Rein In Your Herd Podcast Appearance

I had a great time talking with Laura and April over at Rein In Your Herd Podcast. On Episode 36, Legal Considerations for Horse Businesses with Jo Belasco, We discussed trademarks, liability, and business formation – all for equine businesses. Take a listen, and be sure to check out their other podcasts! Thanks Laura and April for having me on the show! Read More

Border Collie Inherits $5 Million Trust

A recent news article at CNN reports on a Nashville Border Collie who is the subject of a $5 million trust. That’s a lot of balls, frisbees, sheep, and treats for the lucky BC. It turns out that when Bill Dorris, a successful businessman, died last year, he left a provision in his will to create a trust that ensures his Border Collie, Lulu, is taken care of for the rest of her life. He chose a friend, Martha Burton, who often took care of Lulu when Mr. Dorris went on trips, to take care of Lulu and to receive Read More

Consent Decrees and Consequences

I have spent the last day trying to figure out exactly how I want to word this blog entry. I am a wild Mustang advocate and an equine attorney, and those two parts of me are in conflict right now. I have read the 170-page PDF the BLM has issued concerning the proposed gather and removal of all horses from 3 HMAs in southwestern Wyoming. I was hoping to find a novel argument that would make the BLM decide not to pick that alternative among four that they mention in the report. But the job of an attorney is to Read More

COVID19 Legal Issues for the Horse Community

Click HERE for the free e-book. Are you concerned about the legal issues surrounding COVID19 and your horse business or personal horses? I have written an e-book entitled “Horse People, Don’t Panic: COVID19 Legal Issues for the Horse Community.” It’s a free PDF download, and you are encouraged to share it in its entirety and let others know they can download it here. You will learn about legal issues concerning liability, horse care if you get sick, equine estate planning, and contracts during these difficult times. This is an educational service of Windhorse Legal, PLLC, and does not constitute legal Read More

Animal Trusts

Recently, I have seen posts on Facebook horse groups that ask if people have plans for the care of their horse if they are incapacitated or die. Many people say they have talked to a friend or they have written some informal agreement. Unfortunately, neither or those options are ones that will hold up if the person decides not to take care of the horse.  Luckily, there is a legal vehicle that allows you to plan for your horse’s future in the event you are incapacitated or die. That document is called an animal trust, and you can have one Read More