Its one of the worst calls any emergency responder will receive --- a cow stuck in a well, a horse and rider down a cliff, a trailer overturned on the freeway --- any call involving a large animal. Not only is it a rescue that’s not covered in your training, it’s downright dangerous!

Most emergency responders in North America live and work in urban areas and have little contact with large animals such as horses, but thousands of these critters pass through their jurisdictions every year, traveling to racetracks and shows. You probably don’t even notice them driving by.

Even if you work in the downtown area of a large city, sooner or later you could get that dreaded call. A trailer filled with race horses rolls over after being sideswiped by a vehicle. Horses are injured; some are trapped; one is running down the freeway. If you are first to arrive on the scene and assume command, would you know what to do? Most rescue personnel don’t. How do you approach what could be a lethal situation for you, your crew and the animals involved? You’re trained to care for people, not animals.

But there is help.

Michelle Staples, an instructor, EMT, horse owner, and wife of a veteran firefighter, has written a book entitled, Save Your Horse! A Horse Owner’s Guide to Large Animal Rescue. The book was written for, and is being marketed to, horse owners who will carry the book in their trailers and make it available to responders at the scene of a large animal incident. In this book you will find on-scene aid for emergency responders who have not been trained in Large Animal Rescue (LAR or Technical LAR). The book has been critiqued by experts in the field of LAR and by emergency responders who are not familiar with LAR training.

The format of the book is simple and efficient. Incidents are sectioned into type: an overturned trailer; a vertical lift; and a diagonal lift. Each section is fully contained. For instance, if you are removing a horse from a trailer you need only go to that section to find the steps required and the equipment needed. If your rescue changes from a diagonal to a vertical lift, you will be instructed to move out of the diagonal section and into the vertical lift section. And the techniques described fit easily into the Incident Command System. Save Your Horse! A Horse Owner’s Guide to Large Animal Rescue is spiral-bound so it can be laid flat on the hood of a vehicle or on the ground.

Rescuer safety has been Staples’ number one concern from the start. She says, “As a horse owner I know the strength and unpredictability of my animals. I’ve kept this in mind in writing this book, providing information about the nature of horses as well as the mechanics of the rescue itself. Knowledge about the psychology and physiology of horses will increase rescuer safety. That is why I have included an extensive section on interacting with horses, including everything from how to read body language and how to deal with first aid problems, to the mechanics of everyday interactions – how to lead a horse, tie him up, get him up when he’s lying down.”

Staples goes on to add, “You may have had little previous contact with large animals. You may not be accustomed to working with them and it is understandable that you may be uncomfortable about responding to an incident involving them. That is your safety mechanism at work. Not only is this a type of rescue that is not covered in your training, it is downright dangerous in ways you don’t understand.” Indeed!

Included in the Appendix of Save Your Horse! A Horse Owner’s Guide to Large Animal Rescue is a list of instructors who teach this specialized training. The writer is quick to stress that specialized training is available in several areas of the country, and some instructors will bring their classes to you. For many of you, continuing education is a job requirement. These classes are an excellent way to learn valuable information while satisfying that requirement. Course material typically covers scene protocol; safety; when to call in a large animal veterinarian; the proper and safe methods to lift and haul large animals; specialized equipment; animal psychology and anatomy; and, how to use what you have on hand to get the job done.

Aside from training information, the book’s Appendix lists manufacturers of specialized equipment and, more importantly, how to construct your own equipment if necessary. There is a section on identifying types of trailers and their specifications, and using every day tools such as generators and hydraulic powered rescue equipment. There is also a section on non-horse large animals -- cattle, sheep, pigs, ostriches -- and how to handle a livestock incident, including poultry. The information is written by Jennifer Woods, who teaches a Livestock Emergency Response Training program in Alberta, Canada.

For more information on Save Your Horse! A Horse Owner’s Guide to Large Animal Rescue, contact the publisher.

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!

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