You are driving to work one morning, sipping your coffee, when you spy what appears to be a sick animal in a lot near the highway. Every horse owner's or caretaker's nightmare is a horse that is loose on a highway. The story of America has been in part the story of the urbanization of our land. Lands that were yesterday devoted to agricultural uses are today the sites of homes and commercial activities. If you're in the horse business, you're probably also in the kid business.
Children occupy a special place in the eyes of the law.
The goals of these enactments are to more clearly define the duties of horsemen to the public and to tip the scales of justice in favor of the horseman. When I last wrote a HorseLaw article on Equine Activity Statutes, it was 1995, there were statutes in 35 states, and there were almost no law opinions interpreting and applying them. There are now equine activity statutes in 44 states. Please read our Privacy Policy . Advertise with us .