Successful BHS Scotland Equisafety Conference focuses on personal safety and animal accidents
Monday, March 03, 2008
Riders, instructors and proprietors were joined by road safety and welfare representatives, firemen and police from all over Scotland to learn about some of the BHS’s latest safety partnership initiatives.
Loraine Young, Chairman of BHS Scotland, said: “It was a very interesting conference. You could tell everyone was riveted by the atmosphere in the room. The feedback was 100 percent positive. We are delighted to have held such a useful day.
"If people take on board their safety responsibilities as horse owners and use training and risk assessment techniques, we will definitely have enhanced equine safety in Scotland.”
Mark Weston, BHS Director of Safety, Access and Welfare, and Stuart Lovatt, of the Highways Agency, introduced the many ways horse riders can engage with public highways.
They showed the new safety DVD Are You Fit to Tow? - featuring TV presenter Carol Smillie and BHS Safety Senior Executive Sheila Hardy - to raises awareness of safety risks when towing a horse trailer.
A key focus of the seminar was the extremely serious issue of personal safety. PC Keith Bothwell, of Nottinghamshire Police, gave a captivating presentation on this topic, discussing reaction to fear and how lone women or vulnerable stable staff could break the “natural freeze” mechanics if confronted with an aggressive stranger or threatening situation.
This thought-provoking and entertaining session also looked at when force is reasonable and how to understand the body language of strangers. The conference's delegates requested that BHS Scotland run a follow-up to this session.
Jim Green and Anton Phillips, of Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service, introduced to Scotland the concept of organised and supported animal rescue teamwork, which they have pioneered.
The session touched on equipment - including quick release harnesses and glides, sedation, safe havens and useful techniques. After seeing a number of case studies the conference was left in no doubt that making animal rescue more professional increased the chance of successful rescues.
Fire safety in stables and the importance of prevention was another key subject. A strong presentation concluded that risk assessment and fire plans were necessary to combat the current state of affairs where 80 percent of equine businesses never recover from fires, and it often takes fire tenders more than 20 minutes to reach isolated rural properties.
Andrew Starkie, Collision Prevention Officer from Central Scotland Police, stressed that cutting deaths on the roads is the responsibility of all road users, pedestrians, cyclists, drivers and horse riders.
He ran through the new Highway Code and emphasised the importance of horse riders reporting near misses and training their horses correctly before accessing the public highway.
