Truman answered the first part, so I'll just address the second part:
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And, what happens when I'm riding down the trail and a rider comes up on my horse's butt and she kicks at the horse/rider and injures one or both? That rider can of course sue me for the injuries (anyone can sue anyone) but I'M the one that has to deal with all the anxiety and expense of an attorney, etc, etc, etc. Should the injured party be sanctioned for not only their riding behavior but for bringing a lawsuit against me?
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No. ?
I don't think anyone should be sanctioned just for bringing suit. ?You can sanction people for their behavior at the ride: ?Does this person often ride in a dangerous fashion? ?Are they consistently belligerent? ?unsportsmanlike? ? Do they ignore warnings from other riders (like red ribbons in the tail)? ?Do they disregard the horses welfare?
Those are reasons for sanctioning a rider, not for the action of bringing a lawsuit. ?People can have legitimate differences of opinion on who was at fault. ?IMO, you can't refuse a rider the right to bring a lawsuit against another rider, a vet, or a staff member.
