In recent years, many parts of Canada have been devastated by natural disasters, including forest fires, ice storms, and floods. These disasters have impacted the equine community by causing loss and damage to barns, fencing, pastures, feed supplies and livestock, among other things.

The “horse world” is a small community where most people know one another and gossip is common. Much of this talk is harmless, but given that many people in the horse world trade on their professional reputations and personal integrity, when does gossip or idle chatter cross the line into defamation?

A horse is not considered a “passenger” but rather “cargo”. Your horses should be insured appropriately under an All Risk Mortality or Specified or Named Perils policy. Contact a knowledgeable insurance broker for more information on these types of policies.

Making a living in the horse industry can be challenging. Not only are the horses themselves expensive, the land and equipment needed to sustain a horse business can be costly to purchase and maintain. Given the high costs associated with the horse industry, it may benefit those engaged in this business to familiarize themselves with the laws relating to taxes and taxation issues. A better understanding of these issues could result in tax savings.

Waiver of liability agreements are commonly used in dangerous or high risk sports such as horseback riding. The intent is to transfer liability for injuries from the organizer to the participant through a written contract. The article, "Negotiating Risk: The Use & Enforceability of Waivers" contains a detailed discussion of waivers if readers are looking for more information on the subject.