On-Demand: Horse Trailer Safety

On-Demand: 15-20 hours (self-paced)

CE Eligible

About this course:

Horse Trailer Safety is an introductory course for horse owners who may need to transport their horse to events, other locations or during an emergency. This course will focus on the trailer and towing vehicle to ensure safety for you, your horses, and others on the road.

The goals of this course are to help you:

  • Understand why trailer safety is important and the consequences of unsafe practices
  • Recognize ways in which you can be prepared in emergencies and how to maintain personal safety and the safety of those around you, as well as the safety of your horse(s)
  • Make informed decisions about which towing package (truck and trailer) is right for your needs by calculating a towing system
  • Understand how preventative maintenance and regular inspections can extend the life of your trailer and also improve safety
  • Recognize that hauling a trailer warrants different driving skills
  • Find and understand current legislation on livestock transport and what insurance you should have
  • Create a personalized checklist for your individual needs

This course may be of interest for:

  • Anyone who owns a horse trailer, or is thinking of purchasing one
  • Anyone who may be towing a horse trailer that would need to know the criteria for the “right” towing package with respect to towing capacity and trailer weights
  • The person(s) responsible for driving while towing the horse trailer with regards to emergencies on the road, minimizing risks while driving, and other safe driving practices
  • The horse trailer owner who would like to know how to extend the life of the trailer with preventative maintenance (interior and exterior)
  • The horse trailer owner concerned with the safety of the trailer and how/when inspections should be done (pre-trip, post-trip, annual inspections) to uphold safety measures
  • Anyone trailering a horse that needs to know about current legislation for transporting livestock and insurance needs

Never taken an online course before? No worries! This course takes a common sense, practical and flexible approach to training – no prior online learning experience required.  Log in anytime – 24/7 during the access period.

Time Commitment:

  • Approximately 20 hours total course time, with opportunities for additional learning activities
  • Entirely on-demand – complete at your own pace!
  • No set times to be online each week
  • Course is entirely online, so travel to the University of Guelph is NOT required

Materials

  • All materials are provided online within the course site

Prerequisites

  • 16 years of age or older

If you have questions on any of the material in this course, or about The Horse Portal in general, please feel free to reach out to us at [email protected].

Certificate of Completion

Upon successful completion of the course, you will receive a Certificate of Completion from Equine Guelph – the horse owner’s Centre at the University of Guelph.

Continuing Education Credits/Professional Development:

Stop Think Act Program

Farm Safe, Not Lucky

Equine Guelph’s safety program partner, Workplace Safety and Prevention Services (WSPS) is helping farmers, agriculture workers and farm families keep safe through a program called Stop Think Act (STA).

Stop Think Act is a simple, yet powerful behaviour-based safety program that encourages people to consider the task at hand and ask themselves how their own actions could contribute to a safe and productive outcome.

We encourage you to visit WSPS’s website and view the program’s introduction video and Stop Think Act Topic-Specific Videos and Resources.  Many of these resources have been incorporated into our course.

For more resources and youth activities visit: https://thehorseportal.ca/stop-think-act/

So, before you begin a task, always remember to:

Course Instructors

Rebecca Husted Rebecca Husted Course Instructor

A volunteer Firefighter, Public Information Officer and Fire Prevention Instructor for the City of Gray, GA, Rebecca is doing R&D work with several veterinary schools and others educating about heavy rescue of animals. An internationally sought speaker and instructor, she edited and wrote the only textbook available to the fire service and veterinarians on technical rescue of large animals, and several chapters in major veterinary books on similar subjects. She contributes her time and expertise to several international committees: for equine welfare (PATH, International) and is the NFPA Standard 150 technical chair and subject matter expert.

Susan Raymond Susan Raymond Course Facilitator

Since 2003 (Equine Guelph), Susan has been involved in the development and delivery, both online and in-person, of educational and skills training programs. The focus of these programs is to improve welfare and safety of both animals and people on the farm during day to day activities and emergency situations. Susan’s PhD research involved investigating the effects of exposure of horses to mycotoxins, as well as, examining stable design and management as they affect air quality. Susan has completed Technical Large Animal Emergency Rescue Operations, Rescue Ropes/Rigging courses and Animal Technical Rescue Awareness Level Course (University of Florida). Susan has also completed Colorado State University – Equine Investigations Academy Level 1.