GENERAL RULES (cow’s tail course)

1. Cow's tails are made from dynamic climbing rope which helps absorb the energy created in a fall.

2. Participants' cow's tails are either attached with a karabiner directly to a belay cable or to a rope (possibly a sling) which in turn is attached to a trolley on a belay cable.

3. Where trolleys are used they are out reach of participants to prevent hand and finger injury in a fall.

4. All karabiners used on our cow's tail course are commercial ones known as a double action safety link, captive bar karabiner or locksafe Karabiners. They have a minimum breaking limit of 2200Kg.

6. Participants must be a minimum of 14 years of age (unless there is an instructor at change-over points).

7 The induction (triangle) course must be successfully completed before participants are permitted to progress onto the main course.

 THE PROCESS

1. Whether or not a group of participants is capable of taking part on a cow's tail course, is ultimately be the decision of the instructor responsible.  Above all else an instructor must decide whether a participant's judgment is appropriate to the degree of responsibility that the task involves.

2. Participants will have an opportunity to complete all the induction course prior to taking part on the main course. Our induction course contains 7 elements 10feet from the ground, the course is sufficiently low for the institutor to monitor every move a participant makes and it is not unduly intimidating. Participants are never permitted to progress beyond the induction site unless the instructor is completely satisfied in the participant's ability to complete the main course safely. The participant must also feel confident and willing to progress.

3. Participants will be paired up. Whilst one is participating the other will be observing from the ground and checking every move their partner makes.

4. Participants are not permitted to clip into staples. They only clip into tested equipment.

 

THE TWO MOST IMPORTANT POINTS EMPHASISED TO PARTICIPANTS ARE.

•  They must at all times remain clipped on to a minimum of one belay /anchor attachment

•  Partners on the ground are equally responsible for the safety of participants

Most of the Cow's tail elements, unlike many bottom-top rope elements are designed in such a way that participants are unlikely to fall off.  If they do full then regaining an element should be easy, or pulling themselves to the end a feasible task. For situations where either of these is not possible then an etrier or similar device is slid along to the participants so that he can climb up and continue. If an etrier is not in position on an element then an instructor can climb up (protecting himself appropriately) and attach it. In a situation where a participant is injured, unconscious or "frozen" etc. then the instructor (with cow's tail rescue skills) will climb to implement rescue procedures.

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