Equine Guelph’s Large Animal Rescue educational tools emerged out of storage for the first time since the pandemic started. A total of 30 Toronto Mounted Police officers were the keen participants in workshops taking place on November 3rd and 10th 2021 at the CNE grounds. The last hands-on workshop was for the Hamilton Mounted Police unit in January of 2020.
Rusti the mannequin horse has travelled all over Ontario for training workshops with over 450 police, fire fighters, veterinarians, first responders and horse owners. With the help of Rusti, large animal manipulation techniques such as forward assists, rear assists, how to free a cast horse and work safely in confined spaces can all be practiced. Learning how to assemble an emergency halter is also part of the curriculum. First responders gain essential skills and an introduction to horse behaviour, so they can work safely in emergency situations.
Sgt Kristopher McCarthy, Toronto Mounted Police on the value of Large Animal Rescue Training: