Ms. Dawson is a certified clinician in horsemanship safety and various styles of horsemanship with over 50 years of horse experience. As president of the American Association for Horsemanship Safety she maintains the Equine Safety and Liability website which archives horse cases from several fields from about 1996 to the present. She actively teaches and rides and continues to add to her own extensive formal training. She is the author of many articles and several books including Teaching Safe Horsemanship. She is the developer of the only method of riding instruction to be reviewed in an academic, peer review journal. She also developed the 40-hour curriculum used by AAHS to train riding instructors. She continues to train equestrian staff both at her center and other sites.
Background
Q: Please list your professional accreditations, degrees, licenses, and certificates granted:A: Doctor of Jusisprudence
Certified Clinician in Horsemanship Safety
Certified riding Instructor
Q: Please list your affiliations or memberships in any professional and/or industry organizations:
A: Life Member United States Equestrian Federation
United States Dressage Federation
Life Member Capital Area Quarter Horse Association
Q: Please list any teaching or speaking experience you have had, including subject matter:
A: Over 30 clinics in horsemanship safety
Have certified hundreds of riding instructors and wranglers.
Have spoken on Equine Safety and Liability at several Universities.
Have taught Equine Law at the university level.
Teach at my own equestrian center.
Q: Have any of your accreditations ever been investigated, suspended or removed? (if yes, explain)
A: I was late paying my bar dues last year.
Q: On how many occasions have you been retained as an expert?
A: Around 30 times. I consult with attorneys on nearly a daily basis due to the equine safety and liability website.
Q: For what area(s) of expertise have you been retained as an expert?
A: Equestrian staff training, horsemanship safety, riding instruction, recreational equestrian accidents, cattle auction safety, horses and highways, riding student safety, equestrian protective head gear, trail ride management, cattle/horse drives.
Q: In what percentage of your cases were you retained by the plaintiff?
A: 75%
I have also worked both sides of the same case with the knowledge of both sides. I am an equstrian safety expert published in this area.
Q: In what percentage of your cases were you retained by the defendant?
A: Between 15 and 25%
Q: On how many occasions have you had your deposition taken?
A: Over 10 times
Q: When was the last time you had your deposition taken?
A: September 2006
Q: On how many occasions have you been qualified by a court to give expert testimony?
A: I have never been disqualified. I was qualified in California and New Hampshire by a court.
Q: On how many occasions have you testified as an expert in court or before an arbitrator?
A: I have testified at trial in California, Florida, and Colorado. I gave testimony by phone, before a magistrate in New Hampshire.
Q: For how many years have you worked with the legal industry as an expert?
A: I was deposed the first time in the middle 80s.
Q: What services do you offer? (E.g.: consulting, testing, reports, site inspections etc.)
A: Consulting, reports, site visits and inspections. I evaluate all aspects of liability questions involving injury accidents related to horses.
Q: What is your hourly rate to consult with an attorney?
A: The initial consultation is free. Subsequent consulting is $300.00 per hour for services scheduled in advance. I do not usually bill for telephone conversations other than conferences.
Q: What is your hourly rate to review documents?
A: $300.00 per hour.
Q: What is your hourly rate to provide deposition testimony?
A: $300.00 per hour plus actual travel time, preparation time and expenses.
Q: What is your hourly rate to provide testimony at trial?
A: $300.00 per hour plus actual travel time, preparation time and expenses.
Q: Please list any fees other than those stated above (E.g.: travel expenses, copy fees, etc.)
A: I bill for all travel time (actual time en route and return) and expenses including all meals, parking, taxi and related expenses. I do not bill for time out of town unless I am actually working. I do not bill for routine office expenses that I can do in my office.
