Trouble on the Road
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ot all natural disasters happen at home. If you haul your horse to shows and clinics, for example, you could encounter bad weather en route or at your destination, particularly when long journeys are involved. “For example, if you live in Connecticut but travel to a show in Missouri,” says disaster-preparedness expert Dr. Rebecca Gimenez, “you might have to deal with a tornado warning, which could be new and scary.” That’s why Gimenez advises travelers with horses to “Do your research. Find out what types of hazards can occur in the area you are traveling to or along the route. This is part of a travel risk assessment that you should be doing for every trip. Do you have the phone number and name of a vet for several areas across the travel route? Do you have emergency stabling en route? We say, ‘Preparation for disasters is best done by following best practices and using risk assessments and practice for evacuations in everyday situations.’ Travel skills are a great example.”
Some horse owners use livestock marking crayons or spray paint to mark their animals with their names and phone numbers, or write on hooves with permanent markers. If you’re handy with clippers, you can even body-clip your information into your horse’s haircoat.
Essentials on Hand An important step in disaster preparedness is assembling essential paperwork and supplies. Place your horse’s identifying photos, documents (such as registration papers and insurance policy), and veterinary information in a watertight zip-lock bag that’s ready to grab in the event of an emergency. Make sure a current negative Coggins certificate is among your documents; you’ll need it to transport a horse across state lines, and it will help you claim ownership if you and your horse become separated. As a matter of course, keep your horse up to date on vaccinations, says Gimenez, who also urges horse owners to take biosecurity precautions at emergency shelters because other horses may not be up to date on their shots. Digital Edition Bonus Content
Download the UC Davis Center for Equine Health’s 10-step poster on creating an individual equine emergency-preparedness plan.
50 June 2017 • USDF CONNECTION
“We have a ‘go box’ with important documents, so we can just pick up one box and leave. With the horses, we’ve made a ‘hurricane list’ of supplies we need,” says St. Onge. “If there’s a threat that looks like it could conceivably come our direction, we get out the hurricane list and assemble everything that we want to put on the trailer. If the hurricane doesn’t hit us, we put everything back, but if it does come our way, it’s all ready. With a checklist, we know we have everything.” After an ice storm felled trees and power lines throughout the area, Bel Laurel Farm was left without electricity for ten days—which meant no operating well pump and therefore no running water. “We learned to fill the 150-gallon troughs in all the paddocks when any large storm is looming,” says St. Onge. Prepare human and equine first-aid kits. According to the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP), your horse kit should include medications, chlorhexidine scrub, triple antibiotic ointment, and assorted wraps and bandages. If you’re not sure what you need, consult your veterinarian. The AAEP recommends having the following emergency supplies on hand: tarps, chain saw (and fuel), knife, flashlights, batteries, wire cutters, scissors, hammer, nails, and battery-powered radio. Some farm owners invest in generators to power at least the essentials (such as a well pump and lights) in the event of an electric outage. If you own a truck and trailer, keep both vehicles in good repair so they’re ready to go at any time.
Go Time When bad weather heads your way, have your truck fueled, trailer hitched, rig in the driveway facing the road, and gear organized. Load the trailer with everything you might need; as Speer points out, just as at a horse show, temporary stabling tends to lack such essentials as water buckets and bucket holders. Prepare a one- to two-week supply of hay, grain, and any essential medications or supplements your horse needs. If water and wind are threats, wrap hay in plastic and put grain in waterproof containers. Fill plastic trash cans with water and seal lids, and fill water troughs to the brim (plan on 12 to 20 gallons of water a day per horse, the AAEP says). Tie down equipment. Don’t wait until the last minute to leave when a threat looms. In hurricanes, for example, evacuation routes may be over traffic capacity, and with their high profiles horse trailers can’t withstand high winds. In the event of manda-