Equine Law Essentials: Liability, Business Protection, and Growth Strategies (2026 Edition)

Peter J. Sacopulos | Sacopulos, Johnson & Sacopulos

Peter J. Sacopulos is a Terre Haute, native whose practice includes equine law and who is admitted in Indiana and multiple federal courts, including the Seventh Circuit and the U.S. Supreme Court. He is active in industry organizations, including the American College of Equine Attorneys, and has served in leadership and advisory roles within the thoroughbred community.

A frequent national presenter on racing regulation, Mr. Sacopulos has delivered multiple programs focused on HISA, including constitutional challenges, enforcement, and defense strategy (e.g., WVC Annual Conference; Saratoga Racing & Gaming Conference; ROAP continuing education; National HBPA; National Equine Law Conference). His publications likewise address core issues in this session’s regulatory landscape covering HISA adjudication and due process, evidentiary issues (including HISA/HIWU expert testimony), and liability standards such as the Trainer Responsibility/Absolute Insurer Rule. He has also written on notable disputes and litigation affecting racing participants, including commentary tied to Serpe v. FTC, et al. and the Jerry Hollendorfer litigation.

Robert Webb | Frost Brown Todd

Seasoned veteran attorney, Bob Webb, applies savvy strategies when dealing with IRS matters to help you achieve your best outcome.

Bob was President of the Tax Bar Association, he has spoken at the American Bar Association Criminal Tax Institute for many years, and he is one of the top advisors on how to litigate and resolve complex hobby loss cases in all different types of businesses. Growing up in Kentucky, Bob has particular expertise in resolving multi million-dollar tax cases involving the thoroughbred and quarter horse industries.

Bob deeply understands how to work with the IRS based on his experience working for the Department of Justice Civil Tax Division, where he had an insider’s view of how the IRS and the Department of Justice pursue taxpayers for criminal and civil tax violations. Armed with this knowledge, Bob knows how to prevent taxpayers from being audited by the IRS and how to litigate and resolve complex tax disputes across a wide variety of situations.

Bob attended Georgetown University Law Center where he obtained his Master of Law and he also taught federal taxation of entities for Bellarmine College. Additionally, Bob authored the first criminal tax practice monograph for the University of Kentucky College of Law.

Jennifer Guidea | Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani, LLP

Jennifer A. Guidea is Assistant Managing Partner of Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani’s Livingston, New Jersey office and serves as Chair of the firm’s Equine Practice, advising equine professionals on both day-to-day risk management and high-stakes disputes. She is admitted in New Jersey and New York and has appeared in state and federal courts in jurisdictions across the United States.

Jennifer also leads GRSM’s national Equine Law Practice Group, supporting horse owners, breeders, trainers, stables, and equestrian businesses with equine-related transactions and litigation nationwide. Her published work includes Equine Liability Acts: Managing Unpredictability (Equine Business Magazine), addressing how Equine Activity Liability Acts vary by state, common statutory exceptions (e.g., faulty tack, participant ability, latent property hazards, negligent disregard), and practical steps such as signage and contract/waiver strategy.

In addition to her equine-focused work, Jennifer’s broader commercial litigation and counseling background including franchise and business disputes, brings a pragmatic lens to business protection and growth strategy.

Allison Eklund | Eklund Law

Allison Fabyanske Eklund has been practicing law in Minnesota since 1998. After almost a decade in litigation and a national practice in Federal Indian law, she started Eklund Law, PC in 2007 to combine professional experience with personal interest in horses and contacts in the horse industry. Her exposure to a broad variety of legal issues supports a diverse solo practice focusing on equine public policy and business law as well as estate planning and legacy lands. Since 2006, Ms. Eklund has offered award-winning estate planning presentations for landowners in collaboration with the University of Minnesota Extension. Her experience in equine land use issues has led to successes in Minnesota tax court, zoning and conditional use permit disputes. As attorney for the Minnesota Horse Council, Ms. Eklund has been instrumental in passing property tax, land use, and agricultural legislation favorable to horse owners and equine businesses. She has formed numerous equine nonprofit organizations, including the Minnesota Stable Owners Association, MQHA Foundation, and MHC Foundation. On behalf of the Minnesota Horse Council and its related nonprofits, Ms. Eklund works to encourage best practices as well as to educate and inspire the public about the benefits and enjoyment of working with horses.

Peggy Hosking | Buchalter

Peggy Hosking is a partner in the Orange County California office of Buchalter LLP and serves as an outside general counsel to her clients. In the role of outside general counsel she advises business owners on a topics such as acquisition and disposition of real estate, leasing, business operations and preparing for the successful M&A transaction. Her clients cover myriad industries and are manufacturers, distributors, retailers, investors and contractors. In addition, Ms. Hosking is a lifelong equestrian, co-chair of the Equine Law practice group at Buchalter and the owner of a boutique warmblood breeding farm in Southern California.

Heather Wright | Buchalter

Heather Wright is a Partner in the Nashville office of Buchalter LLP. Ms. Wright helps a broad variety of commercial clients identify operational risks and manage risk through insurance. She helps policyholders maximize insurance recovery under a variety of commercial insurance policies, including property, general liability, professional liability, directors and officers, and cyber liability policies. In addition, she represents commercial property owners and asset managers, as well as real estate developers and general contractors, in the negotiation of insurance and indemnity provisions in purchase and sale agreements, debt service agreements, leases, management agreements, and construction contracts.

Session I – Foundations of Equine Law: Regulatory Landscape and Practice Essentials | 1:00pm – 1:30pm

• The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA)
• The absolute insurer rule
• State horse racing commissions/associations
• The adjudication process under state racing regulations and pursuant to the Horse Racing Integrity and Safety Act

Session II – Structuring the Equine Enterprise: Entity Selection and Tax Planning | 1:30pm – 2:00pm

• Entity selection and its tax consequences for equine operations
• Depreciation and loss utilization as planning tools
• IRS scrutiny of horse operations and “profit motive” documentation
• Avoiding hobby loss reclassification under IRC §183
• Structuring for tax-efficient growth and audit resilience

Break | 2:00pm – 2:10pm

Session III – Negotiating and Drafting Equine Industry Agreements | 2:10pm – 2:40pm

• Why written agreements matter in the equine industry
• Ownership transfer, trial periods, installments, right of first refusal, risk of loss & seller disclosures in equine purchase agreements
• Horse care standards, assignment rights, insurance & indemnification in lease agreements
• Remedies, dispute resolution, and risk allocation clauses across equine contracts (insurance/indemnity at a high level)
• Disease disclosure, hereditary risk, foal guarantees & payment/refund terms in breeding agreements

Session IV – Equine Business Protection: Crafting Waivers, Rules, and Risk Management Plans | 2:40pm – 3:10pm

• Key elements for waivers and releases in boarding, training, and event contracts
• Establishing and enforcing stable rules for liability management
• Risk management strategies for equine businesses
• Crisis management and emergency response planning for equine-related incidents

Break | 3:10pm – 3:20pm

Session V – Equine Liability in Practice: Real Estate Issues and Insurance Strategies for the Equine Industry | 3:20pm – 4:20pm

• Considerations when purchasing real estate for equestrian use
  • Zoning
  • Permitting/Licensing
    1.  CAFO
  • Environmental
    1. Water
    2. Manure management
  • Building codes
• Considerations when leasing property for equestrian use
  • Zoning
  • Permitting/Licensing
  • Environmental
    1. Water
    2. Manure management
    3. Dust
  • Specific lease terms
    1. Responsibility for feeding/cleaning
    2. Maintenance responsibilities
    3. Arena maintenance
    4. Biosecurity
    5. Evacuations
    6. Employees
    7. Liens
    8. Abandonment of animals
    9. Waivers of liability
• Liability insurance for horse owners
• Property insurance for equine operations