Liability of Maryland Landowners Who Allow Horseback Riders on Their Property

By Allan Noble, President of the Equestrian Partners in Conservation (EPIC); originally published in the April 2025 issue of The Equiery www.equiery.com.

Download the published article (PDF) here: The Equiery, April 2025

From time to time, I am asked about the liability of landowners who allow horseback riders to ride on their property. Perhaps this is because I spent close to 50 years as a trial lawyer litigating negligence cases, including landowner liability. Or, perhaps it's because I am the President of Equestrian Partners in Conservation (EPIC), a nonprofit that works with landowners to build and maintain equestrian trails in Montgomery County. Although Maryland law is clear, it always surprises me how much confusion exists on this issue. If a landowner allows a horseback rider to ride on their property, is the landowner responsible if the rider gets hurt? This article addresses this issue and attempts to clear up any confusion that may exist.

Simply stated, and with some exceptions, which I will discuss, there is no liability for landowners who allow horseback riders on their property. The only duty owed by landowners (which includes their agents) to any persons (including horseback riders) they allow to come on their property is not to willfully injure or entrap them. Essentially these horseback riders take the property as it exists. The important consideration is that these landowners are simply allowing horseback riders to come on their property but not charging them or specifically inviting them.