FYI: What to Do w/Horses In Bad Storms

[Raven]

From U of MN Extension Office

The devastating tornado in OK and resulting loss in human and horse
lives has provoked an important question: should horses be put in a
barn or left out during severe weather and what considerations should
be taken into account when making this decision?

We turned to Equine Extension Specialist Dennis Sigler from Texas A
and M for some insight. Dr. Sigler stated that it depends on the kind
of barn the horses are housed in, but experts usually suggest that
horses be left outside, especially if housed in a pole type, tin barn.
In thunderstorms, if horses are housed in concrete or cinderblock
barns, they could be better off inside to protect them from hail,
lightning, and flying objects. However, each case is different and
there probably is no right or wrong answer. With the magnitude of the
Oklahoma storm, many horses were killed on a race horse farm located
adjacent to the school where many children perished. It apparently
made no difference if the horses were outside in pastures or inside a
barn.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to all those affected by the Oklahoma
tornado; the loss of human and animal life is indeed devastating.

--
Raven
Lucy & Stella & Hazel, the Girl Doggies
Huginn, Rothadis, & Dixie Chick, the Back Behind the Barn Ponies

I ride a pony, cuz heart is not measured in hands.

Respect ALL Earthlings. We are all animals of this planet. We are all creatures.

[Dawn Carrie]

Our horses are out in pastures 24/7, unless one needs to be stalled for some reason.  We've noticed some interesting behavior during bad weather.  During normal storms, including heavy thunderstorms with wind/rain/lightning, they typically take shelter under the large trees or in a run-in shed.  It worries me when they stand under trees, since I worry the tree will get hit by lightning, but short of cutting down all their shade trees (not desireable here in Texas), there's nothing I can do other than cross my fingers.

 

But during Hurricanes Rita and Ike they avoided the shelters and trees, and stood out in the middle of the pasture in the open, with their butts to the wind.  The western eyewall of Ike went right over us, and the winds were horrendous (tore the roof off our steel barn, uprooted trees).  Somehow the horses knew to stay out in the open away from the trees.

 

Dawn Carrie, Texas

--
--
You received this message because you are subscribed to ride...@endurance.net

To post to this group, send email to ride...@endurance.net
To unsubscribe from this group, send email to:       ridecamp+u...@endurance.net
For more options, visit this group at
http://groups.google.com/a/endurance.net/group/ridecamp?hl=en

[Truman Prevatt]

The results from Andrew was that horses are just as likely - maybe more so - to be injured or killed in a barn than in the open.  What they found in Andrew, however, was having woven wire fences (horse wire) was a very good idea because it did a much better job stopping flying debris than any other types of fence. 

Face it when a F5 tornado which is 1.3 miles wide hits your warm head on everything in at least 1.3 miles will be pulverized to a pulp.  It won't matter if it is in a barn or in the field.  It is history. Horses on the range won't have problems.  They are not stopped from following their natural instincts and fleeing by fences. 

Truman

You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RidecampRedistributed" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to ridecampredistri...@googlegroups.com.
For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
 
 

--

"The great tragedy of science - the slaying of a beautiful theory by an ugly fact." - Thomas Henry Huxley