05/13/2026
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What could happen if an equine boarding barn doesn't have care, custody and control on their farm policy?
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If an equine boarding operation boards horses they don’t own, and their policy does not include care, custody, and control (CCC), one of the biggest gaps is this: if a boarded horse is injured, dies, or is lost while in the barn’s care, the barn may have no insurance coverage for that claim even if the owner alleges negligence. Standard farm/general liability policies often exclude animals that are in the insured’s “care, custody, or control.”
What that can mean in practice:
A boarded horse colics, is injured in a fence incident, escapes, or dies, and the owner claims the barn failed to supervise or maintain the facility properly.
The horse owner may sue the barn/operator personally for the horse’s value, vet bills, and related damages.
Without CCC, the insurer may deny that part of the claim, leaving the barn to pay legal defense and any settlement/judgment out of pocket. Many CCC endorsements also cover defense costs; without it, that protection may be missing.
A few examples:
Boarder’s horse injured by broken fencing → owner claims poor maintenance.
Horse gets loose and is hit on road → owner claims gate/latch failure.
Barn employee administers wrong feed or medication → owner claims negligent care.
Barn fire or theft situation → coverage depends heavily on policy wording; CCC may be relevant for the non-owned horse itself, but other endorsements can matter too.
Important distinction:
CCC usually covers the non-owned horse itself when the boarding operation may be legally liable. It is separate from regular farm liability, which is more about bodily injury/property damage to third parties (for example, a visitor injured on the premises).
If you’re reviewing a boarding facility’s policy, the practical questions to ask are:
Is there a care, custody and control endorsement specifically listed?
What is the per-horse limit?
What is the annual aggregate limit?
Is coverage written for boarding only, or also training/instruction/transport?
Is legal defense included outside or inside limits?
If you’re asking because you insure or advise equine clients, a simple rule: if they board, train, breed, or handle clients’ horses regularly, CCC is usually one of the first things to verify—not assume is bundled in the farm package
