§ 25-21,250.Equine activities; terms, defined.

Article 21: Special Proceedings and Actions · Last amended 1997 · Last verified July 22, 2026

In one sentenceThis section defines seven terms used throughout the Equine Activity Liability Act — including “equine,” “equine activity,” “equine professional,” “inherent risks of equine activities,” and “participant” — that together set the reach of the Act’s liability limits.

Full Text of § 25-21,250

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For purposes of sections 25-21,249 to 25-21,253:

(1) Engages in an equine activity means riding, training, assisting in medical treatment of, driving, or being a passenger upon an equine, whether mounted or unmounted, or being a passenger upon an equine-drawn vehicle, or any person assisting a participant or assisting show management. Engages in an equine activity does not include being a spectator at an equine activity except in cases when the spectator places himself or herself in an unauthorized area;

(2) Equine means a horse, pony, donkey, mule, hinny, or llama;

(3) Equine activity means:

(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, driving, pulling, cutting, polo, steeplechasing, English and western performance riding, endurance trail riding, western games, and hunting;

(b) Equine training or teaching activities or both;

(d) Riding, inspecting, or evaluating an equine belonging to another, whether or not the owner has received some monetary consideration or other thing of value for the use of the equine or is permitting a prospective purchaser of the equine to ride, inspect, or evaluate the equine;

(e) Rides, trips, hunts, or other equine activities of any type however informal or impromptu that are sponsored by an equine activity sponsor; and

(f) Placing or replacing horseshoes on an equine;

(4) Equine activity sponsor means an individual, group, club, partnership, limited liability company, 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, and operators, instructors, and promoters of equine facilities, including, but not limited to, stables, clubhouses, ponyride strings, fairs, and arenas at which the equine activity is held;

(5) Equine professional means a person engaged for compensation:

(a) In instructing a participant or renting to a participant an equine for the purpose of riding, driving, or being a passenger upon the equine; or

(b) In renting equipment or tack to a participant;

(6) Inherent risks of equine activities means those dangers or conditions which are an integral part of equine activities, including, but not limited to:

(a) The propensity of an equine to behave in ways that may result in injury, harm, or death to persons on or around them;

(b) The unpredictability of an equine's reaction to such things as sounds, sudden movement, and unfamiliar objects, persons, or other animals;

(d) Collisions with other equines or objects; and

(e) The potential of a participant to act in a negligent manner that may contribute to injury to the participant or others, such as failing to maintain control over the equine or not acting within his or her ability; and

(7) Participant means any person, whether amateur or professional, who engages in an equine activity whether or not a fee is paid to participate in the equine activity.

Source

Laws 1997, LB 153, § 2.

Plain-English Summary

Section 25-21,250 is the glossary for Nebraska’s equine liability statute, and its choices about scope matter as much as its language. “Equine” covers a horse, pony, donkey, mule, hinny, or llama. “Equine activity” sweeps broadly: shows, fairs, competitions, and parades across many disciplines; training and teaching; boarding; riding, inspecting, or evaluating someone else’s equine, including for a prospective buyer; informal rides, trips, and hunts sponsored by an activity sponsor; and even placing horseshoes. “Engages in an equine activity” includes riding, training, driving, assisting with medical treatment, or riding as a passenger, whether mounted or in an equine-drawn vehicle — but it does not include being a spectator, unless that spectator wanders into an unauthorized area.

The section also separates two roles that sound similar but carry different meanings: an “equine activity sponsor” is the individual, club, or business that organizes or provides facilities for an activity — pony clubs, riding clubs, fairs, and school programs among them — while an “equine professional” is someone paid to instruct a participant or rent out an equine, equipment, or tack. “Participant” is defined generously, covering anyone who takes part in an equine activity, amateur or professional, whether or not a fee changes hands.

Finally, “inherent risks of equine activities” lists the dangers the Act treats as part of the deal: an equine’s tendency to behave unpredictably, its unpredictable reactions to sounds and unfamiliar objects, surface and subsurface hazards, collisions, and even a participant’s own negligence in controlling the animal or acting beyond their ability. That list defines what section 25-21,251 shields against, and what section 25-21,252 carves back out.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does a llama count as an “equine” under this section?

Yes. The definition of “equine” includes a horse, pony, donkey, mule, hinny, or llama.

Is a spectator at a horse show covered by the Act’s protections?

Generally no. “Engages in an equine activity” excludes being a spectator, except when the spectator places themselves in an unauthorized area.

What is the difference between an “equine activity sponsor” and an “equine professional”?

A sponsor organizes, sponsors, or provides facilities for an equine activity — clubs, fairs, and school programs, for example. A professional is paid to instruct a participant or to rent equipment, tack, or an equine to one.

Do unpaid participants still count as “participants” under the Act?

Yes. The definition covers any person, amateur or professional, who engages in an equine activity whether or not a fee is paid.

What are the “inherent risks of equine activities”?

Dangers built into the activity itself: an equine’s tendency to behave unpredictably, its reactions to sudden sounds or unfamiliar objects, surface and subsurface hazards, collisions with other equines or objects, and the risk that a participant’s own negligence contributes to injury.

Source & verification. Section text and the amendment-history citation are reproduced verbatim from the Nebraska Legislature, Revisor of Statutes, enacted by the Nebraska Legislature. Last verified July 22, 2026. · Official source

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