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This segment contains law cases that address liability questions under equine activity statutes. These statutes, intended to discourage frivolous lawsuits against equine providers for personal injuries, have been enacted during the past 15 years by 44 states. Often, these laws require equine providers to post signs in prominent places and/or to include certain language in contracts in order to take advantage of the laws' protections. It is, therefore, important to know whether your state has an Equine Activity Law and, if so, what steps it requires you to take in order to take advantage of its protections. If your state has enacted an Equine Activity Law, you may view its full text by going to Statutes for Horsemen.

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style="margin-bottom: 0pt;">New York Appellate Division (1994) University liable for unsafe ground handling practice
Louisiana Court of Appeals (1994) Handler kicked by horse

West Virginia Supreme Court (1995) Visitor kicked by horse--no recovery
North Carolina Court of Appeals (1995) Police horse stepped on citizen; sovereign immunity

Minnesota Court of Appeals (1996) Owner may be liable for injury to farrier

Louisiana Court of Appeals (1996) Owner not liable for injury to vet assistant during tubing
Oregon Court of Appeals (1996) City not liable for injury after parade

New York Appellate Division (1997) Rider assumed risk horse would bolt while being saddled
Connecticut Superior Court (1997) Horse not a wild animal; owner's fault must be shown
Nebraska Superior Court (1997) Owner not liable for horse's injury to farrier
South Carolina Court of Appeals (1997) Owner not liable for horse's injury to veterinarian

Louisiana Court of Appeals (1998) Owner not liable for horse's injury to farrier
New York Supreme Court (1998)  Groom not liable for kick injury to horse identifier

Connecticut Superior Court (1999)  Negligence suit against vet does not require expert
New York Appellate Division (1999)  Trainer did not assume risk in loading accident
New York Appellate Division (1999) Advanced student assumed risk of grooming injury
New York Appellate Division (1999) Show manager assumed risk of being struck by horse in practice area

Louisiana Court of Appeals (2000) Owner not liable for injuries caused by horse bite
Utah Supreme Court (2000) Biting is not abnormal behavior for a horse; no liability for biting child hand feeding horse

Ohio Court of Appeals (2002) Owner discharged duty to notify boarding stables of biting habits of horse


New York Trial Court (2003) Owner may be liable for negligent unloading injury even without dangerous pony propensities

Rhode Island Supreme Court (2004) When horse stops being at large under liability statute is a jury question


Louisiana Court of Appeals (2005) State not liable for negligent injury to camper in city park

Superior Court of Pennsylvania (2005) Status as stallion alone does not establish liability

Michigan Court of Appeals (2005) No duty to keep farm dog under constant control

North Carolina Court of Appeals (2005) Instructor for the disabled loses due to release signed with employer

Texas Court of Appeals (2005) Sufficiency of precautions taken to protect employee is for the jury.  

Kentucky Court of Appeals (2006)  Barn fire killing three horses held not to be negligence
Michigan Court of Appeals (2006Viewing horses for sale is an equine activity


Arizona Court of Appeals (2007)  Failure to file a timely claim does not constitute consent for the child to file.
Georgia Court of Appeals (2007)  Plaintiff's horse lacks dangerous propensities.
New York Supreme Court (2007)  Workman does not recover on claim that horse caused fall from ladder.
California Court of Appeal (2007)  Man observing a rodeo through the perimeter fence is a spectator.
Kentucky Court of Appeals (2008) Susan Davis v. Bar 3 rodeo. Mistreatment of bull and lack of vests are legitimate questions.
U. S. District Court, Minn. (2008) Bailly v. Thompson. Boarder injured pursuing owner’s horse with flashlight and lasso.
U. S. Court of Appeals, Tenth Circuit (2008) Christensen v. United States. U. S. not responsible when horse trips on loop of grounding wire.
Arizona Court of Appeals (2008) Moran V. City of Tombstone. Insurance not shown to increase or decrease risk.
Montana Supreme Court (2008) Peterson v. Eichhorn. Insufficient evidence to demonstrate biting mare had dangerous propensity.
New Jersey Superior Court, Appellate Division (2008) Perry v. New Jersey Sports & Exposition Authority. Horse bite not foreseeable.
Minnesota Court of Appeals (2008) Horse bite not foreseeable
Wisconsin Court of Appeals (2008) Pries v. McMillon. Falling stalls were foreseeable.
Illinois Court of Appeals (2008) Johnson v. Johnson. Kick may have been provoked.