As Amended
SEC. 95-11-3. Definitions.
As used in this chapter, the following words and phrases shall have the meanings ascribed herein unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
(a) "Engages in an equine activity" means riding, training, providing or assisting in providing medical treatment of, driving, or being a passenger upon an equine, whether mounted or unmounted, or any person assisting a participant or show management. The term "engages in equine activity" does not include being a spectator at an equine activity, except in cases where the spectator places himself in an unauthorized area and in immediate proximity to the equine activity.
(b) "Equine" means a horse, pony, mule, donkey or hinny.
(c) "Equine activity" means:
(i) Equine shows, fairs, competitions, performances or parades that involve any or all breeds of equines and any of the equine disciplines, including, but not limited to, dressage, hunter and jumper horse shows, grand prix jumping, three-day events, combined training, rodeos, driving, pulling, cutting, polo, steeplechasing, English and Western performance riding, endurance trail riding, western games and hunting.
(ii) Equine training or teaching activities, or both.
(iii) Boarding equines.
(iv) Riding, inspecting, or evaluating an equine belonging to another, whether or not the owner has received some monetary consideration or other thing of value for the use of the equine or is permitting a perspective purchaser of the equine to ride, inspect or evaluate the equine.
(v) Rides, trips, hunts, or other equine activities of any type however informal or impromptu that are sponsored by an equine activity sponsor.
(vi) Placing or replacing horseshoes on an equine.
(vii) Examining or administering medical treatment to an equine by a veterinarian.
(d) "Equine activity sponsor" means an individual, group, club, partnership or corporation, whether or not the sponsor is operating for profit or nonprofit, which sponsors, organizes or provides the facilities for an equine activity, including, but not limited to, pony clubs, 4-H clubs, hunt clubs, riding clubs, school and college sponsored classes, programs, and operators, instructors, and promoters of equine facilities, including, but not limited to, stables, clubhouses, pony ride strings, fairs and arenas at which the activity is held.
(e) "Equine professional" means a person engaged for compensation in:
(i) Instructing a participant or renting to a participant, an equine for the purpose of riding, driving or being a passenger upon the equine.
(ii) Renting equipment or tack to a participant.
(iii) Examining or administering medical treatment to an equine as a veterinarian.
(f) "Inherent risks of equine activities" means those dangers or conditions which are an integral part of equine activities, including, but not limited to:
(i) The propensity of an equine to behave in ways that may result in injury, harm or death to persons on or around them.
(ii) The unpredictability of an equine's reaction to such things as sounds, sudden movement and unfamiliar objects, persons or other animals.
(iii) Certain hazards such as surface and subsurface conditions.
(iv) Collisions with other equines or objects.
(v) The potential of a participant to act in a negligent manner that may contribute to injury to the participant or others, such as failing to maintain control over the animal or not acting within his or her ability.
(g) "Participant" means any person, whether amateur or professional, who engages in an equine activity, whether or not a fee is paid to participate in the equine activity.
SOURCES: Laws, 1994, ch. 443, Sec. 2, eff from and after July 1, 1994