Equine Law Blog

A recurring issue since the passage of the nation’s 48 state Equine Activity Liability Acts (EALAs) has been whether these laws apply to horse-drawn carriage activities. Although EALAs differ across the country, most of them state that a “participant” in an “equine activity” has limited or no recourse against equine professionals, equine activity sponsors, or others if damage results from an “inherent risk” of equine activity. But does a passenger in a carriage or sleigh qualify as a “participant”? Yes, according to courts in the majority of states that have ...