Saluda, North Carolina — The Equine Safety and Success Network™ (ESSN™) is expanding its industry-wide focus on Emergency Awareness, leadership clarity, and operational structure within trail, lesson, and training programs.
Through a developing series of published posts and professional discussion, ESSN™ is addressing what many equestrian programs have sensed but not formally structured: how leadership functions in the first moments after a rider incident.
Founded by equine professional and expert witness Randi Thompson, ESSN™ explores practical, everyday operational questions that surface during rider emergencies.
“Most programs believe they are prepared,” Thompson explains. “They have first aid kits and emergency contact forms. What is often missing is role clarity. When a rider is on the ground, who leads? Who calls? Who manages the remaining riders and horses? Those answers should already be defined.”
The Emergency Awareness series focuses not on dramatic scenarios, but on real-world examples drawn from trail rides, lesson programs, and training barns. The posts explore group management under stress, communication protocols, rehearsal standards, and head and spine red flags following a fall.
The conversation is being developed collaboratively with the ESSN™ Founding Advisory Board.
Laura Kelland-May emphasizes the importance of rehearsal and structured response. “Emergency planning cannot remain theoretical,” Kelland-May notes. “Teams must rehearse roles so that response becomes calm and professional under pressure.”
Darla Walker-Ryder highlights the operational side of the issue. “In daily barn operations, emergencies are rarely dramatic,” Walker-Ryder explains. “They are moments that require clear leadership and communication. Knowing who takes the lead and how the rest of the team supports that response makes all the difference.”
The Emergency Awareness materials are being released within the private ESSN™ professional community as a structured pilot initiative. Industry professionals are invited to review the framework, share real-world insight, and contribute to refinement to ensure the standards reflect practical application across diverse equestrian operations.
Equestrian professionals who wish to participate in the pilot discussion may request access to the private Equine Safety and Standards Network™ group at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/equinesafetyandstandardsnetwork
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About the Equine Safety & Standards Network™
The Equine Safety & Standards Network™ is a professional initiative dedicated to advancing structured safety awareness, operational clarity, and documentation standards within equestrian programs.
Through the development of the Equine Safety Success Guide™, ESSN™ provides practical, field-informed frameworks designed to support riding instructors, trainers, guided trail operators, and equine facility leaders in real-world environments.
The Emergency Awareness Framework will be introduced as part of a structured pilot discussion within the private ESSN™ professional group, where industry professionals are invited to contribute operational insight and participate in refinement prior to broader publication.
Media Contact:
Randi Thompson Founder, Equine Safety & Standards Network™ Email: randi@randithompsonlive.com Website: https://randithompsonlive.com ESSN™ Professional Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/equinesafetyandstandardsnetwork