Large Animal Rescue Video Available from USRider

USRider Equestrian Motor Plan has announced the creation of a new safety video on the rescue of large animals. The video covers a broad spectrum of emergency situations including containment, up-righting trailers, lifting and dragging horses, and water rescue and night rescue operations.

The video is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2003. It will be made available through USRider, a member-based organization providing trailering assistance throughout North America with its Equestrian Motor Plan. The video will be available at no cost to qualified organizations, emergency medical technicians, riding clubs and associations, etc.

While natural disasters such as hurricanes and floods affect large animals, these tragedies are infrequent. Far more common are incidents resulting from human error, technological glitches, or just plain bad luck. Such incidents involve several types of large animals and include trailer accidents on the highway, barn fires, herd escapees, animals falling into water, and animals injured in desolate areas away from vehicular access.

"In many accidents and disasters, animals without life-threatening injuries are injured further or even killed by use of the incorrect rescue techniques," said Mark Cole, managing member for USRider.

Most emergency responders do not have the training needed to rescue large animals safely. As a result, many animals end up being dragged, strangled, drowned or dropped during attempted rescues. Correct training would prevent the unnecessary deaths and injuries resulting from improper rescue tactics. Education is the key to responding safely and efficiently.

"This video is not intended to be the sole means of emergency rescue training. Rather it is intended to create awareness of safe procedures and be an introduction in the training of large animal emergency rescue,"said Cole.

The video features Drs. Tomas and Rebecca Gimenez from Clemson University, experts who have offered emergency rescue training courses around the country. Representing Clemson State University's Cooperative Extension Service and the South Carolina Emergency Preparedness Division through the South Carolina Veterinarian's Office, Tomas and his wife, Rebecca have been offering rescue training to emergency responders for over five years. Several hundred firefighters, police officers, sheriff's deputies and animal control technicians along with organized volunteers have attended their one- and two-day certified workshops. Tomas and Rebecca Gimenez can be contacted via e-mail at or by telephone at (864) 656-5158.

The video covers theory and demonstrations in how to respond to overturned trailers; animals in holes, pools or open sewers; barn fires; trailer wrecks; and animals loose on the highway, trapped in various nasty places or hurt on the trail. The video uses simulated situations to demonstrate how to tie up, pull, strap and lift large animals in different types of slings.

The video is produced by Caren L. Hunter of Sylvan Inc., a television productions and commercial advertising firm. Ms. Hunter has served as a producer for television commercials, sales and marketing videos, industrial videos, one-half hour format national television programs and live broadcast sports television. Ms. Hunter's projects have appeared on Fox Sports Net, Outdoor Life Network, Eurosport/OLN, NBC, Sports Channel and others. Some of Ms. Hunter's equine-related productions include Kilkenny Internationale Cup Grand Prix, Zada Enterprises Masters Cup Grand Prix, Cosequin U.S. Open Jumper Championship, USET Festival of Champions and USET Show Jumping Championship. Caren Hunter can be contacted via e-mail at or by telephone at Sylvan Productions at (561) 758-6888.

"At USRider, we are truly pleased and fortunate to have the opportunity to work with such a high level of professionals in this endeavor,"said Cole. "We are hopeful this video will benefit the welfare and safety of horses and other large animals everywhere."

Funding for the creation and distribution of this video has been provided by the USRider Leg-Up Annual Giving Fund. This fund was created to enhance awareness of emergency equine response issues and to offer financial assistance to qualified, worthy organizations that provide emergency equine response. USRider donates a portion of its profits to create the Leg-Up Fund.

"Our goal with the USRider Leg-Up Fund is to create an awareness of large animal rescue issues and assist in the creation and operation of emergency equine rescue organizations," commented Cole.

Interested organizations should send a written request on their letterhead, indicating when the video will be viewed and the approximate number of people who will view it. Requests should be made to: Attn: Large Animal Rescue Video, USRider Equestrian Motor Plan, P.O. Box 54711, Lexington, KY 40555.

For information about the USRider Leg-Up Annual Giving Fund or the USRider Equestrian Motor Plan's nationwide trailering assistance program, please call 1-800-844-1409 or visit.

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