Story by: Erin Kelly for the Canadian Agricultural Safety Association

From dairy operations and beef cattle ranching to pig and sheep farming, livestock is integral to many farms across the country.

But though livestock handling is a routine activity on many farms, it also carries significant risks.

According to the latest Canadian Agricultural Injury Reporting data, incidents involving animals are one of the leading causes of non-machine-related agricultural fatalities. And of the 32 animal-related agricultural fatalities that occurred between 2011 and 2020, the majority (53 per cent) involved a horse.

While some farm animals, like horses, may not be viewed as aggressive, they have the size and strength to cause serious injury, making it essential to keep safety top of mind when handling them. That’s exactly what Equine Guelph aims to convey in its education, training and research focused on the health and well-being of horses and the safety of those who care for them.

“Horses, if handled well, are not typically aggressive animals, but they are very large. And even people with plenty of experience with horses can easily be injured by them, which is why safety and situational awareness must always be a priority,” explains Susan Raymond, communications and education program officer at Equine Guelph.

One of the key messages that Equine Guelph, which opened in 2003 at the University of Guelph in southern Ontario, emphasizes in its training courses – which are predominantly online and available to anyone with an interest in horses regardless of the location – is that understanding horse behaviour is fundamental to safety.

“It’s so important with any animal, including horses, that whoever is handling them has a good understanding of knowing how they behave in both a stressed and non-stressed situation in order to keep yourself and the animal the safe,” says Raymond. “All animals use behavioural cues, so it’s our job if we’re going to be working with horses to know how to read those cues and then also be aware what kind of effect our own energy, emotions and behaviour will have on the horse we’re handling.”

Those behaviour cues include knowing how a horse will respond to change. Though domestic horses tend to become creatures of habit when they have a regular routine, Raymond explains that, as prey and herd animals, they are highly sensitive to change, which can easily make them feel threatened. Something as seemingly inconsequential as a person going by on a bicycle or a balloon in the air can cause a horse to instinctively react the same way it would if a predator were nearby.

“Even if a horse is very well trained, they are highly sensitive to their environment and their behaviour can change suddenly,” says Raymond. “If a horse perceives that they are in a risky situation, they will have a flight or fight response. Usually with horses it’s more flight than fight, and they will run right over you if you’re in the way, but they’ll defend themselves if they think they need to.”

Complacency is often cited as a safety risk on farms, and it extends to handling horses and other livestock. Raymond says that even those who have worked with the same horse regularly over a several years cannot lose sight of the need to remain vigilant and pay close attention to the animal’s behavioural cues.

“Becoming complacent is a big problem when working with horses; just because something hasn’t happened doesn’t mean it never will,” explains Raymond. “We often hear stories about people being seriously injured or even killed in a situation they’ve done time and time again but one time there was some change and they weren’t paying close attention to the situation.”

Another safety aspect that Raymond points out should never be overlooked is emergency preparedness, which can help keep people and animals alike safe in sudden, unexpected situations. With horses, barn fires are a significant concern, making evacuation plans for people and animals an essential safety component. Equine Guelph offers courses on emergency preparedness with horse handling.

“It’s important to try to prevent barn fires from occurring in the first place, but it’s
necessary to have a plan in place of where the horses will go that is secured and safe in the
event of an emergency like a fire,” explains Raymond, adding that loose horses could also
impede emergency responders’ ability to reach a barn fire quickly. “There are lots of cases where horses are let loose out of a burning barn and running down roads. That’s not a best practice or even a safe option; it is irresponsible because that’s putting other people’s lives at risk.”

Raymond notes that it’s also crucial to bear in mind that it is not a myth that horses will run back into a burning barn. “It’s very well-documented that if horses are let loose when there is a barn fire, and the doors are left open, they’ll run back in. And that only leads to more devastating outcomes.”

Given the unique situation of responding to an emergency involving large animals, Equine Guelph also offers a rescue training program for first responders that focuses on best practices for animal welfare and responder safety. The course details how first responders can use the equipment they have to achieve the best possible outcomes for both animals and people involved.

“We find that a lot of responders don’t get this type of training in terms of dealing with animal emergencies,” explains Raymond. “With fire departments, for example, they may be called to a barn fire or other emergency but it’s possible that there are some firefighters who have never handled a horse or a cow before. So, we want to bridge that gap and give them basic training on what to do in those emergency situations.”

As Raymond points out, whether someone is an avid rider, a novice just starting with horse handling or a first responder wanting to be prepared for a potential emergency involving large animals, it’s never too early or too late to learn something new about safety around horses.

“We always stress that it’s important to be prepared ahead of time as much as possible, and training can help with that,” says Raymond. “You’re never too young or too old to learn about safety.”

Information about Equine Guelph’s courses can be found at EquineGuelph.ca.

About Canadian Agricultural Safety Week

Every year, the Canadian Agricultural Safety Association raises awareness about the importance of farm safety with the Canadian Agricultural Safety Week (CASW) campaign, which occurs during the third week of March. In 2026, CASW takes place March 15-21 and is sponsored by Syngenta Canada, CN, and Parrish & Heimbecker. More information is available at agsafetyweek.ca.

About the Canadian Agricultural Safety Association

The Canadian Agricultural Safety Association (CASA) is a national, non-profit organization
dedicated to improving the health and safety of farmers, their families and agricultural
workers. CASA is funded in part by the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership. For
more information, visit www.casa-acsa.ca.

---

For the Next Generation of Horse Enthusiasts

As Canadian Agricultural Safety Week underscores the importance of preventing injuries before they occur, Equine Guelph’s youth program, EquiMania! Online, helps reinforce these safety principles for the next generation of horse handlers. Built around the Stop–Think–Act approach, EquiMania!, with their Danger Detective activities, encourage young people to recognize potential hazards, pause to assess risk, and take safer actions when working around horses, equipment, and farm environments.

To support this learning, TheHorsePortal.ca offers an On-Demand Youth Course: Horse Behaviour & Safety,recommended for teens, which is available for free until March 31, 2026, thanks to the generous support of EquiMania!’s sponsors: ESSO, Kubota Canada, Ontario Equestrian, and System Equine.