Thoughts for Irene and Your Horses

Thoughts for Irene and Your Horses
Adapted from 24 Step Disaster Plan; The Canadian Horse Journal, May-June 2005 Issue
By Emily Herring; Pender County Livestock Agent

Right now everyone should be getting ready to execute their plan for Hurricane Irene. I have a listed the things you should have done prior to now, but now is not too late to do SOME of these things.
1. Identify on your property the low parts that are prone to flooding and the relatively “safe” places to confine animals.
2. Know where your water and feed is going to come from if and when the electricity is out. Keep feed and hay dry during the event.
3. Know where you are going to take your horses if you should need to evacuate.
4. Take pictures of your horse from all sides and with yourself in the picture. Record its breed, sex, age and color and keep copies with your other important papers. This is to ensure the horse to be returned to its owner.
5. Have all vaccinations up to date and keep all medical paperwork with your other important papers.
6. Have your trailer and truck insured and in good working condition.
7. Make sure your horse will load!!!
8. Keep a stock of hay and grain with any needed medications and first aid kit on hand.

Things to be doing now.
1. Have a halter and lead rope for EVERY horse and make sure it can be easily found, preferably by each horses stall or paddock gates.
2. Have extra feed and water buckets at your barn, this is to be sent with your horse in case of evacuation.
3. Have 3 or more days of feed and hay. Store water in large containers. Keep medications in airtight, waterproof container.
4. Have extra bedding, pitchforks and shovels on hand.
5. Make ID tags for your horses with your name, address, phone number, horses name and description, vets name and number, special needs, and feeding instructions and can be attached to the halters, manes and/or tails.
6. In the event that all horses cannot be evacuated, make sure your barn workers/volunteers are aware of which horses to evacuate first.
7. Have a portable first aid kit ready to go.
8. Have a map of the area, in the event of a disaster, there may be roads closed where you must find alternative routes be sure you are familiar with the area.

Things to do right before the storm, whether right before evacuation or before the storm hits.
1. Put all copies of horses registration papers, vet papers, insurance papers, photos of the horse, and write “Copy” across them. Fill out an index card with the same information as on the ID tag and wrap around the horses halter with duct tape. Do not put original registration papers in the bag.
2. Braid luggage-type tags with the same information on the index card into the horses mane and tail, don’t tie around tail.
3. Find another way to put your information on your horse, granted a tag can come off. If not micro chipped or branded, use spray paint, etch in the hooves or use small clippers to clip your phone number in the horses neck.
4. Get all extra buckets, feed, hay, and first aid kit load up into the trailer for evacuation.
5. Do not wait until the LAST minute to transport your horses, they know when something is going to happen and can become dangerous. Load horses up and send on to evacuation site, if evacuating. Write down and keep in a safe place where your horse has been evacuated to.
6. If you are planning to wait out the storm on your property and not evacuate, it is a good idea to have a piece of plywood board close to your house or barn with the words “Have Horses; Need Help!” or “Have Horses; OK for now” spray painted on. This is to be used to signal to emergency personnel if need be of rescuing after the storm and communication lines are down.

The MOST important things to do and remember are....
1. Know where you are going when and if you decide to evacuate and the different routes to and from the location.
2. Identify your horses, remember tags can come off, and anything can happen during a storm. Not all people are honest and rescuing maybe necessary after the storm therefore photos are great to have in your ziplock bag of important papers that is kept with you.
3. Have a stash of feed, hay, water and your horses medical supplies stored in a dry and/or waterproof containers for three days or more with your horse.

Equine sheltering and other equine information is listed below.
http://www.ncagr.gov/markets/livestock/horse/
- Equine Directory – Source for Emergency Sheltering (left menu - yellow)
- View All Listings (left menu)
- Emergency Boarding Facilities (top right)