Assess and control the situation
Accidents can happen in any place at any time, whether you’re riding out with friends or on your own, or simply leading your horse in from the field. If it happens to you, do the following:
1 Manage your own safety
In the event of an accident, the first port of call is always to assess the situation and prevent further accidents and injury.
“The first thing to consider is your own personal safety,” says Dr James Garwood from the Midlands Air Ambulance Charity. “If you get hurt yourself trying to help someone else, you can’t help anyone and the situation is doubly as bad.”
2 Do you need emergency services?
James suggests controlling any loose horses if possible, and if positioned by a road, ask a fellow rider (if there is one) or a passerby to watch and control the traffic.
“Consider if you are going to need any other emergency services, such as the police (if the road needs blocking), the fire service (if the horse is trapped), or the vet (if the horse is injured or needs sedating),” adds James.
3 Examine the casualty
“The most important thing is never attempt to move a casualty, especially if they complain of any pain, unless their life is directly threatened by their location,” says James.
Moving a rider with pain, especially in their back and neck, and/or tingling sensations in their arms, legs and back, could be catastrophic. Sometimes, the shock might mean that pain doesn’t immediately set in.
4 Check for consciousness
Once it is safe to do so, the next step is to check if the person is conscious.
“Is the patient breathing, are they talking and can you get a verbal response?” asks James. “If so, try to reassure them and discourage them from moving. Ask them about any neck or back pain. If they say yes, they mustn’t move.”
5 Keep them warm
“If the casualty is not in pain, they can gently and slowly sit up. You can unfasten their hat strap (don’t remove the hat itself) and try to keep them warm with extra jackets,” advises James.
“Lying on a blanket or coat is doubly as effective as being covered with one — because it insulates you from cold ground, which will quickly drain heat from you. It is also advisable to keep the person out of the wind if at all possible. This will help to keep them warm while awaiting the arrival of professional medical help.”