It is prudent for the organizer of camps or clinics, to have insurance for injuries to the third party, participants. Coverage can be endorsed as part of an on going commercial stable operation or purchased on an individual, one time basis. When speaking to your insurance agent, it is important to differentiate between the activity of a camp and that of a clinic. The underwriting companies may charge differently for these two occurrences.

A camp is customarily, a full day of riding and non-riding activities packaged in a series, over a week long period. A clinic is usually a concise, riding group lesson, lasting an hour or so, over the period of one or several days. The participants in both activities are typically, people who are not your regular students.

Most insurance companies have no problem with day camps or clinics that offer horse related activities. The various underwriters will review the activity parts and charge accordingly for the inherent risks. It is extremely important to disclose to your agent, exactly what activities you have planned and how they will be implemented. Generally, the costs are charged according to the number of participants, their ages, the number of days offered, gross receipts, number of school horses used, and how many instructors, with their qualifications. Some activities will not be acceptable and therefore should be avoided. Those may include overnight camps, cooking and providing food, transporting people, swimming, and other non-horse related functions.

Whether you are having a camp or clinic, it is important that the instructor is insured. The instructor may already be insured as part of the barn’s coverage or be an outside independent contractor. If they are an outside instructor, the camp or clinic organizer must require that they carry their own insurance and supply the organizer with a Certificate, showing proof. If the outside instructor does not have insurance, you may be able to add them to the facility insurance at an extra cost.

Further, it is imperative that a proper release of liability form be completed by every participating person, and/or the responsible adult. The form must include all the instructor’s names, landowner entities, and your specific state statute equine liability language.

For further information, contact Shawna Dietrich of Dietrich & Company Equine Insurance 800-942-4258