riding along road

I have a question. If I’m riding my horse along the road and he freaks out and damages a car, who is at fault? Well, I guess there are two different scenarios. One being if he seems calm and as the car passes he freaks out and damages the car, the other being he is already freaking out over something, say a storm drain or new sign, and the car decides to pass anyway and the kicks the car. I’m trying to find the answer now that I’ll be riding on the road a little more often. I live in PA if that makes a difference in state laws.

You're the owner and the animal is supposed to be under your control. You're liable in both scenarios.

I don't willingly ride on the roads. I've been known to ride across them or down them a small way if I have to, but won't ride on them for any length of time. I consider it courting disaster.

If you're going to be out riding anywhere in public, I'd suggest buying liability insurance. I don't know if all policies cover property damage, but it's worth looking into.

I must agree. I know both my mares are okay with traffic, but I won't ride on the roads unless I have to. I feel that it's too risky.

Same thing if one of your animals get out and are in the road, some one drives by and hits it. You, the owner of the animal, is at "fault." Sad but true.

If your horse freaks out at stuff on the road I don't think you should be on the road. It's not just a liability issue--your horse freaking out could cause injury to you and/or your horse.

You need to get your horse settled down enough to not freak. Then, as suggested by others, try to avoid riding on roads as much as possible, anyway.

'Cause, yeah, like they say, you're liable for any damage.

You should check your state laws, but in most states horses have the right of way on the roads from laws dating back to the time of the first automobiles. I ride the roads a lot and if a car is close enough for your horse to kick (and I've never seen a horse kick a car) the car is not giving you enough space to be safe.

The joys of livestock. As far as I'm aware, livestock owners everywhere are responsible for any and all damage caused by said animal. That includes breaking through a neighbors fence, the destroyed garden your pony ate, or if your horse is hit and killed by a car. =\
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I live in PA too. A week ago I heard through the vine of this random incident where an (escaped?) horse ran out into the road and was hit by a car. This happend somewhere on a random country road and no one is claiming the horse as their own ...probably because they know they'll have to pay for the damages. So definitely get insurance if you can, because you never know what will/can happen. Even freaky incidences like this one. I'm still shocked because this is the first time I've heard of a horse being hit around here

Be careful on roads! Some drivers go WAY too fast, don't give enough room, and some idiots think it's funny to HONK they have no idea how dangerous that is.