Equine Law Blog
In January 2013, I was invited to New York City speak at a continuing legal education conference sponsored by the New York State Bar Association Committee on Animals and the Law. Below is a question posed by an attendee and my answer. This question relates to industry regulation and certification.
Question
Are professional horse trainers licensed, certified or accredited by any government agency or professional organization?
Answer
A few states nationwide have equestrian helmet laws.
Certainly, specific licensing requirements have existed in the horse racing industry for decades. Very few states, to my knowledge, have licensing requirements that apply to those who train horses for showing or pleasure riding. Massachusetts has a riding instructor licensing requirement. I'm not aware of any government agencies that certify professional horse trainers.
Equine industry certification is an option. Organizations exist that offer a wide range of certification options. The organizations include, for example:
- Certified Horsemanship Association
- American Riding Instructor Certification Program
- American Association for Horsemanship Safety
ShareholderJulie Fershtman is considered to be one of the nation's leading attorneys in the field of equine law. She has successfully tried equine cases before juries in four states. A frequent author and speaker on legal issues, she has written ...
