Horse Lease

Definitions.

As used in this chapter:

(1) "Equine" means any member of the equidae family.

(2) "Equine activity" means: (a) equine shows, fairs, competitions, performances, racing, sales, or parades that involve any breeds of equines and any equine disciplines, including dressage, hunter and jumper horse shows, grand prix jumping, multiple-day events, combined training, rodeos, driving, pulling, cutting, polo, steeple chasing, hunting, endurance trail riding, and western games;

(b) boarding or training equines;

(c) teaching persons equestrian skills;

(d) riding, inspecting, or evaluating an equine owned by another person regardless of whether the owner receives monetary or other valuable consideration;

(e) riding, inspecting, or evaluating an equine by a prospective purchaser; or

(f) other equine activities of any type including rides, trips, hunts, or informal or spontaneous activities sponsored by an equine activity sponsor. (3) "Equine activity sponsor" means an individual, group, governmental entity, club, partnership, or corporation, whether operating for profit or as a nonprofit entity, which sponsors, organizes, or provides facilities for an equine activity, including: (a) pony clubs, hunt clubs, riding clubs, 4-H programs, therapeutic riding programs, and public and private schools and post secondary educational institutions that sponsor equine activities; and

(b) operators, instructors, and promoters of equine facilities, stables, clubhouses, ponyride strings, fairs, and arenas. (4) "Equine professional" means a person compensated for an equine activity by: (a) instructing a participant;

(b) renting to a participant an equine to ride, drive, or be a passenger upon the equine; or

(c) renting equine equipment or tack to a participant. (5) "Participant" means any person, whether amateur or professional, who directly engages in an equine activity, regardless of whether a fee has been paid to participate.

(6) (a) "Person engaged in an equine activity" means a person who rides, trains, leads, drives, or works with an equine.

(b) Subsection (6)(a) does not include a spectator at an equine activity or a participant at an equine activity who does not ride, train, lead, or drive an equine.

§ 3.1-796.133

Liability of equine activity sponsors, equine professionals.

No provision of this chapter shall prevent or limit the liability of an equine activity sponsor or equine professional who:

1. Intentionally injures the participant;

2. Commits an act or omission that constitutes negligence for the safety of the participant and such act or omission caused the injury, unless such participant, parent or guardian has expressly assumed the risk causing the injury in accordance with subsection B of § 3.1-796.132; or

3. Knowingly provides faulty equipment or tack and such equipment or tack causes the injury or death of the participant.