Emergency preparedness is becoming a top priority in the agenda of many horse owners. Rescue and emergency response organizations are responding to the need of educating those working with horses so that individuals will be ready to deal with the physical and mechanical problems, and emotional and psychological reactions that might occur during a trailer accident. A seminar entitled, “Horse Trailer Emergency Rescue” was held at Maryland State Fairgrounds in Timonium, Md., on June 10. The seminar was funded by Maryland Fire and Rescue Institute (MFRI) of the University of Maryland.

H. Marie Suthers-McCabe, DVM, Associate Professor and Extension Specialist in Human-Animal Interaction at the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, gave a presentation on the emotional and psychological reactions to a trailering accident. She gave meaningful tips to rescue personnel on the bond between the horse and owner, and how consequences of the disrupted bond in an accident can create a compounded dangerous situation for rescue workers.

“I talked about the horse-human relationship — about how some people become closely bonded with their horse, and the ways rescuers can see the degree of the attachment and tell whether or not the owner is able to make sound decisions,” she said.

Suthers-McCabe also covered the topics of critical incident stress debriefing, for both horse owners and rescue teams, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Emergency euthanasia of the horse and its psychological impact to the owner also were discussed