Emergencies involving horses and other large animals can happen anytime, anywhere. Whether it’s an overturned trailer on the highway, a horse stuck in the mud, or animals caught in a barn fire, learning how to prevent equine emergencies and being prepared should a disaster occur can mean the difference between life and death for both horses and humans.

Equine Guelph, the horse owner and caretaker center at the University of Guelph, will be hosting an emergency preparedness workshop on Sept.18 at the University of Guelph, in Ontario, Canada, designed to help horse owners prepare for and handle emergency situations.

“Even experienced horse people can make mistakes when trying to assist in a disaster, " said Rebecca Gimenez, PhD, workshop instructor and president of Technical Large Animal Emergency Rescue (TLAER) Inc., based in Georgia. "Our tendency to panic, which then scares the very horse we’re trying to help, and poor planning, from the mindset of ‘it won’t happen to me,’ are just some of the key obstacles that will be addressed.”

During the one-day workshop, Gimenez, along with a number of other instructors, will provide participants with practical techniques on topics including hazards on the property, emergency preparedness, fire prevention, trailer safety, and horse behavior in stressful situations