Saluda, North Carolina — February 17, 2026 — The Equine Safety and Success Network™ (ESSN) announce the formation of its Founding Advisory Board and recognizes two respected industry professionals who serve as both Advisory Board members and administrators within the ESSN professional community: Laura Kelland-May and Darla Walker-Ryder.
The establishment of the Founding Advisory Board marks an important step in the continued development of ESSN as a structured professional initiative focused on safety systems, documentation practices, operational clarity, and defensible standards of care across equine disciplines.
Laura Kelland-May, based in Canada, is an equine program and standards consultant with extensive experience as an Equestrian Canada Senior Judge, Steward, FEI Steward, and East Coast Working Equitation Judge. Her work provides direct insight into how conduct, supervision, and decision-making are evaluated across jurisdictions, particularly in systems where equine-related outcomes are assessed under duty of care, negligence, and occupier or premises liability frameworks rather than horse-specific statutes.
“Small adjustments in supervision and evaluation can prevent much bigger problems later,” said Kelland-May. “For years, many horse professionals have understood the importance of structure and documentation but did not know where to find practical support that truly fit the realities of daily equine operations. ESSN provides a structured and practical framework that many in the industry have been looking for, often without realizing it had a name. Practical structure supports both horses and people.”
Kelland-May is also actively exploring emerging tools and modern approaches that strengthen professional clarity and decision-making within the horse industry. Her forward-thinking perspective aligns with ESSN’s commitment to evolving standards that support both tradition and progress.
Darla Walker-Ryder has worked professionally in the horse industry for more than fifty years, teaching college-level courses and leading riding instruction and trail programs across multiple disciplines. Her experience includes extensive work supporting riders with mental, physical, and cognitive challenges, reflecting a long-standing commitment to inclusive and effective equine education.
Since 1995, Walker-Ryder has held Master Level Instructor and Certifier recognition with the Certified Horsemanship Association. In that role, she has evaluated and assigned instructor levels across English and Western disciplines, instructors of riders with disabilities, vaulting coaches, and seasonal facility staff.
“In over fifty years in the industry, I have found that maintaining sound, usable, and clearly understood record-keeping systems is one of the most difficult challenges professionals face,” said Walker-Ryder. “The ESSN process offers a practical, professional approach to managing documentation in a way that supports both safety and daily operations.”
The Equine Safety and Success Network™ (ESSN) is a professional initiative focused on strengthening safety systems, documentation practices, operational clarity, and defensible standards of care across equine disciplines.
ESSN is currently developing a structured series of professional resources under the Equine Safety and Success Guide™ framework. Discipline-specific guides in development include the Guided Trail Riding Safety Guide™, Emergency Awareness series, Private Lessons Safety Guide™, Group Lessons Safety Guide™, and Horse Trainers Safety Guide™.
These guides are being introduced in structured pilot phases within the ESSN professional community, the Equine Safety and Success Network, allowing experienced equine professionals to provide field feedback before broader release. The goal is to ensure that each guide reflects real-world application rather than theoretical compliance.
ESSN brings together instructors, trainers, trail operators, consultants, and program leaders committed to raising operational clarity across the horse industry.
Founder Randi Thompson stated, “The formation of the Founding Advisory Board reflects the next phase of ESSN’s development. This work has moved beyond conversation. We are building structured, field-tested resources that support equine programs in aligning their daily practices with clear and defensible standards of care. Laura and Darla bring depth, integrity, and grounded leadership to that process.”
Media Contact:
Randi Thompson Founder, Equine Safety and Success Network™ Saluda, North Carolina
randi@randithompsonlive.com
(828) 243-1401