Horse, livestock owners should be prepared for severe weather

It has been a crazy year of bad weather in the tri-state area. From tornadoes, huge lightning storms, to flash flooding, our communities have taken a hit.

Livestock and horses have been impacted by the severe weather, which puts huge financial and emotional strains their owners. The tornado that went through Codington County here in South Dakota left homes and farm places in ruin. This includes several horses, a few of which I treated. Their owner was willing to share their experience.

Tornado survivors

This family had four horses, three of which survived the tornado. The horses had very deep lacerations on their necks and multiple scrapes all over their bodies. One horse had a large laceration on his stifle that was very close to the joint, and another had a laceration on her face.

The horses were out on pasture at the time the tornado hit. The survivors are doing great and healing well, thanks to intensive wound management and relentless dedication to their healing.

Stall or turnout?

After these devastating tornadoes, I was asked frequently which is better: turn out or stall if a tornado is coming.

The answer is, there is no answer. Each option has its own safety risks. If the horses are housed in an area where there are a lot of buildings, lots of trees, and no shelter, then having them in a sturdy barn would protect them from flying debris, which is what caused all the lacerations shown in the photos accompanying this article. But if the barn goes down, the horses may become trapped and crushed.

If horses are kept in a wide open pasture, then having them be outside to get away from the storm could be better, but with the chance that they could run through the fence becoming injured or loose. If there is a lightning storm, keep horses away from water and tall objects.

Horse identification

I love microchipping horses because it is an easy, cheap process and a permanent way to identify them. Brands are helpful for identification as well. Putting your phone number on a luggage tag and braiding it into your horse’s mane is always a good idea for a cheap and easy way for someone to get ahold of you if they should get loose during a storm. Some people have even painted their phone number on their sides with livestock marking paint.

Always keep your registration papers in a safe place so that you can prove they are yours. If you have your horse microchipped, place the sticker that came with the microchip on the papers and also update on the horse’s breed registry with that number, which can be easily done online for the American Quarter Horse Association.

First Aid

All animal owners should have a first aid kit of some sort readily available. In the winter, I have emergency kit continuing education for my clients so that they can refill their kits and learn new techniques. If I have seen their animals in the last six months, I will often prescribe medications that they can keep in their kits.

Owners should at a bare minimum be able to correctly wrap a lower leg wound in order to transport to their veterinarian. They also should be able to tourniquet a limb wound if it is bleeding profusely.

Also, make sure that you have a current veterinary-client-patient-relationship so that in case of an emergency, you have someone to call.

Conclusion

Make sure you at least have a plan for tornadoes. This year has shown us that nobody is exempt from severe weather. Stay safe and have a good rest of your summer!