Las Vegas and the surrounding Las Vegas Valley are home to equestrian facilities, trail riding operations, horse shows, and rural properties where recreational and competitive horseback riding takes place. Southern Nevada’s riding culture extends from stables in the Summerlin and Henderson areas to trail rides in the Spring Mountains and Red Rock Canyon vicinity. When a rider is thrown, kicked, or otherwise injured at a Nevada equestrian facility or on a guided trail ride, the facility operator and horse owner may be liable for injuries caused by their negligence — providing an unsuitable horse for an inexperienced rider, failing to supervise beginner riders, maintaining unsafe arena footing, or using defective tack. Marathon Law Group represents Las Vegas equestrian injury victims in personal injury claims throughout Nevada.
Injured in Las Vegas? Call Marathon Law Group at (702) 522-1808 for a free consultation. Our personal injury attorneys work on contingency — you pay nothing unless we win your case.
Nevada Equine Activity Liability Act — Exceptions That Preserve Injury Claims
Nevada’s Equine Activity Liability Act (NRS 41.500 et seq.) provides qualified immunity to equine activity sponsors and professionals for injuries resulting from the inherent risks of equine activities — the unpredictable nature of horses, terrain hazards, and the difficulty of predicting equine responses to conditions. However, Nevada’s Act preserves injury claims in several critical situations that apply to many Las Vegas equestrian injury cases: when the defendant provided faulty tack or equipment that contributed to the injury; when the defendant knowingly provided a horse with dangerous characteristics without disclosure to the rider; when the defendant’s negligence was independent of the inherent risks of equine activities (such as failing to inspect arena footing for hazardous holes or obstacles); and when the defendant owned or controlled land or facilities where the injury occurred and their negligence in maintaining those facilities caused the harm. In practice, these exceptions reach a wide range of negligent conduct at Nevada equestrian facilities — a stable that puts an inexperienced tourist on a horse known to spook near vehicles, an operator who fails to maintain arena footing free from holes and hazards, or a trail ride company that allows an unqualified guide to lead a group beyond their experience level. Nevada law also requires equine activity sponsors to post or provide written notice of the Act’s limited immunity — failure to provide the required notice waives the immunity entirely. Marathon Law Group evaluates every Las Vegas equestrian injury case against these exceptions to identify viable claims and pursue maximum compensation for injured Nevada riders and their families.
If you or a loved one has been injured, contact our experienced Las Vegas slip and fall attorney at Marathon Law Group. We offer free consultations and only get paid when you win.