Mississippi Code 1972 (2023) › Title 95 - TORTS (§§ 95-1-1 — 95-15-1) › Chapter 11 - LIABILITY EXEMPTION FOR EQUINE AND LIVESTOCK ACTIVITIES (§§ 95-11-1 — 95-11-7) › Section 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 livestock shows or equine activity" means riding, training, providing or assisting in providing medical treatment of, driving, or being a passenger upon an equine or other livestock, whether mounted or unmounted, or any person assisting a participant or show management. The term "engages in livestock shows or equine activity" does not include being a spectator at a livestock show or equine activity, except in cases where the spectator places himself in an unauthorized area and in immediate proximity to the livestock show or equine activity.
(b)
"Equine" means a horse, pony, mule, donkey or hinny.
(c)
"Livestock" means equines, cattle, swine, sheep and goats.
(d)
"Livestock shows or equine activity" means:
(i)
Livestock or equine shows, fairs, competitions, performances or parades that involve any or all breeds of livestock or 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 or livestock training or teaching activities, or both ;
(iii)
Boarding equines or livestock ;
(iv)
Riding, inspecting, or evaluating an equine or livestock 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 livestock or is permitting a perspective purchaser of the equine or livestock to ride, inspect or evaluate the equine or livestock ;
(v)
Rides, trips, hunts, or other equine or livestock activities of any type however informal or impromptu that are sponsored by an equine or livestock activity sponsor ;
(vi)
Placing or replacing horseshoes on an equine ;
(vii)
Examining or administering medical treatment to an equine or livestock by a veterinarian ; and
(viii)
Horse racing.
(e)
"Equine or livestock 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 or livestock show, 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 or livestock facilities, including, but not limited to, stables, clubhouses, pony ride strings, fairs and arenas at which the activity is held.
(f)
"Equine or livestock professional" means a person engaged for compensation in:
(i)
Instructing a participant or renting to a participant, an equine or livestock 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 or livestock as a veterinarian.
(g)
"Inherent risks of equine or livestock activities" means those dangers or conditions which are an integral part of equine or livestock activities, including, but not limited to:
(i)
The propensity of an equine or livestock 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 or livestock'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 livestock 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.
(h)
"Participant" means any person, whether amateur or professional, who engages in an equine activity or livestock show, whether or not a fee is paid to participate in the equine activity or livestock show.
Laws, 1994, ch. 443, § 2; Laws, 2003, ch. 451, § 2, eff. 7/1/2003.
Amended by Laws, 2024, ch. 318, HB 1353,§ 1, eff. 7/1/2024.