Guide

Horse share with minors: what parents in Switzerland need to know

5 min read

A horse share with a child or young person is everyday in Switzerland. Riding lessons, an own sense of responsibility and the love of horses can be combined this way. But legally and from an insurance perspective there are several specifics with minors that parents should know. This article gathers the most important points.

Capacity of judgement instead of a fixed age

The Swiss Civil Code (ZGB) does not have a fixed age limit from which a horse share is allowed. The decisive factor is the capacity of judgement of the person. Capable of judgement is anyone who can recognise the significance of an action and act reasonably (ZGB Art. 16, see Fedlex).

Small children up to about 10 years are usually not capable of judgement for a horse share with its legal and insurance consequences. The parents carry the full responsibility.
Young people from 12 to 14 years can, depending on maturity, very well be capable of judgement for the horse share, especially in practical implementation. Legally the parents remain co-responsible.
Young people from 16 years are often fully capable of judgement for most aspects of a horse share. With the completion of the 18th year of life adulthood begins, and the child fully steps into the parents' role.

Capacity of judgement is assessed individually, not in a blanket way by age.

Parental consent: the written form

A horse share with a minor is legally problematic without the consent of the parents. The owner should therefore insist on written consent from both parents.

Co-signature on the horse share contract. The simplest form: parents sign the contract (see contract guide) and thereby confirm consent.
Separate consent declaration. For shorter agreements or trial rides a brief written confirmation with date and signature of both parents is often enough.
Insurance confirmation. The parents confirm that the family personal liability includes the module "riding other people's horses" (see insurance module).

On horsedeal.com it is recommended to note explicitly in the contract that the rider is a minor and that the parents co-sign as legal representatives.

Liability with minors

The liability question is more complex with minors than with adults. Three situations are to be distinguished.

Child not capable of judgement: The parents are liable for damage the child causes. A family personal liability with the module "riding other people's horses" usually covers this liability (see the Mobiliar example and the animal-keeper liability guide).
Child capable of judgement: The child is in principle liable themselves (OR Art. 41 ff.). The parents can be held liable under OR Art. 333 for insufficient supervision.
Joint fault of the horse: The animal-keeper liability of the owner (OR Art. 56) continues to apply. Several insurances can run in parallel.

In practice the family personal liability almost always applies, provided it contains the horse module. Without this module the family stands personally for damages, which can quickly reach tens of thousands of francs.

Insurance for the riding youth

A family with a riding child should review four insurances.

Family personal liability with module "riding other people's horses". Covers damage the child causes, including damage to the other person's horse. A mandatory purchase before the horse share begins.
Accident insurance. Beyond the mandatory school accident insurance, a private accident insurance with sports cover, in particular for injuries with long-term consequences.
Health insurance. Standard basic insurance is usually enough, a supplementary insurance for hospital choice services and complementary medicine can be useful.
Parents' life insurance. Indirectly relevant: in case of a serious accident of the parents, the care of the children must be secured.

A membership in the Swiss Equestrian Federation (Swiss Equestrian) brings additional insurance options for competition riders. The family should discuss this with their insurer.

Practical tips for the family

Three points help families to set up a horse share well.

Getting to know with parents. At the first meeting at the stable the parents should be present. This helps the owner assess the family setting and gives the parents an impression of the stable environment.
Clarify the emergency plan. Parent phone numbers, insurance numbers and where applicable the address of the family doctor ideally belong in the emergency plan (see emergency QR guide).
Trial period with daily presence. In the first two to four weeks parents should be present during stable visits, after which independence can grow step by step.
Clear communication rules. WhatsApp group, phone, quick reaction to accidents: all parties involved (parents, owner, stable manager) should know the communication channel.

Frequently asked questions

From what age can a child take on a horse share? Legally it depends on the capacity of judgement. In practice, from 12 to 14 years many young people carry a horse share themselves, always with parental consent.

Do parents have to co-sign a horse share? For minors the consent of the legal representatives is required. The agreement is in practice co-signed by one or both parents.

Who is liable when the minor rider causes damage? With children capable of judgement, they are in principle liable themselves, the parents can be held liable under OR Art. 333 for lack of supervision. For children without capacity of judgement the parents are directly liable.

Which insurance must a family have for a riding child? Family personal liability with module "riding other people's horses", accident insurance with sports cover and a sufficient health insurance.

Should parents accompany the child's riding days? For younger children and beginners absolutely, for experienced young people from 14 to 15 years a regular presence at the stable is enough.

Sources and further reading

Family horse share at a glance

In HorseCompanion, insurance documents, parent phone numbers and emergency contacts can be recorded per horse and horse share. That way all the relevant information for the family emergency is in one place. Get started for free

Updated: June 2026