Mother Nature is always going to win, so prepare your horses for disasters 

Horses are a tool and an asset on many farms and ranches, and it’s often easier to implement a plan to protect them before a disaster than face destruction and devastation afterward. 

The American Association of Equine Practitioners’ Horse Owner Education Committee recently hosted a webinar to help horse owners prepare for disasters. The online event featured Drs. Chelsea Folmar and Elizabeth Gorrell. The pair discussed several tips in order to have a positive outcome when facing a disaster. They touched on what to do before the disaster, during the disaster and after the disaster. 

Folmar said the first step is to write a detailed plan available throughout the operation. 

“You want to make sure that everyone kind of understands that there is a plan in place and that you’re going to try to follow that plan as best as you can,” she said. “This means that you should not only email it or text it to everyone so that they actually have a chance to review it, but it’s imperative to actually print it out and have it posted throughout your facility.” 

Ideally these plans are laminated or in a waterproof casing to protect them from wear. They also should be regularly reviewed and updated. 

“Unfortunately, even the best laid plans aren’t super helpful if they aren’t practiced and fully understood by everyone on the farm,” she said. “In addition to making sure that everyone has a copy and that they are posted, it’s helpful if you can do a run through. Think of this like a dress rehearsal before the big event, because when the stress is high and that disaster is approaching, you don’t want to be having to review things.” 

Everyone should have the plan down pat, and doing a run through helps find gaps in the plan. If there are any misunderstandings, they can be worked through before an actual emergency happens.  

“For example, if you practice your plan, you may realize that in this certain situation, your horse may not load well, in which case, this gives you ample time to work through some training exercises, work with your vet to create a plan or organize a different mode of transportation,” Folmar said.  

People first

Ultimately, plans need to keep human safety in mind first, even though that is often one of the hardest things to remember in an emergency.  

“We love our horses,” Folmar said. “We love this industry, and most of us would do anything for them, but at the end of the day, we are the priority. We need to make sure that you and the people around you are safe, so that emergency responders and everyone on the scene can give their energies to your beloved animals.” 

Humans get priority when evacuating. Then, Folmar said, animals go second, and any lifesaving items (emergency kit, feed, hay, medications) are third. Fourth is personal documentation and any irreplaceable or sentimental personal items.  

“And ideally, by having this plan in place, we’re going to be able to get as much out as possible, to save as much as we can,” she said. “Prioritize, be smart, and be practical.” 

A good place to start drafting a plan is to set parameters for when an evacuation needs to take place. First on that plan would be for owners to decide if they are going to evacuate with the horses or if the horses are going to be left behind.  

“Generally, you want to leave at least 72 hours, so about three days, before the disaster actually strikes,” Folmar said. “Now, this isn’t always possible. If it’s something like a tornado, you may not get much warning; however, for things like blizzards or hurricanes, we try to make sure we have plenty of time to be prepared for and that you evacuate as soon as possible.” 

The benefit of evacuating early is a person reduces the risk of being caught in the disaster itself—stuck in traffic or congested evacuation routes. Folmar recommends having at least two possible evacuation routes and a reliable truck and trailer.  

“You want to make sure they are up to date on any inspections that need to be done,” she said. “Make sure your tires are filled. Do anything that can be done to mitigate any potential trouble, literally, down the road. The other thing to recommend is that if you don’t have your own transportation, which is fine, not everyone does, you want to have a list of friends or professional haulers who can help provide these services.” 

When horses stay behind

What can owners do if they can’t evacuate with horses?  

“It’s very important to try to set them up for success to the best of your ability, but you should consider how to prepare your property to reduce the risk when your horses are left either in the barn or in the pasture,” Folmar said. 

Leaving an emergency kit behind, along with plenty of food and water, is important. 

“This is one instance when it is really important for you to decide on who’s going to make medical decisions related to your horses in the case that they may not be able to reach you,” Folmar said. “For example, nobody likes to think about this, but if your horses have a catastrophic injury or if they need intensive medical care, it’s crucial to have a plan in place on who can make that decision, especially if they can’t reach you, and what your options are, as far as euthanasia.” 

Those who choose not to evacuate in a disaster should consider how to set up their property for success. 

“You want to have plenty of supplies on hand,” she said. “And the premise of this talk will mainly focus on equine companions, but, as I said, humans have to be one of our major priorities in this, so make sure that you also look for resources as far as emergency kits for yourself and your household pets.” 

Disaster arrives

Staying up to date on disaster information is vital, even for those who left the area. Having a radio that doesn’t require electricity to listen to for information would be helpful, and Gorrell said she has a crank radio in her disaster kit. Solar and battery are two other radio options.  

Local television channels have disaster information, and following those channels’ social media feeds can prove helpful.  

“Speaking of social media, please do not believe everything you see on it about your disaster,” Gorrell said. 

Instead, she said to rely on local, vetted resources. 

“The police department, the fire department, Red Cross, your local host of counties will have emergency management operation centers,” she said. “Those are all good social media sites to get information from. Please just don’t trust whoever is posting on Facebook.” 

Emergency management agencies use weather radio information, Gorrell said. During the disaster, it’s important for owners to follow their plan and not to panic.  

“If you panic, it’s going to make it 5,000 times worse,” she said. “If you are the person in charge during the disaster, if you panic, everybody else who’s with you will panic. So, as hard as it is, remain calm. If you’re one of the people who need to panic, plan to panic after the emergency.” 

Kylene Scott can be reached at 620-227-1804 or [email protected].