23/03/2025
Safety must be first, practiced and discussed!
Safety in Equine Professions – A Shared Responsibility
The recent tragic loss of a fellow equine professional serves as a heartbreaking reminder of the risks we face daily. Working with horses is inherently dangerous, but some risks are preventable—and that’s where responsibility must be clearly understood.
Whose Responsibility is Safety?
The simple answer: everyone’s—but especially the horse owner’s. Equine professionals—whether farriers, trimmers, vets, dentists, or therapists—are trained to do their jobs, not to train horses in basic handling. A horse should be safe to work with before the professional arrives. That means standing quietly, picking up and holding feet without snatching, and being respectful of personal space.
If a horse is untrained, anxious, or aggressive, the owner must take steps to improve handling before expecting a professional to work on them. It is unfair—and unsafe—to assume that the person beneath or beside the horse will "sort it out."
How Quickly Can Things Go Wrong?
Even the best-handled horses can have moments of fear, pain, or unpredictability. But when a horse is already known to be difficult, the risk multiplies. Consider these common but potentially catastrophic scenarios:
A horse pulls away sharply while a hoof is held, throwing the handler off balance and causing a serious back or head injury.
A horse leans excessively on a farrier or trimmer, crushing them under half a tonne of weight.
A horse kicks out, breaking bones in an instant.
A panicked horse rears or spins, knocking someone into a wall, fence, or hard ground.
These aren’t rare or extreme cases—they happen every day. Most of the time, professionals walk away with bruises and near misses. But sometimes, they don’t walk away at all.
Professionals Have the Right to Say NO
No hoof care professional (or vet, dentist, or therapist) is obligated to put themselves in a dangerous situation. If a horse is unsafe, they have the absolute right to refuse service and walk away.
This is not about being "soft" or "difficult"—it’s about survival. A horse that is unsafe today could be the one that ends someone’s career or life tomorrow. No job, no client, and no fee is worth that risk.
What Needs to Change?
Owners must take responsibility for training and handling before expecting professionals to work on their horse.
Professionals must feel supported in saying no to unsafe situations, without fear of backlash or financial loss.
Conversations about safety should be normalised, not dismissed as overreacting.
Safety isn’t optional. Training isn’t optional. And no professional should have to risk their life to do their job.
