A claim for pony trek accident compensation, made by a woman unable to work for eight weeks because of her injuries, has been resolved during a hearing.
Thirty-five year old Maria Gray – a dentist from Belfast – was among a party of friends on a pony trek at Feeney’s Riding School in Galway on 15th July 2013 as part of a hen weekend. The trek started with a trot through nearby countryside and slowed as the party approached a steep downhill incline.
As the party descended the incline, the legs of Maria´s pony buckled and Maria fell from the saddle onto the hard tarmac surface. Maria sustained a cut chin – from which she still has a scar – and a wrist injury that prevented her from working as a dentist.
Maria made a claim for pony trek accident compensation against Gerard and Siobhan Feeney – the owners of the riding school. In her claim, Maria alleged that the pony she had been given to ride was unsuitably small for her 5 foot 8½ inches frame. She also alleged that she had not been instructed on how to ride the pony.
The Feeney´s contested the claim for pony trek accident compensation. They denied the pony was too small for Maria and that it was on its last legs and hungry due to having been used on another pony trek earlier in the day. They claimed that Maria had been offered a different pony to ride, but had declined, and been given inadequate instruction on how to ride a pony.
Without the Feeney´s consent to conduct an assessment, the Injuries Board issued Maria with an authorisation to pursue her claim for pony trek accident compensation through the courts process. Her case opened last week at the High Court before Mr Justice Raymond Fullam.
At the hearing, Maria explained to the judge it was her belief that the pony had already been out on a trek earlier on that very hot day. Consequently it was hungry and kept stopping to eat grass. She also said that the pony was only suitable for a child under fourteen years of age because of its age.
The case was due to continue last Friday. However, prior to the hearing getting underway, Judge Fullam was told that the claim for pony trek accident compensation had been resolved following discussions and the case could be struck.