We’ve raised and managed horses for many years. Currently, we have eight; four Arabians, one Thoroughbred, one Belgian, and one Paint; five mares, three geldings. The state recognizes that equine activities are inherently dangerous and provides in statute that persons engaged in activity around horses assume liability for injuries that may result.
The animals are generally docile, if raised appropriately, but can still, given the necessary circumstances, react violently to threats, harm, or injury. They can be ‘high strung’ when the weather takes a sudden turn, for instance. A great deal of the outburst is controllable by a handler who can control his/her own emotion and stress level. These animals often take their lead from the handler.
We enjoy our critters very much, but we don’t take their routinely calm demeanors for granted, either.
Were the state to revise it’s assessment of equine activities by finding the animals to be inherently vicious, it would decimate the small owner industry by making it nearly impossible to get insurance for the farms that house these critters.
Most state equine laws, like Connecticut’s, do NOT protect the owner if the owner is found negligent. I don’t know where you live, but I know Arizona’s law allows the owner to be sued for “negligent” behavior - and the courts define negligent to mean almost anything.