EQUINE PROGRAM WAIVER & RELEASE IMPORTANT INFORMATION The Rockford Park District is committed to conducting its recreation programs and activities in a safe manner and holds the safety of participants in high regard. The Rockford Park District continually strives to reduce such risks and insists that all participants follow safety rules and instructions that are designed to protect the participant's safety. However, participants and parents/guardians of minors registering for this program must recognize that there is an inherent risk of injury when choosing to participate in recreational activities. You are solely responsible for determining if you or your minor child/ward is physically fit and/or adequately skilled for the activities contemplated by this agreement. It is always advisable, especially if the participant is pregnant, disabled in any way or recently suffered an illness, injury or impairment, to consult a physician before undertaking any physical activity.
WARNING OF RISK Equine activities are intended to engage the physical, mental and emotional resources of each participant. Despite careful and proper preparation, instruction, medical advice, conditioning and equipment, there is still a risk of serious injury, including head/brain injury, spinal cord injury, and bone and joint injuries. All hazards and dangers cannot be foreseen. Certain inherent risks include the propensity of an equine to behave in dangerous ways that may result in injury to the participant, including, but not limited to the inability to predict an equines reaction to sound, movements, objects, persons, or animals and actions by the equine due to fright, anger, stress, insect bites or natural reactions such as bucking, jumping sideways, forward or backwards, kicking, and biting. Other risks include losing balance, falling off the horse, surface or subsurface conditions, acts of God, inclement weather, slips and falls, poor mounting, dismounting or riding technique, horseplay, riding into fixed objects and being knocked off the horse, equipment failure, failure in instruction/supervision, and all other risks inherent in equine activities. In this regard, it must be recognized that it is impossible for the Rockford Park District to guarantee absolute safety. WAIVER AND RELEASE OF ALL CLAIMS AND ASSUMPTION OF RISK Please read this form carefully and be aware that in signing up and participating in this program/activity, you will be expressly assuming the risk and legal liability and waiving and releasing all claims for injuries, damages or loss which you or your minor child/ward might sustain as a result of participating in any and all activities connected with and associated with this program/activity (including transportation services and vehicle operations, when provided). I recognize and acknowledge that there are certain risks of physical injury to participants in this program/activity, and I voluntarily agree to assume the full risk of any and all injuries, damages or loss, regardless of severity, that my minor child/ward or I may sustain as a result of said participation. I further agree to waive and relinquish all claims I or my minor child/ward may have (or accrue to me or my child/ward) as a result of participating in this program/activity against the Rockford Park District, including its officials, agents, volunteers and employees. I have read and fully understand the above important information, warning of risk, assumption of risk and waiver and release of all claims. If registering on-line or via fax, my on-line or facsimile signature shall substitute for and have the same legal effect as an original form signature. |