CLINICS in 2023
Instructor and trail guide qualification Clinics for 2023 are as follows.
- 3rd to 8th December – Tunnel Ridge Ranch, Landsborough, QLD
Registration form for future clinics: CLINIC REGO FORM Tunnel Ridge Ranch
If you are interested in being informed as to when the next batch of clinics are available, please fill in and email us the Expression of Interest form Expression-of-Interest HSA-clinics 2024 so we can let you know when they are happening.
What is Horse Safety Australia?
Horse Safety Australia Inc is a national not for profit organization committed to improving the safety record of horse activities in Australia. We are doing this through a number of means:
- accrediting horse riding instructors, trainers, clinicians and trail guides
- developing and providing procedures which have human safety as their focus
- tips for safety around horses
- tips to new riders on what to look for in a riding instructor/trainers/riding schools/trail riding operations
- working with government departments, council, schools and other groups and individuals to develop good procedures for interactions with horses
- provision of expert reports linked to litigation and disputes
Our first priority is to help businesses improve the safety and quality of their horse activities. Many of our resources are available to individuals/ groups sharing our commitment to improving the safety and quality of horse programs.
Horse Safety Australia has been the leader in Australia in setting safety standards for the broader horse industry for many years.
Certification through Horse Safety Australia includes:
- Instructors (ALL TYPES of horse riding and horse handling: English/Western/Stock/Natural Horsemanship/ EAL etc.)
- Trail Guides
- Certification for those who teach horsemanship clinics
- Horse Handling certification
Do you want certifications which recognize your horse riding instructing experience?
See the “Clinics” section for information on a nationally recognized assessment process which acknowledges your background working with horses and people. These workshops (clinics), cover risk management, communication skills and concentrate on safety; and are regularly run throughout Australia.
Horse Safety Australia accreditation is mentioned in Safe Work Australia’s Guide to managing risks with horses (see below), in the Education Departments in New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Western Australia and Victoria guidelines for horse activities for school students (in some cases still using our old name: Association for Horsemanship Safety and Education), and in other significant guides to teaching or supervising people around horses. HSA certifications are widely used in Australia including by those involved in private coaching, instructing at riding schools, trail riding, at residential campsites with horse programs as well as by trainers who teach their clients as well as running and horse clinics open to the horse riding public.
CODES and Regulations
The most significant document in Australia for those working with beginner riders or handlers: is Safe Work Australia’s “Guide to managing risks when new and inexperienced persons interact with horses…”Download it here: Safe Work Australia’s Guide for working with those new to horses
ALSO….Now available is the new Safe Work NSW CODE (for those in NSW) which can be found here: SW08262-Code-of-Practice-Managing-risks-when-new-or-inexperienced-riders-or-handlers-interact-with-horses-in-the-workplace ver pdf
TRAIL RIDING
(National) Adventure Activity Standards (includes trail riding among other outdoor activities) now released and can be found here: Horse-Trail-Ride-GPG-V1.0
The Code of Conduct for (all) horse activities “HorseSafe” was developed in consultation with the whole horse industry in Australia (including HSA) initially in 2003 then revised in 2009. It is available for download here: AHIC Code of Practice revised 091009
Are you running a horse business during Covid19?
Here is an overview which covers running horse related activities. It is a compilation of information from a variety of sources. We hope it is helpful for your business! HSA gudelines for COVID 19 – horse activities 3-6-20
HELMETS
NB Helmet recall: Check the following link for details regarding the recall of the Ovation Protege Equestrian Helmets.
General Information about what helmet to buy:
Are you buying a new Helmet? What are the new European standards? What should you look for? (Note: the EN 1384 is not being produced any more.) If you have one of these, or if your helmet is more than 5 years old you need to replace it.
SUMMARY: we have adopted the BETA WEBSITE and British Horse Society information …
THEY RECOMMEND:
- Australian AS/NZS 3838: 2006 onwards, provided they are SAI Global marked
- British PAS 015: 1998 or 2011 provided they are BSI Kitemarked or VG1 01.040: 2014-12 provided they are BSI Kitemarked
- European – VG1 01.040: 2014-12 provided they are BSI Kitemarked
- American ASTM F1163: 2004a or 04a onwards provided they are marked SEI or SNELL E2001
What is the Benchmark or Kitemark?
This is a logo which demonstrates that this group of helmets is being monitored for quality. Without this logo there is no guarantee that the standards are being maintained throughout the production of this helmet…We buy helmets to protect our heads in an impact…there is not much point in having a helmet which looks good, was very expensive, but does not protect our head in an impact! So that is why we recommend only buying helmets with kitemarks/benchmarks/SEI/SNELL authorities which look like this:
Follow us on Facebook for safety tips and news:
https://www.facebook.com/horsesafetyaustralia/?ref=bookmarks
Resources
Horse Welfare and Well-being Toolkit can be found here:
HOR0288_Horse_welfare_and_well-being_toolkit_WEB
This is a useful resource when you are thinking about hot weather policies and bio-security issues for horses, especially if you are running events. And don’t forget the well-being of your humans too!