The Spring 2026 issue of the Decker Dispatch, the statewide newsletter of the Back Country Horsemen of Montana, carried a feature by Stacie on page 11 introducing Technical Large Animal Emergency Rescue — and announcing the TLAER course the Gallatin Valley chapter hosted May 2–3, 2026, at the Montana State University Miller Livestock Pavilion, taught by TLAER founder Rebecca Gimenez Husted, PhD. The article is reproduced in full below.
Technical Large Animal Emergency Rescue TLAER
By Stacie G. Boswell, DVM, DACVS-LA, Gallatin Valley BCH — Decker Dispatch, Back Country Horsemen of Montana, Spring 2026
The text below was read from the printed magazine using optical character recognition and lightly edited for the web, so that this article can be found and read online. The original article as it appeared in print is reproduced at the foot of this page and is the version of record — where the two differ, the printed version is correct. If you spot an error, please let us know.
This spring, the Gallatin Valley Back Country Horsemen chapter is participating in an excellent education opportunity at a Technical Large Animal Emergency Rescue (TLAER™) course. TLAER is a specialized field of heavy rescue dedicated to the safe extrication of live large animals — such as horses, livestock, and exotic animals — from entrapment scenarios like trailer wrecks, mud, ditches, and barn fires. We are very fortunate to have Rebecca Gimenez Husted, PhD, the founder of TLAER, teaching the course on Saturday and Sunday May 2–3 at the Montana State University Miller Livestock Pavilion. TLAER training is attended by professionals and individuals, including: fire departments and rescue squads; veterinarians and veterinary technicians; animal control officers and law enforcement; and large animal owners and transporters. All must work together for the success of any TLAER rescue mission.
TLAER is not field medicine, disaster medicine, nor the rescue of abused/neglected animals. Instead, it is a systematic process involving these key points. 1. Response — it is first necessary to understand the situation from the moment it is reported. 2. Safe scene setup so that there is no harm and injury to human responders, and the animal is rescued safely. 3. Extrication — TLAER uses specific, known techniques and principles with available equipment to move the animal safely. 4. Follow-up care should coordinate with veterinarians and animal caretakers for the best outcome in the case of injuries and illnesses.
Three training core principles will be introduced and exemplified in the hands-on TLAER course. The first principle is safety! A huge theme of the training is prevention, safety, and education. Rescuers are taught to avoid placing themselves in danger. The second principle is behavioral understanding of horses or livestock. Because large animals often react with “fight or flight” instincts under stress, rescuers must understand these behaviors to avoid compromising or dangerous positions. Finally, innovation is an important part of every rescue. Each situation, accident, or incident is different, so TLAER requires creative, practical applications of equipment like slings, webbing, and ropes.
Our chapter is excited about attending this enjoyable, fun, and useful training. Hopefully it will become an annual event!
More about TLAER can be found at facebook.com/TLAER and tlaer.org.
The article as it appeared in print:
The full issue is available from the Back Country Horsemen of Montana: Spring 2026 Decker Dispatch, at bchmt.org.