After much consultation with the horse industry and first aid training organisations, the British Horse Society has developed an Equine-specific First Aid course. The day will include generic first aid skills and requirements in the morning and horse-specific first aid in the afternoon. A British Horse Society registered instructor is required to hold a current Health and Safety Executive First Aid at Work qualification. These courses are usually informative but not wholly relevant to those working in the horse industry. In addition, the three year gap between the initial and top-up courses means that people can forget the basics.
Cost is another factor, unless the course is funded by one's employer.
This new annual course will be an alternative to the existing HSE First Aid at Work certificate as a requirement for inclusion on the BHS Register of Instructors. The Health and Safety Executive applaud and encourage industry taking the lead in the design of industry-specific, appropriate and relevant qualifications. HSE fully supports the BHS in the development of the first, Equine-specific First Aid course. The proposed Equine-Specific First Aid Certificates are unique within the horse industry and, with the support of HSE, should prove very popular owing primarily to their relevance to workers in the industry.