Disaster Prep: April Edition

Each part of the country has it’s own set of natural disasters and preparedness is key when catastrophe strikes. Horses are fragile creatures who need help when it comes to avoiding injury, especially in high-risk situations. Using a hurricane as an example covers many of the issues that need to be considered in an emergency situation and can be applied to fires, earthquake damage, flooding and tornados.

The number one most important step in your preparation for any disaster is to know your evacuation routes and have a plan in place. This means having access to a truck and trailer and knowing where you will head if you do end up evacuating. Have the trailer packed before the event!

You are in Florida, Louisiana, Texas or Alabama and have just hours before what could be a Category 5 Hurricane. This could turn in to a choose your own adventure book but you have prepared for this by saving supplies in the highest and driest location! With the timeline of a storm being unpredictable, its important to collect enough feed and water. Obviously the amount is also dependent on the number or horses you have. It is recommended you set aside enough goods for about a week of care. Even if the storm itself doesn’t last this long, the roads to the feed store may be blocked or it may be closed. Here are some essentials and ways to store them.

• Garbage cans make solid affordable water storage and they are readily available. Keep in mind, one horse can drink 12 or so gallons a day. • Bales of hay can be plastic wrapped before the event but do not do this too far ahead of time as moisture and heat can cause mold and this plan will backfire on you. Horses consume 12- 15 pounds of hay per day. With bales varying greatly in size pay close attention to how much you will need.

• Feed can also be stored in garbage cans or in a no longer working chest style freezer.

• Giving ample electrolytes leading up to the storm can encourage hydration.

• Keep Banamine and bandaging materials in a safe dry place in the unfortunate case that you have to play vet.

There is much debate over whether a horse should be inside or outside during a hurricane. If inside the horse could be protected from flying debris but of course the barn could collapse as well. Usually outside is a safer choice unless you have a barn specifically built to withstand gale force winds.

Fencing can be destroyed and horses can wander so it’s very important to mark your horse. Microchipping your horses is a fool proof way to identify them but requires a chip reader. It is still a very good idea as it can take away any room for debate if you horse is found far from home. Branding is an easy to see form of identification but only helpful if your brand is well known or registered in your state. Some creative ways to mark your stock pre-storm can be found on YouTube and TicTok.

• spray paint your phone number on the horse.

• Braid an ID tag into their mane and tail, cattle tags and luggage tags work well.

• Clip your phone number into their coat. • Halters can make catching and rescuing horses easier but they must be a breakaway halter with a leather crown piece or a leather halter.

Helpful tip: Take photos of your horse to assist in proving ownership whether or not they are microchipped. Not the photo with the fly mask on from 100 yards. Decent photos that show markings.

An updated coggins and tetanus shot are must haves, but your horse should be up to date on all vaccines. This comes in to play if you must shelter them at a public stable after you evacuate because most farms will not allow horses to come on to their property unless their vaccines are completely up to date.

By being prepared you can save your horse pain and suffering and save yourself avoidable heartbreak. No one wants to think about these things, but by taking a few simple precautions, you can make sailing through storms a much easier process. If the time ever comes, you and your horse will be so glad you did!