How to create a horse emergency contact protocol for barns

Why a contact list isn't a protocol

Most barns have a phone number taped to a wall. That's a contact list, not a protocol. A protocol tells every person at your facility exactly who to call, in what order, with what information, and what to do while they wait. Without that structure, emergencies get handled by memory and group texts — and details get dropped.

A horse can go from fine to critical in under two hours, and colic, foaling complications, and cast horses don't wait for morning. The fix is a written, posted, and rehearsed emergency contact protocol. Here's how to build one.

Step 1: Identify the emergencies you're planning for

Start by listing the realistic emergencies at your facility. Kansas State University's equine emergency guidance recommends naming them explicitly — colic, injuries, respiratory distress, barn fires, and weather emergencies — and tailoring the plan to your horses and buildings. Your contact protocol should cover at least:

• Equine medical emergency (colic, laceration, acute lameness)
• Human injury
• Fire or structural emergency
• Severe weather or evacuation
• Suspected infectious disease

Each category may route to a different first call. Write that down.

Step 2: Build the contact list with the right roles

Your list needs more than one vet. BarnBeacon's overnight check protocol recommends including the primary vet, an after-hours vet line, a farrier for acute lameness, and at least two backup staff members — and updating the list every 90 days. Rutgers Equine Science Center adds that a phone with posted emergency numbers should be easily accessible, and that every farm should keep first aid kits for both humans and horses.

Your protocol should list, by role:

1. Primary veterinarian — daytime number and practice name
2. After-hours / emergency vet line — the number that actually answers at 2 a.m.
3. Nearest equine referral hospital — address and direct line
4. Farrier — for acute lameness and shoe-related injuries
5. Barn manager and at least two backup staff — with mobile numbers
6. Owner contacts for each horse — primary and secondary
7. Emergency services — your exact physical street address, not just the barn name

That last point matters more than people think. Post a weatherproof evacuation diagram, your exact physical street address, and emergency dispatch numbers directly beside primary telephones.

Step 3: Attach horse-specific information

A contact protocol fails if responders don't know which horse they're dealing with. Marys Tack & Feed's evacuation planning guidance recommends including your horses' veterinary records with pertinent medical conditions like allergies, injuries, and medications, plus multiple contact numbers.

For each horse, keep a one-page sheet with:

• Registered and barn name, plus a current photo
• Age, sex, and identifying markings
• Known allergies, chronic conditions, and current medications with dosages
• Feeding instructions and normal vital sign baselines
• Owner name, phone, and secondary contact
• Whether the horse is easy or difficult to handle

Store these in a binder at the barn and a digital copy the barn manager can access remotely.

Step 4: Write the call order and handoff script

This is the part most barns skip. Decide in advance:

• Who calls the vet. One named person per shift, with a named backup.
• Who calls the owner. Usually the barn manager, not the person holding the horse.
• Who stays with the horse. Never leave a compromised horse unattended.
• What information gets relayed. Horse name, age, symptoms, onset time, temperature if taken, current medications, and your exact address.

Write a short script and post it with the contact list. Under stress, people read rather than remember.

Step 5: Handle disease and isolation calls

If a horse shows symptoms of an infectious disease, the protocol changes. Brazos Valley Equine Hospitals' biosecurity guidance is direct: isolate immediately, contact your veterinarian, and notify barn personnel. Add a separate branch to your protocol for this scenario, including who notifies other boarders and how shared equipment and water sources get restricted.

Step 6: Post, distribute, and rehearse

A protocol only works if everyone can find it. Rutgers recommends posting emergency numbers beside accessible phones, and BarnBeacon recommends a printed or digital checklist plus a log where every check gets recorded with a timestamp.

Your rollout checklist:

• Print the contact list and post it at every barn entrance and phone
• Laminate a copy for the tack room and the office
• Save a digital copy in a shared folder and on the barn manager's phone
• Give every staff member and regular boarder a copy
• Set a calendar reminder to review and update every 90 days
• Walk through one scenario per quarter as a tabletop drill

Common mistakes to avoid

• Relying on a group text as your notification system
• Listing only one vet with no after-hours line
• Forgetting your physical street address on the posted sheet
• Skipping horse-specific medical details
• Never updating the list after staff or vet changes

How the Featured Expert Can Help

Randi Thompson is an equine industry expert witness and consultant with over 45 years of experience, and she has trained hundreds of instructors across multiple states. Through her Equine Safety and Success Network and the Equine Safety and Success Guide, she focuses on safety standards, risk management, and operational protocols for barns and equine businesses. If you want your emergency contact protocol reviewed against recognized safety standards, you can learn more at randithompsonlive.com.

Test your knowledge

Before you post your protocol, check whether you've covered the basics.

Quiz: According to BarnBeacon's overnight barn check protocol, how often should your emergency contact list be updated?

• Every 30 days
• Every 90 days
• Once a year