriate insurance in place. Insurance and charitable support work best alongside one another, not instead of one another.
Why insurance matters in the equestrian world
In equestrian sport and employment, income and identity are often closely linked to physical health. If you can’t ride, you may not be able to work. If you can’t work, financial pressure can build very quickly.
An injury doesn’t just affect the body. It can lead to lost income, uncertainty about the future, and ongoing worry about bills, horses and commitments. For many riders and grooms, that uncertainty can take a significant mental toll, particularly when their career and sense of self are tied to being active, capable and physically fit.
Insurance exists to protect your liability and reduce that pressure. It won’t prevent accidents from happening, but it can help stop one injury or incident from becoming financially or emotionally overwhelming.
How insurance works and the key types to know about
Insurance is designed to protect you when something goes wrong. Depending on the type of cover, it can help with legal costs, compensation claims or loss of income following an injury. It may also protect you if a claim is made against you by someone else.
Without appropriate insurance in place, responsibility can fall entirely on the individual and if the worse should happen, costs can spiral quickly. In an industry and sport where risk is part of everyday life, that’s a position we think few riders would choose if they fully thought through the potential consequences.
Public liability insurance
Public liability insurance is one of the most important types of cover for anyone working with horses. It protects you if someone is injured or property is damaged because of your actions while you are working.
This could involve a horse you’re riding or handling reacting unexpectedly, an accident while grooming or tacking up or damage caused while carrying out routine yard duties. Even the most experienced riders and grooms can and do find themselves involved in incidents, and public liability insurance exists to protect you if a claim is made.
If you are freelance or self-employed, this cover is your responsibility. If you are employed, it’s still essential to understand exactly what your employer’s insurance does and does not cover, particularly if you work in more than one setting.
Personal accident insurance
Personal accident insurance is about protecting you, rather than third parties. It can provide financial support if you are injured and unable to work, either temporarily or permanently – but check your cover.
For freelance and self-employed riders and grooms, this type of cover is especially important. Without sick pay, income in the equestrian world is often directly linked to physical ability. Even a relatively short period away from work can have financial and therefore emotional consequences, and personal accident insurance can offer a degree of stability during recovery.
British Eventing members should also be aware that their membership includes personal liability and personal accident cover while participating in BE events and official training. This provides an important baseline level of protection, and many riders choose to build on this foundation by arranging additional cover through specialist insurers, allowing them to tailor policies to their individual circumstances while potentially managing costs.
Loss of income insurance
Loss of income or income protection insurance is another valuable layer of cover to consider. While personal accident policies may provide lump-sum payments or limited support, income protection is designed to replace a portion of your earnings if injury or illness prevents you from working for an extended period. For riders, grooms and coaches whose livelihood depends on physical capability, this type of cover can provide longer-term financial security and reduce the pressure to return to work before full recovery.
Professional indemnity insurance
If you teach, coach or provide professional advice, professional indemnity insurance is an important consideration. This covers claims related to advice or instruction you have given, including allegations of negligence.
It is separate from public liability insurance and is sometimes overlooked, particularly by riders who teach alongside competition work or on an occasional basis. However, if something goes wrong and advice is questioned, this cover can be crucial.
Employers’ liability insurance
If you employ anyone, employers’ liability insurance is a legal requirement. This applies whether you employ grooms full-time, take on working pupils or regularly pay freelancers.
This type of insurance covers injury or illness suffered by an employee while working for you. Even a small team or part-time help can trigger the need for this cover, so it’s important not to assume that informal arrangements remove any legal responsibility you have.
Employed or self-employed: why the distinction matters
If you are employed, your employer should have employers’ liability insurance and public liability cover in place. However, this cover may not extend to work outside your contracted role or to riding and working in other environments. For that reason, many employed riders and grooms still choose to hold their own personal accident insurance for peace of mind.
If you are self-employed or freelance, responsibility sits firmly with you. You need to ensure that you have appropriate public liability cover, that your professional activities are clearly included in the policy, and that you are protected if injury prevents you from working. Without insurance, there is no buffer if something goes wrong.
Check what your insurance covers!
We have supported beneficiaries who believed they were adequately covered in the event of an accident, only to discover that their policy excluded certain disciplines or types of activity. One rider, following a jumping accident, learned that while their insurance covered dressage and flatwork, it did not extend to showjumping or eventing. Situations like this highlight why it is important to read policy details very carefully and ensure that your specific activities – including eventing – are clearly included.
Insurance and mental wellbeing
One of the less talked-about aspects of insurance and the support and protection it can offer is the impact it can have on mental health. Injury can bring fear, frustration and uncertainty, particularly when your livelihood depends on being fit and able.
Knowing that you have insurance in place can help reduce anxiety during recovery, ease financial pressure and allow you to focus on healing rather than simply surviving. At the British Eventing Support Trust, we regularly see how closely physical injury and mental wellbeing are connected and how financial stress can compound an already difficult situation.
Where the British Eventing Support Trust fits in
The British Eventing Support Trust exists to support BE competing members through challenging periods, whether that’s due to injury, illness or unexpected hardship. The Trust can offer help when riders are struggling, but it can’t totally replace the protections that insurance provides.
The strongest position is one where appropriate insurance is in place, alongside the reassurance that support, expertise and an excellent network of connections are available if the unexpected still happens.
A professional approach to your career
There are still common assumptions within the industry that can leave people exposed, such as believing they are automatically covered by a yard, assuming insurance isn’t necessary for lower incomes or thinking that working with sensible horses removes risk. Unfortunately, none of these assumptions remove liability or uncertainty.
That’s why having the right insurance in place (and understanding exactly what it does and doesn’t cover) is part of taking your career or hobby as an event rider seriously. It’s an added layer of protection: just like wearing a riding hat and body protector, that means you can enjoy riding and competing with a little extra security!