How it all got started...

In 2008 our parent organisation The Big Beast Company decided to design, develop, and build a life sized, fully articulated, mannequin horse for use as a training dummy by the Fire and Rescue Services. The original horse was sculpted from polystyrene, cut into component parts, re-sculpted, and then each part coated in a thin layer of plaster to give a smooth finish and to provide a suitable surface from which to take production moulds.

A steel 'chassis' was constructed to provide strength and stability, as well as to provide protruding axles on which the legs could pivot. This chassis was then cast into the torso.The first production version was supplied to Hants Fire and Rescue for field testing and, as a result of their feedback, a number of modifications were made. We have benefited from further feedback via other Fire and Rescue services who are now using 'Randy' the Rubber Rescue Training Mannequin Horse for large animal rescue training.

Please visit our Media Page for more images of the design, development, and production of Randy the Rubber Rescue Training Mannequin Horse.

The launch of our training horse brought with it a number of enquiries for other training aids. Soon after Randy had galloped out of his stable we were asked if it was possible to design a realistic bariatric dummy; this is our current project.

Because of the specialist nature of rescue training equipment, and as The Big Beast Company is involved in a wide range of creative activities, it was decided to form a separate company who's primary focus would be rescue and training equipment with an emphasis on health and safety - thus Big Beasts Limited was born.

This year we are developing a number of new products designed for rescue training purposes and, as not all of them are 'Big Beasts', it seemed appropriate for us to change our name to something that might reflect more accurately the work that we now undertake. With Rescue, and Rescue Training Equipment, as our focus, we believe the name 'Resquip Limited' to be appropriate.