The British Equine Veterinary Association has teamed up with the Hampshire Fire service to train vets from all over the UK on safe horse rescue.
Every year horses are involved in accidents from falling into ditches, being trapped inside turned over horse boxes to being stuck in bogs. Generally it falls to the fire service to rescue these animals. Up to now there has been little formal training in how to extract a horse safely from these situations despite the fact that such work is potentially extremely dangerous.
Vets from Pool House Equine Clinic have attended the safer horse rescue course.
Vets practising rescuing a horse that has become stuck in a bog.
There are a few simple techniques that greatly aid horse rescue (definitely not to be tried at home!) which vets on the rescue course practice on a life sized anatomically correct horse manikin.
Vets practising a 'sideways drag' out of a ditch.
A trapped horse can be extremely dangerous as it is natural for it to struggle and kick out to try and free itself. SERIOUS injuries can occur to the unwary. Every year many horse owners are injured during horse rescues - so always approach a trapped horse from the spinal side and stay well out of any potential range of the feet!
What to do if your horse becomes trapped in a ditch or over turned vehicle?
- Call the emergency services - most fire brigades now have a trained animal rescue team.
- Call your vet - frequently sedation or even a general anaesthetic will be needed. The fire service will not start a rescue unless veterinary advice as at hand.
- DO NOT PUT YOURSELF OR OTHERS IN DANGER - there is a high risk of injury when dealing with a trapped horse.
- Prevent further injury if possible. If your horse box has turned over on a public road DO NOT release your horse until you have identified a safe area to which it can be moved. Many serious accidents are caused by loose horses getting onto the road.
- Do not SHOUT or make loud noises and try to keep everyone around you QUIET - noise stimulates a trapped animal causing it to struggle more and potentially injure itself.
- A trapped animal is rarely in immediate danger as long as it is kept calm - so do not panic or try to release it until help arrives.
- It is essential to carefully plan a rescue attempt which may take time. DO NOT rush into trying to free a trapped horse WAIT for assistance and then give them 'breathing room' to work out a safe approach, for example where a trailer has turned over with more than one horse inside it may be better to slowly right the vehicle and then release the trapped animal.
- If possible make sure the horse has a head collar on with a lead rope but DO NOT place yourself in danger trying to put one on.
- When professional assistance arrives be prepared to let them to their job and DO NOT interfere or try to involve yourself with the rescue unless specifically asked by the incident commander.
- Appreciate that where an animal has sustained a serious injury OR when it is debilitated through old age euthanasia may be a more humane option than attempts at rescue.
If you are travelling outside your normal area and don't know the identity of a local equine vet the local fire service will have a list of BEVA vets who have attended rescue courses and have indicated that they are willing to be called to emergency cases.
To find out more about the BEVA / BHS safer horse rescue protocol visit:-
www.beva.org.uk/health-projects/emergency-services-protocol
Equine Services
