This document summarizes a workshop on incident and emergency management for horse events. The workshop aimed to introduce the role of the Horse Welfare Officer, discuss how to safely manage downed horses while considering volunteer safety and horse welfare, and provide ideas for clubs to improve their response plans. Attendees practiced techniques for stabilizing horses and moving them safely. The workshop stressed the importance of having a response plan, designated roles, and basic equipment to handle incidents compassionately.

1. Introduction to Event
Incident
Management
for horse event organisers, volunteers & riders
&
Introducing the role of the Horse Welfare Officer
Horse SA 4 February 2014
Held at the University of Adelaide, Roseworthy Campus http://www.horsesa.asn.au/home/welfare/
horse-welfare-officers/

2. Thank you to the
University of Adelaide
Roseworthy Campus
for sponsoring the
workshop.
You can find out more
about their new
Equine Health &
Performance Centre here:
http://www.adelaide.edu.au/vetsci/ce
ntres/ehpc/
Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/equinehea
lthcentre?fref=ts
Resources used for this workshop include:
The Australian Horse Welfare & Well-being
Toolkit produced by the Australian Horse
Industry Council.
Equine Emergency Rescue by MaryAnne
Leighton, available through the Horse SA
online store.
and Riley the Rescue horse

3. Workshop Aims
• Why the need for this type of
workshop?
• Introduce the role of the horse
welfare officer
• Introduce a way of managing horse
event incidents more safely& with
compassion
• Practice techniques to manoeuvre a
recumbent horse that considers
volunteer WHS and horse welfare
• Ideas to introduce ideas to your
club/event
• What next for your club or event?
Photos: Friends of Hampshire Fire & Rescue

4. Why the need for this type of workshop?
Grow the good “name” of your horse
activity
Continuous improvement in:
 Horse welfare
 Volunteer management (workplace
safety)
 Rider/driver/handler safety
Image: Australian Horse Industry Council

5. 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 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 equipment
Image: Australian Horse Industry
Council

6. When it all goes pear-shaped……….
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
CONDUCT the response
DEBRIEF afterwards + records
Achieving an organised response with a few volunteers. Appointing roles as part of a plan. Know your limits.

7. PRACTICAL Session 1
1. Positioning people around distressed
recumbent horses
2. Practice Hot Zone, Warm Zone, Cold Zone &
tool dump
3. Discuss human behaviour when horses are
distressed (rider/owner/spectator)
4. Discuss horse behaviour when stressed
5. Place an emergency halter on Riley
6. Place a head collar on: off-side access only
7. Encouraging a horse that is recumbent, to
stay that way
DISCUSSION: Heat policies used by organisations

8. PRACTICAL Session 2
Review 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)
Review better equipment
For a small club:
• Human PPE (incl. biosecurity kit)
• 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 , ropes,
carabineers
• Strop guide
• 2 pole hooks
• Security/barriers to manage spectators
• Horse ambulance
• Cleaning kit (biosecurity/human
health)
Strop Guide
Rescue Glide

9. PRACTICAL Session 3
“The Zones” & Allocation of Job Roles
1. Set up the zones around Riley the Rescue Horse
2. Allocate & discuss roles
3. Volunteer workplace safety considerations in relation to moving a
horse (heavy lift/drag/confined spaces)
4. Practice covering Riley with a tarpaulin
5. Practice screening Riley
6. Know the capabilities and constraints around your
club/event/volunteers abilities to manage an incident

10. The Role of a Veterinarian
Small horse events/activities are not likely to have an attending
veterinarian.
Often, all that 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
What access to a veterinarian does your event have? A vet should also
attend a case of a deceased horse at an event.
Sedation will be required, or euthanasia, before a horse can be safety
manoeuvred out of the situation and from the venue.
Fortunately, an increasing number of equine veterinarians are now
familiar with Large Animal Rescue techniques. In addition large animal
capabilities of emergency services in SA are improving.
Discussion: Club policies for the management of horses who need to be
euthanased at an event venue.

11. • 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
Handling Deceased Horses with Dignity
Photo: Friends of Hampshire Fire & Rescue

12. • 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
• Not leaving a deceased horse uncovered or unattended
Handling Deceased Horses with Dignity
Photo: Friends of Hampshire Fire & Rescue

13. Handling a Horse during Euthanasia
Video (WARNING: a horse is put to sleep)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iqyF4E019uI
Tips (Page 27 Australian Horse Welfare & Well-being Toolkit):
• A competent horse handler, who is in a position to follow
instructions, is required to assist the veterinarian
• Equipment includes a strong head collar and long leads/lunge
reins.
• Prepare the area for the horse to lay after euthanasia. The horse
may be able to be guided onto a glide or tarpaulin as it becomes
recumbent.
• Wear PPE
• Wait until the horse has been confirmed as deceased by the
veterinarian before moving extra people back into the hot zone

14. PRACTICAL Session 4
Large Animal Rescue Techniques
Roll Over
1. View the video/demonstration
2. Make the scene safe. Set up the zones.
Allocate job roles
3. Practice a roll-over onto a glide
Sideways Skid
- As above

15. PRACTICAL Session 5
Remove a Deceased Horse away
from your event
A. Discuss ways to move a recumbent horse into a
float
B. Using what you have learnt so far, set up a team
who will remove a deceased horse from the main
arena of competition, onto a float.

16. Care for & Manage People
This workshop has a focus on the horse, however, 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 requirements and be a part of the club or events practices
in relation to child protection, 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

17. Separate reports are required 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
Photo: Friends of Hampshire Fire & Rescue
Incident Reporting (People &Horses)

18. Ideas for Promoting Horse Welfare
at Events/Activities
• 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 status 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

19. Understand capabilities of
emergency services
& your event/activity volunteer limitations
Photo: Friends of Hampshire Fire & Rescue
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

20. Where to from here for your activity?
• 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 (in SA this can be arranged through Horse SA or
the University of Adelaide, interstate references can be supplied)
• Advise Horse SA of who your HWO is, as we can potentially provide
further training, hold discussion groups etc. as the network grows

21. Thank you
Horse SA
PO Box 20
Wayville South Australia 5034
www.horsesa.asn.au
E:horsesa@horsesa.asn.au
Mob: 0402488306 Photos from the Large
Animal Rescue Level 2
course June 2013 Horse SA
Remember to check the Horse SA
website for upcoming events!