I've already received some questions about leaving horses in versus out during a storm. Here's the answer....I don't know....well it depends.
The best thing we can do is to have a plan and discuss it with neighbors and other horse friends.
Each farm is different and you will need to make a judgement call as to leave horses in or out. Consider areas that are prone to flooding, tall trees, and power lines. Don't forget about the limbs and leaves that blow into the pasture...remove any Red Maple leaves that enter your pasture as they are very toxic to horses and we always see an increase in Red Maple leaf toxicity after storms.
Don't hesitate to call if you have an emergency! I am always available rain or shine.
The best thing we can do is to have a plan and discuss it with neighbors and other horse friends.
- Make sure horses have some permanent form of identification- microchips are great options as they can't be removed or wear off during bad weather. Just make sure to keep the registration up to date
- Leave halters on horses that have a phone number attached to them
- Take pictures of each side of your horse for identification
- Use fingernail polish to write your phone number on hooves and cover it clear hoof polish for longevity
- Plan to be without water for a few days...fill up muck buckets, trash cans, or water tubs. Plan to have a minimum of 10 gallons of water per day per horse
- Place a few bales of hay in the horse trailer/shed/garage so there is a back up if your main supply is soaked
- Make sure your first aid kit is stocked....duct tape and baling twine really are useful in lots of situations. Make sure you have bandage material and an antibiotic ointment for wounds
- Don't try to evacuate in the middle of the storm...its to late and more dangerous. Watch/listen to the news for evacuation locations if necessary. In the past Colonial Downs has been available for hurricane evacuation. I will update the blog/facebook as information become available
- Make sure you have saws and gasoline available for clean-up efforts or to free a trapped horse
- Secure manure forks/tools in the barn aisle so they don't become projectiles
Each farm is different and you will need to make a judgement call as to leave horses in or out. Consider areas that are prone to flooding, tall trees, and power lines. Don't forget about the limbs and leaves that blow into the pasture...remove any Red Maple leaves that enter your pasture as they are very toxic to horses and we always see an increase in Red Maple leaf toxicity after storms.
Don't hesitate to call if you have an emergency! I am always available rain or shine.