When disaster strikes...

4:44pm Thursday 27th November 2008

Fire brigades across the country are called to rescue horses on a regular basis from all sorts of predicaments, writes development officer for the West Midlands region of The British Horse Society, Andrea Jackman.

At the BHS Herefordshire annual meeting this month, Hampshire Animal Rescue team member Anton Phillips spoke about the numerous rescues that he has attended.

He explained that if anyone finds themself in an accident while travelling and needs to contact the fire brigade and vet, the emergency services will automatically contact a local vet if you are out of your area.

When the rescue team arrives don’t expect it to swing into action immediately. It needs to assess the situation, decide the best way to perform the rescue and wait for the vet to arrive to sedate the horse if necessary.

Anton also discussed fire policy in the yard and asked how many of us knew how to operate a fire extinguisher.

Where would your horses go if they were released from their stables in the event of a fire? According to Anton, straight back into them, even if the stables are on fire, because that is their home and where they feel safe. So if you are ever unlucky enough to have a stable fire you need to ensure that you lead the horses to safety, not just open the stable doors.

Inviting the fire service to visit your yard and become familiar with the surroundings and horses could prove invaluable if you ever need to call them in an emergency.

Remember that a grid reference on the wall near the telephone will help to guide firefighters to you more quickly than a postcode.

If you need help writing a fire risk assessment policy, the BHS can help you – just call 01926 707700.