KY Horse Council Offers Training in Large-Animal Rescue

The Kentucky Horse Council's three-day Large Animal Emergency Rescue training is slated to return to the Kentucky Horse Park on September 19 through 21, 2025. This three-day training is designed to educate emergency responders, veterinary professionals, animal control officers, horse industry professionals, and other interested parties on how to care for and extract equines in potentially hazardous situations while remaining safe.

The Kentucky Horse Council is a nonprofit dedicated to the protection and development of the equine community in the Commonwealth; the charity offers a range of health and welfare programming and education to assist horses and their owners. In an effort to help keep Kentucky horses safe, LAER is offered to firefighters, EMTs, paramedics, police and sheriffs in the state at no cost. 

LAER is taught by Justin and Tori McLeod of 4Hooves Large Animal Services, LLC, a North Carolina-based company that specializes in large animal technical rescue emergency response and training for emergency responders and veterinary professionals. 

The course will cover topics like animal behavior; handling and restraint; containment; motor vehicle accidents and overturned trailers; entrapments; unstable ground incidents (mud, ditch, ice, etc.); water rescues; and natural disaster preparation and response. Specialized instruction will be given to participants based on their background and auditors are welcomed for any or all of the class. 

"This three-day, technical training is an incredible learning experience for attendees - both hands-on and auditors," says Sarah Coleman, Executive Director of the Kentucky Horse Council. "Justin and Tori are incredible at teaching attendees how to work together, leaning into the specific knowledge each professional has in an effort to secure the best possible outcome for horses in perilous situations."

Attendees will split time between attending lectures at the Kentucky Horse Park Visitor Center theater and spending time out on Park grounds, practicing the skills they learned inside. Horses used for the hands-on portion of the class are graciously provided by the Kentucky Horse Park Mounted Police.

Continuing education credits for veterinarians are available through the American Association of Veterinary State Boards and the Kentucky Board of Veterinary Examiners. Fire hours are also available. 

To register, click here or contact the Kentucky Horse Council at 859-367-0509 or info@kentuckyhorse.org. Learn more about 4Hooves Large Animal Services at 4hoovessmart.com.