When Practice Pays Off!

LRTC recently held a training class for new rescue team members. This class, Emergency Horse & Livestock Handling, focuses on safely moving horses using very low energy and reading horse behaviors.

There is a saying among the veteran crew members that they start with Plan A and Plan B, but it’s usually Plan D or E that gets the job done. They pride themselves on being able to adjust and change the plan to suit the situation. After all, wild horses are unpredictable!

The very next day after the class was held the new members, along with some veteran members, were called to try out their skills.

Some horses had found their way into a residential neighborhood and were grazing lawns and grass planted on the side of the roadways. The area has grown exponentially without fencing to keep the horses on the range where they and drivers are safe and is surrounded by some very busy thoroughfares. A recipe for disaster, so the team set out to move them back to the range and a safer location for all.

That morning found the horses grazing in a culdesac. Some team members who were close showed up and blocked the two exits - a walking path and the main culdesac entrance. Then they just stayed quiet waiting for the rest of the team and equipment to arrive while the horses grazed.

When everyone was on the scene, part of the team went to the center of the culdesac and set up a temporary trap corral, while the other stayed in position blocking the horses from leaving. Once ready, the team formed a line and slowly walked the horses toward the trap with one dropping a few mouthfuls of “bait” to show them the way.

This is where things get tricky. Once there is some extra pressure and a strange new setup horses can be unpredictable. It often takes more than one try and having to reset and adjust. On this day, however, everything was perfect. The team used just the right amount of pressure and release and they went straight in!

Once closed in, everyone changed to the load. The horses are moved to a smaller enclosure called a loading chute and a panel closed behind them. They are then encouraged to move with the trailer presented as a “safe place'“ to get away from the pressure of the team members moving them. Once again, the perfect amount of pressure and release was applied and they chose to hop up on the trailer.

They were taken to a safer spot where new grass is coming up and a natural water source is nearby.

Well done, Team!