Equine Health and Emergency First Aid (Level 1)
Certified Safe Facility Initiative: This course is first in a three-course series that enables an Equestrian Facility to be eligible for participation in the Certified Safe Facility Initiative. Our primary focus is on the health and safety of horses. In 2018, Equi-Health Canada/Equi-First Aid USA introduced its "certified safe" initiative. Under this program, barn, ranch, and stable owners can engage an instructor like myself to provide training in first aid, advanced first aid, and disaster planning for their staff, volunteers, family, or boarders. This ensures a well-prepared team and establishes a certified safe facility for anyone visiting or residing on the premises.
Instructor and Contact: April Ibarra (425) 445-3092
Where: To uphold the safety and privacy of our host barns, their horses, and patrons, only general towns and states are provided below in the “Future Course Dates” section. Specific addresses will be shared with each participant upon registration. Additionally, feel free to contact the instructor directly for more detailed information.
Time: Check-in begins at 8:30 am; class begins at 9:00 am and we start wrapping things up at 4:30 to finish at 5:00 pm.
What to bring: Sack lunch, water bottle, notepad, blanket (depends on weather), and signed release form for the barn as well as for the instructor. Click here for HoPE Equine Release Form
Cost: The Equi-First Aid courses are priced at $169.00 each, unless stated otherwise. Occasionally, a Host Barn or Equestrian Facility may impose its facility fee to cover the expenses associated with hosting a course or providing a catered meal. Any additional costs will be clearly outlined below. As a courtesy to the Host Barn and for the convenience of the Class Participant in payment, the instructor will typically collect both the registration and host fees. It's important to note that the Instructor does not receive any commissions from the Host Barn.
Registration Deadline: While registration remains open until the class reaches its full capacity, if you register within less than 10 business days of the class, you may need to have your manual and certification mailed to you, with shipping fees applicable. Registering earlier than 10 business days from the class date ensures that the manual and certification will be available on the course date.
Course Description for Equine Health and Emergency First Aid (Level 1):
This class is intended to help people know what to do immediately following an emergency that happens either close to home, or at home; the intention is to help you feel comfortable with handling the situation. It is not intended to take the place of a veterinarian; rather increase the chance of recovery and survival while waiting for a veterinarian. Veterinarians are inundated with non-emergent house calls and in general are becoming less accessible. We cover preventative measures, pain source identification, stretching, how to properly take vitals and identifying what is normal vs. abnormal, basic wound care (bandaging), identifying when to call the vet and knowing what information to gather before that call, eye injuries, bites & stings, seizure, how to right a cast horse, shock, poison, burns, lameness/hoof issues, nosebleed, choke, collapse, heat exhaustion, shock and identifying signs of colic. We also provide a 50+ page handbook to put in your first aid kits for reference.
This course is the pre-requisite to the Advanced Health and Emergency First Aid Techniques (Level 2 Indoor/Wilderness).
*All attendees receive a Certificate of Completion and a First Aid manual to keep in your first-aid kit.
**There will be an opportunity to purchase First Aid kits and supplemental Equine Essential Oil kits in class.
***Tuition is non-refundable. Your registration is valid for one year toward the same course taught by the same instructor, and may be transferred or gifted to a friend or family member of the original purchaser. In the event the host or instructor needs to cancel, every effort to offer an alternate date will be made, or a refund will be offered.
Future Course Dates:
Mar 23, 2025 | $169.00 | Happy Path Meadows | Snohomish, WA
May 03, 2025 | $169.00 | Level 1 | Westward Haven Rest & Ride Arena | Ellensburg, WA
(Don’t see a course you can attend/in your area? Contact me. I can travel to your neck of the woods provided there is a Host Location where I can teach the course.)
