Large Animal Rescue: An introduction for horse owners on working with emergency responders

A N I N T R O D U C T I O N F O R H O R S E O W N E R S O N H O W T O W O R K W I T H E M E R G E N C Y R E S P O N D E R S

Large Animal Rescue

Horse SA www.horsesa.asn.au June 2015

Large Animal Emergency Rescue is the response phase of

• a natural or manmade disaster

• or accident;

where specialized training and equipment are required to rescue a large animal such as a horse or cow.

Emergency services will not be required at many incidents however from time to time, such as a road crash involving a float, horse owners will need to work with volunteer agencies to save the horse.

Horse SA www.horsesa.asn.au Information is a guide only. Seek independent advice for your own situation

Why Large Animal Rescue?


Workplace safety (Staff & volunteers)

Animal welfare

Need for training rises as population becomes urbanised/ less historical animal knowledge

Increased value of individual animals

Increased understanding of the human-animal attachment and how this affects decision making e.g. evacuation messaging in disasters

In an Emergency- for horse owners

1. Dial 000 Never try to rescue a horse yourself that is in a situation that will also put you into danger. This call

is free & so is the response. 2. Call your Vet: - or work with the emergency responders to find one.

The horse owner pays for the vet. A horse cannot be manoeuvred or extracted unless heavily sedated. If the owner is unknown, RSPCA/PIRSA/SAVEM will be called.

3. Stay calm: Horses respond to human anxiety. Unless you are completely calm, you might inadvertently stress your

horse even more. Keep your phone line clear

4. Calm your horse: Keep the accident scene as quiet as possible. Food is a good natural tranquilliser. An equine “friend” horse

nearby will help. Remember, flashing lights and sirens will give you a sense of relief but may have the opposite effect on the horse. If possible (and safe) place a halter on the horse

5. Let the emergency services do their job: There are procedures to follow to ensure human safety as well as the horse.

Be ready to follow instructions. Horse SA www.horsesa.asn.au Information is a guide only. Seek independent advice for your own situation

Care for & Manage People

People come first

• First Aid principles

• Get medical help for injured vehicle drivers, riders, officials, spectators

• Manage uninjured emotional riders, strappers, family

• Spectator control

Photos: Friends of Hampshire Fire & RescueHorse SA www.horsesa.asn.au Information is a guide only. Seek independent advice for your own situation

Emergency Responders Arrive ….

Emergency Services will:

• Assess the scene (human injuries/ hazards/biosecurity/horse)

• Make the scene safe

• Call a Veterinarian (if not done so already)

• Plan the rescue (including calculation of risk for human and horse) Selection of the lowest technology method that minimises risk to the horse and handlers. Horse owner advice sought.

• Brief the crew

• Commence the rescue Standard Operating Procedures will be observed. Not all rescues can be successfully completed and euthanasia may be required

• Hand the horse back to the owner (or an authority e.g. RSPCA)

• Complete scene requirements (documentation/tidy up/safety)


Horse Owners – Avoid being the risk

Horse owners have been known to have a strong attachment to their horse and may sometimes:

Show high levels of emotion, perhaps irrational and sometimes aggressive

Put themselves at great risk

May try to direct emergency responders to perform practices that are dangerous

Feelings of guilt fear and anger

The behaviour of a horse owner may compromise a rescue and put emergency responders at risk.

Similarly any person at a rescue scene, untrained in procedures and unfamiliar with the Incident Command

System should be considered a hazard due to the known possible reactions of both human and animal at

the rescue site.


Follow instructions from emergency services about working in zones


Work in “safer spaces” around the horse

Avoid legs kick & strike

Avoid head butt

Photo: Mary Anne Leighton

Avoid tail Swish

Work in a calm and consistent way around the horse with voice and body language.

Avoid ‘winding-up’ or stimulating the horse in any way.


Be aware of the changing flight zone

Horse Behaviour


Horses are prey animals (flight or fight)

Horses are herd animals (social)

Horses don’t think- they react

Horses have a big personal space, which changes according to how safe they feel

Horses keep quiet once trapped until they sense freedom – then they can struggle to the ‘point of self-destruction’ Personal space around the horse

constantly changes with the overall feeling of his personal safety. It can change in a split second.


Horse Behaviour

Before, during and after a rescue horses need

• To feel ‘safe’

• Have food & water available (to be offered on veterinary advice)

• Have social interaction (another horse nearby)

• Leadership > confident handlers, quiet & calm

Understand how a horse can see. Avoid red areas known as ‘blind spots’. Do not approach the horse unless absolutely necessary to avoid any bad reactions.

The Role of a Veterinarian

Often at an accident scene, all that owners and emergency service volunteers can do is stabilise the situation and wait until a veterinarian arrives, keeping the horse calm & preparing a safe area for the horse to “go to” afterwards.

Sedation will be required, or euthanasia, before a horse can be safety manoeuvred out of the situation.

Fortunately, an increasing number of equine veterinarians are now familiar with Large Animal Rescue techniques, along with emergency services


What role does the owner play?

• Keeps a “helicopter” eye over the whole scene

• Discusses with the safety officer aspects that will assist a safer rescue e.g. containment options if not haltered

• Identify a safe place to move the horse to after the rescue (e.g. onto a flat spot nearby)

• Observes & records horse status for vet

• Arranges for halter, rugs, feed, companion horse, first aid etc. Provides authority for hire of specialist lifting or digging equipment if needed (low tech options first)

• Plans for post-rescue. May include horse transport or nearby accommodation, fodder, veterinary examination (highly recommended), transfer to veterinary hospital. Documentation for insurance requirements.

Are all essential

numbers in your

phone?

Stay calm and be an effective

team member


Three common techniques

DO NOT use the horse's legs, tailbone or head as handles or fixture

points for ropes.

DO NOT use the horse’s head, legs or tail as handle

bars or to fix leverage points for lifts or drags. Protect the

downside eye.


1: Hampshire Skid


For use where dorsal access is available, to place onto a glide or where injuries may require use of this technique

2. Backwards assist

For use where access is via the rear/rump or injuries may require use of this technique

3. Forward Assist


For use where access is via the front or injuries may require use of this technique

Technique to move a horse while under heavy sedation using a rescue glide

Loading onto a bow loading boat Ready to attach the spreader bar and move the glide in any direction

Horses can be prepared for transport to an equine hospital or field treatment area

Photos: MaryAnne Leighton


Technique to move a deceased horse

* Mannequin horses and glides are available from Equine Emergency Rescue http://www.equineer.com/

http://www.equineer.com/


Caring for a horse after a RescueA health check by a veterinarian

is strongly recommended

• Horses can die of shock

• Accidental hypothermia can set in

• There may be puncture wounds or other less obvious injuries

• Breathing may have been compromised

• Dehydration may have occurred

• Vaccination boosters may be required

Regularly observe the horse, including taking of temperature for a number of days after the incident

Photos: University of Adelaide Equine Health & Performance Centre

Find out more

Equine Emergency Rescue By MaryAnne LeightonPurchase via Horse SA online store http://shop.horsesa.asn.au/books

Or visit http://www.equineer.com/

Visit the Horse SA website and click onto “Large Animal Rescue” for recorded presentations from the 2013 International Large Animal Rescue Conference + other info and links

Join your local State Emergency Service

Attend a workshop by Horse SA

Email Horse SA asking to join the weekly e-news for horse industry updates which includes LAR

Search Facebook for

a) Technical Large Animal Emergency Rescue

b) British Animal Rescue and Trauma Care Association

Horse SA www.horsesa.asn.auE: [email protected]

Gimenez, R. & Giminez, T & May, K. (2008). Technical Large Animal Emergency Rescue. Wiley- Blackwell: Iowa USA

Hampshire Fire & Rescue: http://www.hantsfire.gov.uk/about-us/what-we-do/animal-rescue/

http://shop.horsesa.asn.au/books

http://shop.horsesa.asn.au/books




http://www.horsesa.asn.au/emergency/large-animal-rescue/

http://www.horsesa.asn.au/

mailto:[email protected]

Large Animal Rescue: An introduction for horse owners on working with emergency responders

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