Equine Activity Liability Laws are a legislative mandate that riding or other horse activities are dangerous and that participants in the activities assume the risk of being injuredÑif the injury results from an “inherent risk.” Sounds good, but what, exactly, are inherent risks of an equine activity?

Some are obvious. Being kicked or being bitten or falling off, for example, are risks that cannot be separated from riding or working around horses, and that is what “inherent risk” really means. Other risks, such as negligence by the activity sponsor or faulty tack, clearly do not fit into the inherent risk category