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Protect Your Horse from Hazards on the FarmJune 2014
Story by: Barbara Sheridan
By spending time to minimize the various hazards found on your property through identification and removal, you’ll take one step closer to making your barn and property safer for your horse and eliminate any potential accidents that may occur. “There is no such thing as an accident, they are only incidents,” says Dr. Rebecca Gimenez, Primary Instructor and President of Technical Large Animal Emergency Rescue Inc. (TLAER), based in Georgia. “No matter how unfortunate the situation, looking back, something somewhere probably could have prevented it from happening in the first place.” Gimenez provides training in technical animal rescue techniques, procedures, and methodologies across the U.S. and internationally. In addition to publishing numerous critiques, articles, and journal submissions on horse safety, technical large animal rescue and horse handling issues, she published her first book, Technical Large Animal Emergency Rescue, in 2008. She recommends that horse and facility owners become educated in both prevention and safety in order to identify any possible hazards and take the appropriate action beforehand to help offset an emergency visit from your veterinarian or even worse, having to resort to calling 911. “The issue is usually having enough knowledge to understand where these hazardous problems lie and to act on them,” says Gimenez. Farm properties can commonly become a catch-all for clutter and various safety hazards. Make it a habit to walk the property and be on the lookout for anything that could pose a problem should a horse connect with it. Keep an eye out for any sharp edges or protruding items such as nails, screws, torn metal, etc. Farm and maintenance equipment such as mowers, bailers, and harrows, should all be stored away in its proper place. Take the necessary steps to dispose of any clutter or debris that has been collecting along fence lines, laneways, or around the barn.
For a complete list of identifying hazards on the farm. Hidden Hazards Dusts, fumes, and vapours are hidden hazards that can have long-term effects on respiratory health for both horses and the humans who work around them. Poor ventilation can contribute to allergies and respiratory ailments including recurrent airway obstruction (RAO), better known as heaves. “We’ve all been in barns during the winter, where all the doors and windows are closed up tight because of the cold,” notes Gimenez. “And this comes down to human comfort. We’re cold, so we think the horses are cold and close everything up. Without proper ventilation, the horses breathe in all that dust and ammonia. This is an unseen hazard that a lot of people don’t think about.” A properly ventilated barn encourages correct airflow movement that expels stale air and pushes chemicals odors such ammonia out of the barn and allows fresh air to enter. “I’ve seen people spend $100,000 on a new barn and put in cheap $10 box fans, which are also a huge fire hazard,” continues Gimenez. “Why didn’t they spend a bit extra and install overhead fans? Or bring in a ventilation expert to look at their place and evaluate a proper ventilation system that can release the fumes and help improve the air quality in that barn?” High Risk Factors
Another danger that Gimenez warns of is housing horses in fields with ponds during the winter. If you are not able to relocate them to another area of the property, ensure that ponds are fenced off with some form of temporary fencing before they freeze over. There have been numerous incidents where a horse will walk out across a snow-covered pond and fall through the ice into freezing water. Sometimes it doesn’t end well. “Last December, the Emergency Equine Response Unit in the Kansas City area had the horrifically tragic and difficult job of retrieving the bodies of three young horses out of a pond after they fell through the ice and drowned,” she says. “I can’t stress it enough, people have to fence off their ponds and keep them out of mud, ice and water.” Don’t Fall Victim to “It Won’t Happen to me” Syndrome Accidents involving horses can happen anywhere, anytime, and it’s an unfortunate fact that many could have been prevented. By taking the time to identify and correct any hazards that may be found on your property, you’ll be in a better position to prevent any possible injuries that can arise. This saves aggravation on not only your horses, but also your pocketbook. “I can’t stress it enough, take the time to educate yourself on accident prevention and maintain your facilities so as to minimize injury to your horses,” says Gimenez. “They will thank you for it.” Interested in learning more? Equine Guelph will be hosting an Emergency Preparedness Workshop for Horse Owners in Guelph on Sept 18, 2014 followed by a Technical Large Animal Emergency Rescue Awareness and Operations Level Course on Sept 19, 20, 21. Sign up for our free e-newsletter which will deliver monthly welfare tips throughout 2014 and announce tools to aid all horse owners in carrying out their ‘Full-Circle-Responsibility’ to our beloved horses. In partnership with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food, Equine Guelph is developing a 'Full-Circle-Responsibility' equine welfare educational initiative which stands to benefit the welfare of horses in both the racing and non-racing sectors. Visit Equine Guelph’s Welfare Education page for more information. |