[37] Bill 156 Original (PDF)
Bill 156
Bill 1562000
An Act to increase the
safety of equestrian riders
Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, enacts as follows:
Definitions
1. In this Act, "
horse" means any animal of the equine species; ("cheval") "
horse riding establishment" means a business that boards horses or provides horses for hire for riding or to be used in providing instruction in riding whether the horses are ridden on the grounds of the establishment or elsewhere; ("tablissement d'quitation") "
operator" includes a person and an individual in charge of running a horse riding establishment either through having overall control of the establishment or being in charge of the daily running of the establishment; ("exploitant") "
person" includes a corporation, association and partnership. ("personne")
Establishment responsible for proper equipment use
2. (1) No owner or operator of a horse riding establishment shall permit any rider under the age of 18 years to ride any horse provided by the rider within the grounds of the establishment or permit any rider under the age of 18 years to ride any horse hired out by the establishment or unless the rider has and is correctly using the following equipment in the manner that it was designed to be used:
1.A helmet that meets current standards for equipment designed and manufactured for use while riding horses as established by the American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM), the British Standards Institute (BSI) or the European Safety Standards.
2.Properly fitted, hard and smooth soled footwear with a heel of no less than 1.5 centimetres.
3.Suitable tack properly fitted on the horse.
Same
(2) Every owner or operator of a horse riding establishment shall ensure that the equipment set out in paragraphs 1 and 2 of subsection (1) is available for hire at reasonable rates.
Exception
(3) Paragraph 2 of subsection (1) does not apply to a rider equipped with properly functioning and sized hooded stirrups, safety stirrups designed to prevent the rider's foot from passing through or becoming wedged in the stirrups, or stirrups designed to break away when the rider falls from the horse.
Penalty
3. Every person who contravenes section 2 is guilty of an offence and on conviction is liable to a fine of not more than $5,000.
4. The Highway Traffic Act is amended by adding the following section:
Horse riders to use safety equipment
104.1 (1) No person under the age of 18 years shall ride or be mounted on a horse on a highway unless that person has and is correctly using the following equipment in the manner that it was designed to be used:
1.A helmet that meets current standards set for use while riding horses as established by the American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM), the British Standards Institute (BSI) or the European Safety Standards.
2.Properly fitted, hard and smooth soled footwear with a heel of no less than 1.5 centimetres.
Exception
(2) Paragraph 2 of subsection (1) does not apply to a person equipped with properly functioning and sized hooded stirrups, safety stirrups designed to prevent the rider's foot from passing through or becoming wedged in the stirrups, or stirrups designed to break away when the rider falls from the horse.
Duty of parent or guardian
(3) No parent or guardian of a person under the age of 16 years shall authorize or knowingly permit that person to ride or be mounted on a horse on a highway in contravention of subsection (1).
Commencement
5. This Act comes into force 90 days after it receives Royal Assent.
Short title
6. The short title of this Act is the Horse Riding Safety Act, 2000.
EXPLANATORY NOTE
The purpose of the Bill is to increase the safety of horse riders under the age of 18 years by requiring the operators of riding establishments to ensure that proper safety equipment, including properly fitted tack, is used. The operators of the establishments are also required to have the proper safety equipment available for hire at reasonable rates.
The Bill has supplementary amendments to the Highway Traffic Act making it an offence for any rider under the age of 18 years to ride or be mounted on a horse on a highway without the proper safety equipment. Parents and guardians of riders under the age of 16 years would have the responsibility to not knowingly authorize or permit young riders to contravene the proposed provision.