Designing Barrington Lifestyles | Barrington Horse Country
Training Places
HARPS staff, volunteers, and rescued horses train emergency responders
Barrington Hills and the greater Barrington area is home to thousands of horses, offering residents a unique rural and equestrian lifestyle. Those who own horses develop a comfort level and expertise in the handling of their horses—large animals that can weigh up to 10 times as much as their riders. But what happens when there is an emergency and the local police and fire departments are called in to help? Thanks to a group of willing experts—HARPS, The Riding Club of Barrington Hills members, and generous local volunteers—horse safety and rescue clinics are offered for training the men and women who serve our communities and keep us safe.
The Hooved Animal Rescue & Protection Society (HARPS) recently hosted a clinic—one of their services along with rescuing equines—in mid-May with help and support from The Riding Club of Barrington Hills and a large team of volunteers. HARPS’ rescued horses played a role in the program led by Ronda Griffin, and assisted by Donna Ewing, Stephanie Cecola, Maureen Prettyman, and Robin Shaffer, along with other knowledgeable helpers. There were two clinics with 20 police and firefighters at each.
The type of emergency calls that the police or fire departments have received involving horses and their owners includes barn fires, horses that have moved off their properties, or people being injured accidentally while riding. In these cases, it helps for emergency responders to have had the training, and local fire and police departments appreciate the opportunity to interact with the community for these training events, as well as be better prepared for when something involving horses goes wrong.
The program is designed to allow for hands-on experience with horses that includes greeting, leading, haltering, moving through a basic obstacle course, as well as mitigating any fears associated with handling or interacting with such large animals. “This training helps to bring horsemanship skills to a whole new level,” says Griffin of the police and firefighter/paramedics who attend. “We have horse-related incidents periodically in Barrington Hills, and these seminars cover the basics and help make us all safer when something happens involving a horse whether in the field, or at a barn.”