Tillie Doyle
Horses require extra consideration when it comes to disaster planning. Natural disasters can be unpredictable, and an emergency preparedness checklist can help horse owners keep their animals safe. It is important to have a plan in place for evacuating horses, including multiple backup sites in case your preferred site is unavailable. It is also crucial to have solid plans to prevent barn fires and implement safe evacuations if necessary. Horse owners bear complete responsibility for their horses in emergencies, and preparing in advance is essential to keeping horses safe.
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What You'll Learn
Preparing a disaster kit
First Aid Kit
Prepare a basic first aid kit with enough water (12 to 20 gallons per day per horse), hay, feed, and medications for several days for each horse. Keep a first aid kit in the barn and one with your trailer to accompany your horses on the road. Ensure you have a complete emergency first aid kit from your veterinarian, including instructions on managing medical problems when immediate veterinary care is unavailable.
Identification
Ensure each horse has permanent identification such as a microchip, tattoo, brand, or photograph. This will help prevent theft and increase the chances of reuniting with your horse if you get separated during the disaster. Attach a luggage tag to each halter with information such as the horse's name, your name, contact details, and any other relevant emergency information.
Evacuation Plan
Have a detailed evacuation plan in place, including multiple backup sites in case your preferred site is inaccessible. Print out addresses, directions, and alternative routes to the evacuation sites. Keep copies of the plan posted in visible locations such as the barn, tack room, horse trailer, and barn entrances. Share your evacuation plans with friends, neighbours, and local emergency services.
Practice and Preparation
Practice loading your horses into a trailer so they become comfortable with the procedure. Ensure you have enough vehicles and trailers or arrangements with reliable friends or groups to transport all your horses. Prepare your barn by checking that locks on doors are easily opened in an emergency and ensuring halters are readily available.
Remember to review and update your disaster plan regularly, and consider rehearsing different disaster scenarios to fine-tune your response.
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$19.9
Evacuation planning
Transportation and Logistics:
- Ensure you have access to adequate transportation for your horses. If you don't have your own trailer or need additional capacity, coordinate with local haulers or neighbours with trailers. Have several people on standby to help with evacuation.
- Practice loading your horses into a trailer so they become comfortable with the procedure. This will make evacuation less stressful for both the horses and handlers.
- Keep halters ready for each horse, and attach luggage tags with information such as the horse's name, your name, contact information, and an additional emergency contact number.
- If using unknown haulers, collect their contact information, vehicle identification, license plate, and driver's license details.
Evacuation Procedures:
- Develop a detailed evacuation plan and share it with friends, neighbours, and relevant authorities. Post instructions in multiple places, including the barn office, tack room, horse trailer, and barn entrances, so emergency workers can refer to them if needed.
- During an evacuation, remove horses from the barn one at a time, starting with the most accessible ones. Put a halter and lead rope on each horse when you open the stall door.
- In an extreme emergency with limited time, release horses into a larger enclosed area that is out of the line of fire. Ensure their safety by removing halters to prevent burns and injuries.
- If you need to evacuate without your horses, let them into a paddock or corral and cut off their access to return to the barn. They will naturally retreat to where they are fed or cared for, even if the structure is on fire.
- Evacuate as soon as possible. Waiting until the last minute may result in emergency officials instructing you to leave your horses behind.
First Aid and Supplies:
- Prepare a basic first aid kit for your horses, including water (12 to 20 gallons per day per horse), hay, feed, and medications for several days.
- Stockpile at least two weeks' supply of feed/hay in a dry area, ensuring it is accessible to horses if you are stranded or unable to return immediately.
- Include additional items in your emergency care kit, such as salves, ointments, vet wrap, bandages, tape, povidone-iodine, and a halter with a lead rope.
- Keep your horse's tetanus vaccine up to date, especially in disaster scenarios with increased risks of puncture wounds.
Post-Disaster Care:
- After a fire or similar incident, have all your horses checked by a veterinarian. Smoke inhalation can cause serious lung damage, and horses may experience stress-related issues like colic.
- Notify neighbours and family of your whereabouts during an emergency so they can reach you if something happens to your horses or you need assistance.
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Transportation
Firstly, have a suitable vehicle or trailer to transport your horses. If you don't have your own trailer or lack sufficient space in it, arrange for alternative transportation. Contact local haulers to inquire about their availability during emergencies. When resorting to unknown haulers, collect their contact information, vehicle identification, license plate, and driver's license details. Additionally, practice loading your horses into a trailer so that they become familiar and comfortable with the process.
Secondly, prepare multiple backup plans. Identify several locations where you can take your horses in an evacuation and have backup options in case your preferred sites are unavailable. Obtain any necessary permissions to bring horses to these locations in advance. Keep printed copies of addresses and directions to the evacuation centers, and consider alternative routes in case of blocked access.
Thirdly, ensure proper identification for your horses. Implement permanent identification methods such as microchipping, tattooing, branding, or photographs. This will help prevent theft and ensure a reunion with your horses if they get lost during the disaster. Additionally, provide visible identification with emergency tags containing contact information and notes about each horse. These tags can be braided into the horse's mane or written on the horse using waterproof paint.
Finally, prepare disaster kits and first aid kits. These kits should include essential supplies such as water (12 to 20 gallons per day per horse), hay, feed, and medications for several days. Keep at least two weeks' worth of feed and water available for emergencies. Don't forget to include other items like halters, lead ropes, and any unique requirements for each horse.
Remember, quick and efficient transportation is crucial during a disaster. By following these steps, you can increase the chances of safely evacuating your horses and providing them with the necessary care during transportation.
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Post-disaster care
After a disaster, it is important to have your horses checked by a veterinarian. Smoke inhalation can cause serious lung damage and respiratory complications, and horses are prone to stress and may experience colic.
If you had to evacuate without your horses, they should be let out into a paddock or corral, and their access to the barn or stall should be cut off. In the case of extreme danger with limited time, horses can be let into a larger enclosed area that has been tamped down and is out of the line of fire. However, do not let the horses run free, as this could endanger first response personnel. Remove halters to prevent the synthetic fibres from melting on the horses' faces and the metal rings from burning them.
After the disaster, it is important to provide your horses with enough water (12 to 20 gallons per day per horse), hay, feed, and medications. If possible, have several people on standby to help evacuate your horses and check if local haulers are available for emergency transport. When using emergency transport, collect contact information, vehicle identification, the license plate, and the driver's license.
In the aftermath of a disaster, it is crucial to have a plan for sheltering your horses. Call your county to inquire about emergency shelters for animals, and ensure that your property is flagged by local animal control so that it is on the radar of emergency officials for assistance. If your horses are at a boarding facility or barn, confirm that there is a disaster plan in place for notification and evacuation.
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Identification
Permanent identification methods include microchipping, tattooing, branding, and registering photographs of your horse. These methods will help to prove ownership and can be used to identify your horse if they go missing. Keep a detailed record of your horse's identification, including their name, age, sex, breed, colour, and any unique markings, and store this with other important documents.
Visible identification with temporary emergency tags can be used to provide critical contact information in the event of a disaster. These tags can be braided into your horse's mane or mane hair, or you can write the information on your horse's body using waterproof paint. Include your name, email address, telephone number, and any other relevant emergency contact details. While these forms of identification are temporary, they can be crucial in the short term, providing information to emergency responders and increasing the chances of being reunited with your horse.
It is also important to ensure that your horse has a halter with a luggage tag containing identification information. This should include the horse's name, your name, and contact details. Additionally, consider including any unique markings, the horse's age, sex, breed, and colour, as these details can aid in identification and assist in verifying ownership.
Permanent identification methods such as microchipping, tattooing, or branding are highly recommended for all horses. These methods provide a more reliable and long-term form of identification, increasing the chances of a safe return should your horse go missing during or after a disaster.
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Frequently asked questions
Your disaster plan should include a detailed step-by-step guide on what to do with the horses in an emergency and how to move them if necessary. It should also include packing lists, individual responsibilities, and relevant contacts. Print out several copies of your plan and post them in places like the barn office, tack room, horse trailer, and barn entrances—to ensure emergency workers can see them in case you are unable to evacuate your horses yourself.
If you need to evacuate your horses, first ensure you have enough vehicles or trailers to transport them. If you don't, be sure to have several people on standby to help. If you are using emergency transport, collect contact information, vehicle identification, license plate, and driver's license. Practice loading your horses into a trailer so they become comfortable with the procedure. If you are evacuating without your horses, let them out into a paddock or corral and cut off their access to return to the barn or stall.
Your disaster kit should include a basic first aid kit with enough water (12 to 20 gallons per day per horse), hay, feed, and medications for several days for each horse. It's also a good idea to keep at least two weeks' worth of feed and water available in case of emergencies.
After a disaster, make sure to have all your horses checked by a veterinarian. Smoke inhalation can cause serious lung damage and respiratory complications, and horses may experience colic after a fire.
