Lesson, Horse Rental or Lease, and Arena Use Release - Horse Equine Forms
Vermont Equine Activity
Statutes
§ 1039
Equine activities; acceptance of inherent risks
(a) As used in this section:
(1) "Equine" means a horse, pony, mule or donkey.
(2) "Equine activity" includes but is not limited to:
(A) Equine shows, fairs, competitions, performances or
parades that involve any or all breeds of 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,
riding, driving, pulling, cutting, polo, steeplechasing, English and western
performance riding, endurance trail riding, gymkhana games and hunting;
(B) Equine training or teaching activities, or both;
(C) Rides, trips, or hunts.
(3) "Equine activity sponsor" means an individual, group, club, organized
camp, 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, including but not limited to pony clubs, 4-H clubs,
hunt clubs, riding clubs, school and college-sponsored classes, programs
and activities, therapeutic riding programs, stable and farm owners and
operators, instructors and promoters or equine facilities, including but
not limited to farms, stables, clubhouses, pony ride strings, fairs and
arenas at which the activity is held.
(4) "Participant" means any person, whether amateur or professional,
who engages in an equine activity, whether or not a fee or other consideration
is paid to participate in the equine activity.
(b) No person shall be liable for an injury to, or the death of, a
participant resulting from the inherent risks of equine activities, insofar
as those risks are necessary to the equine activity and obvious to the
person injured.
(1) An equine activity sponsor may post and maintain signs
which contain the warning notice specified in this subsection. Such signs
shall be placed in a clearly visible location in the proximity of the equine
activity. The warning notice shall appear on the sign in black letters,
with each letter to be a minimum of one inch in height.
(2) Every written contract entered into by an equine activity sponsor
for the providing of professional services, instruction or the rental of
equipment or tack or an equine to a participant, whether or not the contract
involves equine activities on or off the location or site of the equine
professional's business, may contain in clearly readable print the warning
notice.
(3) The signs and contracts described in this subsection shall contain
the following warning notice:
WARNING
Under Vermont Law, an equine activity sponsor is not liable for
an injury to, or the death of, a participant in equine activities resulting
from the inherent risks of equine activities that are obvious and necessary,
pursuant to 12 V.S.A. § 1039.
§ 1076
Release of claim for personal injury or death-Disavowal of agreement
An agreement entered into by a person or his legal representative
within fifteen days after personal injury to him or his death or personal
injury or death of his spouse or child, which may adversely affect his
or her estate's right to compensation for the personal injury or death,
may be disavowed by such person or his legal representative within three
years after making the agreement. When such an agreement has been disavowed
it may not be used in whole or in part in any subsequent proceeding.
§ 1077
Tender of compensation
When an agreement is disavowed, the claimant or his legal representative
shall tender any consideration received to the person who paid or delivered
the same.
§ 1133
Repealed. 1959, No. 261, § 68.
§ 1161
Repealed. 1967, No. 311 (Adj. Sess.), § 3, eff. March 22,
1968.