#horses - #How to keep your horses safe in a hurricane or severe weather emergency, from someone certified by FEMA for Animals in Disasters and Livestock in Disasters

How to keep your horses safe in a hurricane or severe weather emergency, from someone certified by FEMA for Animals in Disasters and Livestock in Disasters

SOURCE: I'm certified by FEMA in "Animals in Disasters" and "Livestock in Disasters."

Horses are in EXTREME danger from hurricanes and other severe weather emergencies. Here are some ways to keep you and your horses safe during hurricane Dorian, future hurricanes, or severe weather emergencies. NOTE: Hurricane Dorian is thankfully weakening and is now a Category 2 storm (with winds still over 100mph), currently traveling up the South Carolina coast and may make landfall in North Carolina on Friday. These areas may not be as hurricane-prepared as Florida, so hopefully this info will help some Carolinian horse owners. Here are some FEMA guidelines for dealing with these emergencies:

• Horses should absolutely always be evacuated if possible. Better safe than sorry. A hurricane doesn't need to directly strike your area for the severe weather which it brings to cause serious damage or loss of human and animal life.

• Horses' instinct to huddle under single large trees is a HUGE risk to them, as such trees act as lightning rods -- neither people nor animals should congregate around large trees during a hurricaine, tornado, or thunderstorm. Aside from lightning there's a serious risk of falling branches (which in heavy winds can also become fatal projectiles) or of the tree itself falling and crushing/injuring animals. FEMA recommends fences be built around tall, islated trees to prevent horses from congregating underneath them in severe weather.

• Horses which absolutely can't be evacuated should be left outside in a large pasture with high-ground to escape flooding and which has been cleared of all debris which could become a projectile in high wind, including objects in the surrounding area. Any trees near the fenceline should be trimmed of any dead, low-hanging, or heavy branches which may fall and breech the fence. There should be NO powerlines in or near the pasture. If you don't have a suitable pasture and can't evacuate, try to find a neighbor who will allow you to use their pasture.

• NEVER turn horses loose thinking they'll find a safe place or be able to fend for themselves. They'll almost certainly be seriously injured or die in their panic. Panicked animals will run and even if uninjured won't be able to find their way home, no matter how well they can under normal circumstances. They can be a danger to themselves, other evacuees, and rescue personel. Horses often do get loose due to compromised fences, however they should never intentionally be set loose, by owners or well-meaning citizens.

• NEVER EVER NEVER leave horses or animals tied during severe weather!!! There are NO exceptions to this.

• Horses should have several self-contained large tanks of water available, away from anything such as trees which may fall and tip them, block them, or break them, and should be located on high ground where flooding will not contaminate them -- a flowing creek or lake should NOT serve as horses only water source as natural water may become contaminated by toxic materials, and any natural water features increase the risk of flooding. Buckets are not suitable water sources as they'll tip or blow away, even if secured.

• Horses are better left with no shelter rather than a flimsy shelter which may collapse in high winds or become deadly projectiles. Even if the shelter doesn't collaspe, loose areas of the shelter can become razor-sharp hazards which may injure horses inside the shelter. Horses are water-proof. If there's no other alternative, reinforce and seal or fence off these structures.

• Horses left in pasture need a food source free from potential contamination by flooding, like roundbales on high ground if there's no grass. Be wary of feeders which may become fatal projectiles, like metal feed troughs or solid round-bale feeders. NEVER leave out large quantities of grain thinking the horses will ration it, the horses will eat it all at once and colic or founder.

• ALL horses should have contact info semi-permanently affixed to them. Options include a plastic neckband (like those put on broodmares), waterproof spray paint, a platic tag glued onto their butt (like an aution tag), a phone number clipped into their hair, or a tag braided into their mane or tail and the braid glued so it doesn't come undone.

• If you feel the need to leave halters on NEVER USE A NYLON HALTER!!! even a break-away nlyon halter, although any halter left on MUST have a beak-away component. If left wearing a halter, it MUST be either a rope halter (one NOT made of nylon or synthetic rope) with a break-away component (adding ROPE-style bailing twine -- not plastic-style -- over the tie-loop for the crown piece can turn it into a break-away rope-halter) or a leather halter with NO metal hardware. Any metal hardware on a leather halter should be removed and replaced with baling twine or similar. 300 people a year in the US are struck by lightning (and probably more horses). A horse struck by lighting has a decent chance of surviving, but a nylon or synthetic halter will melt into the horse's face, causing severe injury and burns, and any metal fittings will cause severe burns.

• An animal or person who's been struck by lightning DOES NOT carry an elecrtic charge and is safe to touch immediately after a strike. If you're in a lighting storm, get away from tall objects, crouch in a low-lying dry area, curl into a ball and perch on the tips of your toes. Remove all metal/synthetic materials if you have time.

• Make sure the owner and caretakers have ownership and health papers for all horses, pictures of each horse from all angles, and a picture of the owner with the horse in the event the horses escape and must be claimed. Ensure vaccines are UTD especially tetanus.

• Horses should NEVER be left with blankets or rugs on.

• If your barn is rated for this category of hurricane, is on high ground with a lightning dispersal system, or on low ground with drainage and little risk of flooding, the horses should be kept inside with all glass windows covered on the inside with shatter-proof material, or removed entirely and replaced with shatter-proof material. In a pinch, cover all exterior glass on both sides with a thick layer of heavy-duty duct-tape -- if duct-tape-covered glass is broken, it's less likely to create dangerous, possibly airborne shards. However it may create an opening which will expose the interior of the building to high winds, leave the building vulnerable to pressure changes which could weaken the structure, or allow projectiles to be blown in from outside. Therefore more solid material like plexiglass or wood is preferable to reinforce windows.

• Sandbags should be placed around the barn (especially in areas where water tends to pool or run, and sides below a slope where running water may flow), around drainage areas, and in the path of potential landslides. Drainage tenches/areas and slopes without grass or plant growth are more prone to failure and landslides and can become a serious hazard. If doors which worked fine before start to become jammed in their frame or will no longer close, or if any cracks appear in walls or windows/glass shatters without being struck, it means the foundation of the building is compromised by flooding, flowing water, or a potential landslide, and if severe or quickly worsening the building is at risk for collapse. Find a sturdy exterior wall away from any windows and curl up beneath a heavy piece of furniture. Do not assume it's safe to evacuate the building.

• If horses must be left behind in a barn or pasture, leave highly visible signs alerting rescue personel of the location and number of horses and someone to contact plus any hazards like dangerous chemicals or aggressive horses/stallions/dogs.

• In the barn should be several large troughs of water filled prior to the storm so the horses can be provided with fresh water. Do NOT use flood waters to water horses as it may be contaminated. Do NOT trust city or well-water as they may also be contaminated and should not be consumed by humans or animals until given the all-clear.

• Food and hay should be kept in an area where it's protected from contanimation from rain or flooding and far away from any toxic materials or chemcials.

• Until the weather is dangerous enough to require totally sealing the barn (if necessary), make sure there's adequate ventillation for the horses and humans inside and if at all possible frequently remove waste to avoid a toxic build-up of ammonia, methane, and other toxic gases. Remember to never use bleach to clean areas with ammonia, especially in an enclosed barn. If a barn has been sealed up for a while, let it air out for several minutes before entering. Remember some toxic gases rise and others may stay at ground level.

• Have multiple fire-extinguishers and well-stocked and up-to-date human and equine first-aid kits located in a safe and easily accessible spot. Make sure your equine kit includes several doses of tetanus anti-toxin (different to tetanus vaccine). Do not lock fire extinguishers or first aids kits away or store them in a hard-access room/location. Don't store them where they might become inaccessible or dangerous to access in an emergency (like on shelves which may fall), and don't leave them in an area where they might be blown away or damaged by blowing objects. Have flashlights and extra batteries.

• Ensure you have food and water for all animals and humans to last through the storm and then some.

• Flamible materials like hay and shavings should be stored in a seperate building a distance from the barn. Disconnect any power sources to these structures prior to severe weather.

• If the barn catches fire and the fire can't be immediately controlled, no time should be wasted -- IMMEDIATELY remove the horses from the barn and then close and lock all exterior barn doors. Horses commonly run back into a burning barn out of sheer panic and perish. Even horses which are planned to be left in barns during severe weather should have semi-permnant identification on them such as a neck-band, paint, clipping, or a glued-on or braided-in tag in the event the barn needs to be evacuated due to fire or structural failure.

• All toxic chemicals and substances should be removed to a seperate, locked building and put on a stable lower (but not ground-level) shelf with a lip, where they're not in danger of spilling, being found by children or animals, or contaminating flood water. Power to these buildings should be turned off and a warning sign posted on the doors. When ANY building is opened after a hurricane the building should be allowed to air out before anyone enters, even if it seems safe.

• All gas storage tanks should be sealed and secured, and all gas lines should be closed.

• Someone will need to stay with the horses if they're left in stalls to provide fresh water and food, but that person should never try to leave in a vehicle during the hurricane if weather conditions become dangerous -- if you happen to be driving when a hurricaine approaches, exit your vehicle and lay in a low ditch with your hands over your neck. Never leave your vehicle parked under a tree if severe weather is adancing on your location in case you unepectedly need to evacuate, as the tree may fall and crush your vehicle, leaving you stranded.

• Always preserve human life above animals.

• Connect with neighbors who aren't evacuating and establish a phone tree (do NOT use landlines during lightning storms) to ensure everyone is ok and so that emergency services can be contacted if someone is in danger or unresponsive.

• Connect with neighbors and establish a highly visible (from the road if possible) and easily accessible (by the people on the property) signal for "EMERGENCY -- SEND HELP" and "WE'RE OK", so neighbors can know your status if telephone communication isn't possible. An example of such a signal would be a large, highly visible piece of red or green reflective plastic hung outside the house or barn. If a neighbor indicates they're in danger, contact emergency services if possible but never attempt to render aid personally if severe weather is still on-going or if there's any signs of potential danger, such as high winds or flood water -- even if flood waters don't appear dangerous, all moving water is potentially dangerous, and high winds may knock you down or cause a projectile to strike you, causing serious or fatal injury. In these circumstances protect yourself first and contact emergency services as soon as possible. Many people instinctively want to rescue friends and neighbors who may be in danger, but putting yourself in harms way may not only cause you serious injury or death, but will detain and possibly over-extend emergency personel and interfere with their ability to help others who need help.

• Similarly, never risk your safety to aid an animal in distress. Human life is always the first priority, no matter how emotionally attached you are to an animal. Many humans each year die trying to rescue pets. Remember that any animal -- especially a horse, but also dogs, cats, etc -- can be panicked by severe weather and even if the environmental conditions are safe to approach the animal, the panicked animal may injure or kill you -- even if they know you very well and are typically gentle. A panicked, terrified, or strangely-acting animal should never be approached if it can be avoided (for example if a barn needs to be evacuated during severe weather or a fire, open the stalls and allow the horses to run out on their own). Remember that if a horse or animal injures you out in a pasture or anywhere away from people, you may not be able to get yourself to safety and may die before anyone finds you, or may put others at risk when they try to rescue you.

• If in a barn when a hurricane comes, seal yourself in a sturdy exterior room without windows (if you have one) or an interior room made specifically as a shelter (but not in an interior room not intended as a shelter, as it may collapse on you), and curl up under a solid piece of furniture, grasping it firmly if possible.

• Watch for fallen powerlines, especially those which may have fallen into flood waters. Cut electricity to buildings before the hurricane arrives if possible.

• Never try to cross moving water either on foot or in a vehicle, no matter how shallow it appears. Allow all buildings to air out before entering, even if it seems safe.

• Evacuate horses from the path of any hurricane or emergency severe weather if at all possible, as soon as possible. Evacuate horses to high ground if flooding is expected, without a hurricane or thunderstorms predicted. Evacuate horses to low-ground with no trees if a severe thunderstorm is expected with no flooding.

• REMEMBER: Horses ABSOLUTELY DO NOT know how to keep themselves safe in severe weather emergencies!!!

Submitted September 05, 2019 at 04:30PM by calm_chowder
via reddit https://www.reddit.com/r/Horses/comments/d07wwx/how_to_keep_your_horses_safe_in_a_hurricane_or/?utm_source=ifttt