Horse SA_South Australian Country Shows Conference 2014 presentation

The Australian Horse Welfare
& Well-being Toolkit
Introducing the role of Horse Welfare Officer
Julie Fiedler, Horse SA

Grow the reputation of your horse activity
Continuous improvement in:
 Horse welfare
 Volunteer management (workplace
safety)
 Rider/driver/handler safety
 Keeping your ‘social licence’ to operate
Image: Australian Horse Industry Council
Horse SA www.horsesa.asn.au SA Country Shows Conference 2014. This information is general
in nature only. Seek professional advice for your own situation.

It just doesn’t happen to us
• Horse collapses from heat exhaustion (competition, travel)
• Horse dies from heart attack or other medical condition
• Horse goes “down” undertaking or in relation to; the
competition activity, which may also involve a rider
• Horse gets into trouble in the float/wash bay/ non-
competition areas
• Horse escapes the grounds and gets into life-threating
trouble (e.g. car vs. horse)
• Horse is euthanased on the event site for any number of
reasons e.g. colic
So we don’t need a plan, training or equipmentHorse SA www.horsesa.asn.au SA Country Shows Conference 2014. This information is general

What types of incidents would your horse activity potentially need to manage?
Using a tarpaulin to assist in cooling a horse which collapsed in a float on
a hot day. NSW Jan 2013. Screen dump from 10 min 45 sec mark of
Dr Rebecca Gimenez presentation
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VagmZHzSrHk
Horse SA www.horsesa.asn.au SA Country Shows Conference 2014. This information is general in nature only.
Seek professional advice for your own situation.
Loose horseFloat overturn
Photo: Dr Rebecca Gimenez - The Horse 911
Horse & rider
accident

Introducing
the role of
the
Horse
Welfare
Officer
Horse SA www.horsesa.asn.au SA Country Shows Conference
2014. This information is general in nature only. Seek
professional advice for your own situation.

Horse Welfare Officers
• Appointed by the show committee
• Works with committee to prepare event
• Has a holistic overview of animals at the event
• Works with competitors to provide an education
component e.g. notice boards, web links,
program, PA messages
• Ideally free from other direct event duties (not
tied down to the competition schedule)
• Evaluates event, shares ideas for continuous
improvement
• Networks with other welfare officers
• Need ongoing training and support using toolkit
as a starting point
Horse SA www.horsesa.asn.au SA Country Shows Conference 2014. This information is general in
nature only. Seek professional advice for your own situation.
http://www.horsewelfareofficer.org/

Horse Welfare
• Competition environment e.g. heat,
competition surface, equipment
• Health e.g. biosecurity, grounds entry rules
• Incident response (human/equine patient)
• Training & handling
• Transport
• Infrastructure (shade, wash down)
• Deceased horses
+ people
• What else?
Horse SA www.horsesa.asn.au SA Country Shows Conference 2014. This information is general
Above and below photo: Friends of Hampshire Fire & Rescue
An officer will consider

Biosecurity
Toolkit covers…..
http://www.horsesa.asn.au/home/emergency/biosecurity/

Policies & procedures
Examples: Hot weather policy and/or Extreme weather policy
1. Regularly updated
2. Promoted to competitors
3. Available online
4. Can be linked to sponsorship arrangements
(excerpt) Racing Victoria routinely measures the WBGT on racecourses on hot days and
applies the following scientifically validated scale for assessing the safety of racing.
i. WBGT below 28 Low risk conditions.
No special precautions are required.
ii. WBGT of 28 to 33 Moderate risk conditions.
Hot weather racing procedures as documented in Section 6 of this document must be
implemented.
iii. WBGT greater than 33 High risk conditions.
Races should be delayed and, if there is little prospect of a cool change in the near future,
the race meeting should be abandoned
http://www.racingvictoria.net.au/asset/cms/Policies%20PDF/Guidelines%20for%20the%20Management%20of%20Racing%20in%20Hot%20March%2013.pdf
Horse SA www.horsesa.asn.au SA Country Shows Conference 2014. This
information is general in nature only. Seek professional advice for your
own situation.

Introduction to incident management
Make the scene safe for volunteers to
work in. At your activity - who “steps
up” to start to control the incident?
Managing the incident involves undertaking a risk assessment
which may include
- stop or divert the event/traffic/other horses
- care for & manage people (humans come first!)
- considerations for horse welfare
- restrain a loose/uncontrolled horse (s)
- manage spectators
- remove or manage hazards
PLAN the response (+ role of the vet)
CONDUCT the response
DEBRIEF afterwards + records
Horse SA www.horsesa.asn.au SA Country Shows Conference 2014. This information is general in nature
only. Seek professional advice for your own situation.

Avoid….
• No written plan, policies or
procedures
• No plan for incident response
• Untrained people
• Lack of, or poor equipment
• Infrastructure unable to cope
• No/limited veterinary support
Horse SA www.horsesa.asn.au SA Country Shows Conference 2014. This information is
general in nature only. Seek professional advice for your own situation.
Horse SA Horse welfare officer workshop June 2014 for Pony Club SA

Safety when helping animals
people need to stay safe too.
e.g.
• Lack of understanding of horse behaviour when it is
stressed, trapped or sedated. “HAZMAT”
• Confined spaces e.g. float/truck…stable!
• Heights
• Unstable surfaces e.g. mud
• Heavy lifts – all large animals
• Animals without chemical/other control
• Biosecurity
• Other risks, e.g. collapse of structure, spectators
Horse SA Horse welfare officer workshop Feb 2014

basic equipment
For a small club:
• Human PPE
• 2 x Tarpaulins - for covering a horse
& (strong) one for underneath
• 4 or more tarpaulins for screening
• 2 x 4WD straps with sewn loops
• Spare strong rope
• Towels
• Walking cane
• 1 lunge rein & 1 lunge whip
• Horse float
• Cleaning kit (biosecurity/human
health)
towards ideal
For a small club:
• Human PPE
• Tarpaulins or other customised cover
for a deceased horse
• Rescue glide (could be venue based)
• At least one set of screens (could be
venue based)
• Set large animal rescue straps
• Strop guide
• 2 pole hooks
• Security/barriers to manage
spectators
• Horse ambulance
• Cleaning kit (biosecurity/human
health)
Strop Guide
Rescue Glide
Horse SA www.horsesa.asn.au SA Country Shows Conference 2014. This information is general in nature only. Seek
Kit for events

• Using empathetic verbal and non-verbal communication
• Awareness that others may be distressed
• Communication must be clear & concise to complete the management
of the response in a timely manner
• Handling the deceased horse’s limbs, head and body carefully. All parts
of the horse to travel together
• Keep the deceased horse covered with a tarpaulin, even behind the
screen
• Placing personal belongings associated with the horse into a separate
vehicle
• Clearing & tidying the accident scene prior to taking down the screens
• Driving the horse ambulance at a sedate and considered speed, using
the same driving skills as for live horses
• Maintain confidentiality at all times
Handling Deceased Horses with Dignity
Photo: Friends of Hampshire Fire & Rescue

Care for & Manage People
There needs to be people allocated to care for and manage other
people at the scene
• Provide medical help for injured riders, officials, spectators
• Manage uninjured emotional riders, strappers, family
• Spectator control
Most clubs will by now have appointed “Member Protection
Officers” (Human Welfare Officers) or an equivalent whose role it is
to manage members/competitors requirements and be a part of
the assisting in relation to child protection policies, grievance
procedures etc.
Remember that the new national WHS laws cover volunteer roles
and also now includes physical & psychological.
Photos: Friends of Hampshire Fire & Rescue

Separate reports for people and horses. Write the
report asap after the incident, and within 24 hrs.
Some events will have a template form to complete.
1. Basic facts. The time, date and exact location of
the incident Your name and role. Names of
others who were present. Use a template form if
available.
2. What happened? Keep facts to what actually did
happen, not what you think might have
happened. Who. What. When. How. Why.
3. Photographs: to record weather, surface
conditions, hazards etc. may be added
4. Submit the report to the event organiser
Incident reporting (people & horses)

Ideas for Promoting Horse Welfare
at your event
• Appointment of a veterinarian (or on call for smaller
events)
• Appointment of a horse welfare officer
• Horse ambulances, trained volunteers & equipment is
available at each event
• a health declaration as part of event entry incl. vaccination
status
• Regular review of rules, policies & procedures
• Education opportunities for members/participants
• Regularly review venue improvements (e.g. more shade)
• Liaise with your local emergency service group (CFS, SES)
of any gatherings of horses & people. (provide a calendar
of events to the station)
Photo: Australian Horse Industry Council Horse SA www.horsesa.asn.au SA Country Shows Conference 2014. This information is general in nature only. Seek professional
advice for your own situation.

Understand capabilities of
emergency services
& your event/volunteer limitations
http://www.komonews.com/news/25666879.html http://rspcacymru.files.wordpress.com/2010/11/horse-11.jpg
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-18794841
http://www.theguardian.com/world/gallery/2012/feb/28/horse-
freed-mud-in-pictures
www.horsesa.asn.au

What can our event do?
• Share this presentation and the resources used with your colleagues
• Place horse welfare onto your meeting agenda
• Appoint a Horse Welfare Officer (HWO)
• Start to write a plan how incidents will be managed
• Arrange for volunteer/committee training in this topic area to suit
your specific focus
• Visit Horse Welfare Officer Network & join Horse SA e-news
http://www.horsewelfareofficer.org/ www.horsesa.asn.au

Thank you
Horse SA
www.horsesa.asn.au
E:horsesa@horsesa.asn.au
Mob: 0402488306
Photos from Animal Rescue Level 2 course June 2013 Horse SA
Remember to check the Horse SA
website for upcoming events!

Horse SA_South Australian Country Shows Conference 2014 presentation

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