It starts with a bang! Picture if you will, a day spent at a horse show – beautiful weather; talking with friends – and on your way home you come across an overturned horse trailer. What would you do?

Most of us wouldn’t have a clue. Rely on the first responders? Hope for the best? Most of us would stand around, waiting to offer any help we could and praying for a good outcome.

When the first responders DO arrive, will they know how to deal with such a dangerous situation? Probably not. Firefighters, peace officers, and EMTs are all trained to help people, not animals. As the author states, “It’s scary to think that the very people who are trained to care for you in an accident may not have the training to help your horse.” Most first responders are not familiar with horses and so can inadvertently injure themselves, bystanders and the horses when trying to help. Not only is “LAR” (large animal rescue or Technical large animal rescue) a rescue that’s not covered in their training; it’s downright dangerous in ways they don’t understand!

Into the breach comes Michelle Staples’ new book, Save Your Horse! A Horse Owner’s Guide to Large Animal Rescue, the first book to address the subject of technical large animal rescue in a way that makes sense to horse owners. It is also the first that is specifically designed to help first responders who have not been trained in this field. In other words, if a horse is trapped in an overturned trailer, falls down a well or off a cliff, Save Your Horse! A Horseowner's Guide to Large Animal Rescue outlines a clear, detailed and safe approach for the rescue agencies to help.

Save Your Horse! A Horse Owner's Guide to Large Animal Rescue contains information that can be used by any first responder on scene and is spiral bound so the book can be laid out on the ground or the hood of a vehicle. It outlines step by step procedures for vertical and diagonal lifts, righting a trailer, and trailer extrications that can be useful in ALL large animal situations and many non-animal related incidences as well.

First responders will appreciate the clear step by step approach and the division by type of rescue which will speed their response to horse related emergencies. The Appendix contains information on trailer construction that can speed recovery of trapped animals in the event of a trailer wreck, and resources for training and equipment. They will also find useful information on horse behavior that can increase their safety around large animals.

So, why should horse owners buy this book?

Michelle says, “I feel horse owners will be the driving force behind the spread of this type of training, expecting expertise from their local first responders. Through this book and networking with each other, horse owners will spread the message that there is technical help available to them in emergencies. I’m hoping that the awareness of that help will increase the comfort level of owners, both at home and on the trail, or while traveling with their horses. There is plenty of information aimed directly at horse owners such as the chapter on trailer safety that will help owners protect their horses and prevent accidents, and horse owners are encouraged to take the training, as well.”

The last line in the Introduction says it all. “Wouldn’t you feel safer trailering your horse if you knew that all first responders had been trained in Large Animal Rescue and that a copy of this book was part of the equipment carried by all horse haulers?”

Wouldn’t you, indeed.

Author: Michelle Staples
Published by Red Jeans Ink
PO Box 106,
Point Arena, CA 95468
http://www.redjeansink.com
Contact author at: info@redjeansink.com
707-882-3912
ISBN: #0-9785685-0-8
Copyright: 2006
Format: Spiral bound, 8.5x11 inches
176 pages
$24.95 U.S.
International orders welcomed!

Order your copy now! Order Page