Planning for Floods
Evaluate the farm landscape to determine high and low elevations and their relationship to waterways. Horses should be removed from the low-lying areas where water pools, especially during stormy weather. Ideally, enhanced drainage systems in these areas would minimize the amount of standing water during storms before flooding begins.
During extensive rains, the roadways may be washed away; planning for many alternate routes in advance of floods is critical. Additionally, having regularly maintained transport vehicles available or contracted for emergency is essential for the safe and quick removal of horses to higher ground. Horses should practice loading and unloading on a trailer to minimize the amount of time taken to transport all horses on the property.
Having a NOAA weather radio allows you to stay up to date with the weather forecasts and any alerts in the area. Emergency contacts should be listed with their information and should be distributed to all.
Response
It is critical to monitor water levels and to stay up to date on any evacuation alerts from the emergency responders. Evacuation decisions should be made early to ensure safe removal of horses before roadways and areas become too dangerous to traverse. If you’re unable to evacuate, human safety should be prioritized over animals’. It is extremely dangerous to attempt to rescue a submerged horse. This type of rescue attempt should only be performed by trained responders.
Horses who are turned out or left behind during floods should be marked with some type of identification to assist in identification after the event. As access to the flooded area may be restricted or severely damaged, hay and water should be available for the next 48-72 hours for horses. Additionally, electricity may also be down for an extended period of time.
Recovery
The area should be inspected for damage and injury. Horses should be accounted for and photos should be taken to document the event for insurance purposes. A veterinarian should be called to assess and treat any injuries and disease.
