Senior Horse Care Resources — Emergencies

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“Veterinary fees increased 68% between January 2000 and December 2008. Over just the last three years veterinary fee inflation has averaged 5.9% per year, which is about double the consumer price index. At this rate, veterinary fees will double every 12 years.” —  Embrace Pet Insurance

Topics on This Page

Health - Observe, Protect & TPR Vital Signs - TPR Oral Medications  Hoof Bandage  Checking for Lameness

Financial Emergencies  Owner Predeceases Horse 

Emergency Assistance   Low Cost Assistance for Owners Euthanasia Assistance for Owners Hay and Feed Assistance Low Cost Stallion Gelding Assistance

Emergency Assistance for Rescuers

When it is Too Hot  NOAAs National Weather Service Heat Index How to Read the Chart Signs of Heat Exhaustion in Horses Prevention and Treatment for Overheating   Feeding or Turning Out a Senior Horse in Hot Weather

 When it is Too Cold

Emergency Supplies  Power Independence and Savings  Emergency Transport 

Emergency Communication with Stable Hands and Grooms

Accessible Health Records  Horse Identification

Theft or Accidental Escape Theft Prevention

Fire Prevention and Response

 Other Resources

Topics on Their Own Pages (See Table of Contents on the Left)

As the baby boomers look forward to decades of "senior" living, so, too, do our horses.  Today's pony doesn't teach a generation to ride, but two, or even three generations. [Ponies represent only 3% of the horses aged 15-19, but 30% of the horses aged 30 and up.]  An adult couple begin riding as their teenagers empty the nest, and are still caring for their horses two decades later.  The horses have replaced the children for many never married and divorced adults, just as dogs and cats do.

Except for one teensy, weensy, problem.  A horse doesn't fit in your "senior living" apartment.  A horse doesn't fit in your car.  A horse has big feed requirements.  You can't take him to the groomer, the groomer has to come to him.

The aging people learn to wear hearing aids, and eyeglasses.  They learn to wear support stockings and dentures.  They drink Ensure and take Senior Multi-vitamins and MSM and glucosamine and chondroitin and baby aspirin.  They learn to use a cane, buy a special contour support mattress and gel inserts for their shoes and rub creams on their achy joints. They are active and enjoy working much longer than their grandparents. Grandma loves to do her volunteer work, even if she has to give up her knitting and uses audio books instead of reading.  If they are horsepeople, when they can no longer ride, they learn to drive.

And so it is with our senior citizen horses.  They are loved and valued family members. They are useful well into their twilight years, because we didn't wear them out or break them in their youth or their prime.

Deserving, beautiful, if only in the eyes of the owner who has shared so many trails with them, our senior horses look to us.  It is our job to maintain their quality of life.  It is our job to learn what is, and is not, an acceptable quality of life.  Lastly, it is our job to ensure they do not suffer when that quality cannot be maintained.

One of the missions of Del Camino is to help horse owners find timely information that guides them through this journey.  We want to keep our seniors as fit, as active, as contented as possible, as long as possible.  It can be done.

We dedicate our work to a few of many beloved Del Camino horses:  Freckles, who left us at age 43, Miss Cricket, who delighted children until age 38, Captain Oliver "Ollie" who fought Cushing's until age 32, and Brandy's Prince, and Smokey, both of whom had Cushing's which caused laminitis at age 26.

Thank you for having graced our lives, and taught so many people the joy of horsemanship.

How This Seniors Section Works                (Top of Page)

We update this section of our website fairly often, so we recommend you return regularly.  Why not add this page to your browser's Favorites list?  Doing so does not cause us to send you junk mail.

	Large sections acquire their own page, to keep it easy to read.
	As we find a broken link, we remove it if we cannot easily repair it.
	Visitors are encouraged to join discussions in the forum to share their knowledge or experiences.  There are no reviews on this page.
	Topics progress from those for people caring for their senior horse, to those wishing to place their senior horse in a new job, and finally, how to prepare for and make arrangements to euthanize a horse to prevent suffering.

General Health Emergencies

Health - Observe, Protect & TPR                                   (Top of Page)

If your horse appears sick, you should be practiced at doing three things while awaiting a return telephone call from your veterinarian.  Even if you have loads of experience with colic, before you start walking or any other treatment, do these three things.

Observe

Describe the behavior or physical changes that make you think your horse is unwell.  Check the horse from nose to tail on both sides.  Watch the horse at liberty in his normal surroundings for a few minutes, without trying to get his attention.  Jot your notes down on a piece of paper, so that when your veterinarian calls, you do not miss giving one of them.

Protect

Take steps to make your horse as comfortable as possible and safe.  If he is moving, ensure he cannot hurt himself on objects.  If he is in a pasture with other horses, can you safely get him to a dry covered area, such as his run-in shed, with good lighting and straw or shavings?  This will make it easier and safer for you, and later your veterinarian, to examine him more thoroughly and, if needed, give him medicine.  If he can still see and smell his herdmates, it will be less stressful than if he cannot.   If you need to get a floodlight lantern, to be able to read your watch or a thermometer, get that in place.  Get your thermometer, and other items from your first aid kit you think you might need, such as your stethoscope.

Vital Signs - TPR                                                                         (Top of Page)

Take your horse's temperature, pulse, and respiration (vital signs) if it is safe to do so.  If you have practiced this correctly on this particular horse before, it is much more likely you will be able to do so when your horse is in distress.  It is a great help to your veterinarian to be able to provide accurate vital signs (TPR) during the call.  If the veterinarian cannot come to your farm quickly, the readings help him tell you what first aid you can do while you wait.

The minimum measurements to take are:

1. Temperature

2. Pulse

3. Respiration

Here's a brief video by veterinarian Dr. Maggie Turner demonstrating how to take your horse's TPR and the normal range of readings for a healthy adult horse at rest (not after exercise) in temperate weater.  Readings for foals will be different. 
Find more videos like this on Barnmice

You should also be able to check:

1. Capillary Refill Rate

2. Gum Color

3. Skin Pinch Test (for dehydration)

4. Mucus Membrane Color (inside lower eyelid)

Oral Medications                                                              (Top of Page)

If your veterinarian directs you to give medicine by mouth to make your horse more comfortable until he can treat him, you should have some basic supplies in your first aid kit.  Unexpired medicine you received from your veterinarian, and an oral syringe to give it.  Never give any medicine before calling your veterinarian.  If it is the wrong medicine, it can be useless or make matters worse.  Even if it is the right medicine, it can mask or dull symptoms that your veterinarian needs to observe to diagnose the problem.  So, when might you need some medicine and a syringe?  If your veterinarian cannot arrive promptly, perhaps because he is presently treating another horse some distance from your barn, he may tell you to go ahead, based on the observations and vital sign measurements you have given him, and give the horse medicine to reduce pain, fever, or inflammation.

After your veterinarian diagnoses and treats the horse, he may leave medicine for you to give by mouth in measured doses at prescribed intervals for a specific period.

If your horse is lame or injured, your veterinarian, based on your description of the wound or variation in the horse's gaits, may prescribe medicine to reduce pain and swelling, as well as topical treatment, such as cold water, and bandaging to support or protect the area.

Either way, you should have supplies on hand and have practiced using them on your horse, so that both you and the horse are comfortable with the procedure when an emergency occurs. 

Many horse owners hide medication that a horse receives orally in his grain or supplements.  With a sick horse that won't eat, that is not an option.

In case you have never given medicine to a horse by mouth, here is a video by Dr. Courtmanche that shows you how.

 
Find more videos like this on Barnmice

Hoof Bandage                                                                 (Top of Page)

If your horse is lame with a hoof problem, or has a ragged hoof from a pulled shoe, you may need to bandage.  Your veterinarian will advise if you need a drawing poultice, or a cushioning pad, or other treatment.  Some horse owners keep a treatment boot in their first aid kit, for this reason.  Most don't, but you then need supplies for making a hoof bandage that will stay on.

Here is a video from Dr. Courtmanche showing a technique for properly bandaging a hoof.

 
Find more videos like this on Barnmice

Checking for Lameness - see our Footing and Hoof Care Page

Financial                                                                  (Top of Page)

The chances that your horse will suffer an injury at work, in his stall, or in turnout increases with age as his muscles and skeleton lose elasticity and mass.  Other conditions may arise, such as hormonal imbalances, and finally, in very geriatric horses, cancer and colic are common.  For your own financial protection, and the good care of your horse, begin now to set aside his "emergency fund" in the form of a savings account or CD, to which you can have quick access without withdrawal penalties.  This would be separate from any horse health or surgical insurance you may have.  You must ordinarily obtain health coverage when the horse is under age 13 to be able to continue it thereafter, and these policies have deductibles.

If you do not need to use the funds for a veterinary emergency, they are also handy in the event of a natural disaster driving up the cost of horsekeeping supplies, such as feed, or the need to truck in water, or even to evacuate your horse and pay for board and care outside of the disaster area.

Should you suffer a personal financial crisis, such as divorce, job loss, or family medical bills, your aged horse's emergency fund may see him through a month or two of board and care until you can get back on your feet.  This prevents you from spiraling into another crisis, having to find him a new appropriate home without the usual time required to advertise a horse that is for sale, lease, or adoption.

Finally, the day will come when your geriatric horse or pony no longer enjoys a good quality of life.  At that time, your emergency fund ensures you are able to provide dignified and humane euthanasia, burial or cremation, and, if you wish, a loving memorial.

Owner Predeceases Horse                                                    (Top of Page)

If you should predecease your horse (a distinct possibility for older horse owners like us) and no relative who would be handling your affairs is willing and competent to arrange for his care until they can sell, lease, or adopt your horse into a new home, an Equine Pet Trust may give you tremendous peace of mind.  It is simple to establish, and can be funded with the proceeds of an inexpensive term life insurance policy.   

NEW! The Tender Loving Care (TLC) for Horses is a new program at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine designed to provide permanent loving homes for companion horses left behind by predeceased owners. Through owner estate plans, the Center for Equine Health will provide a new home for enrolled horses and ensure that they receive lifetime health care from the world-famous Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital at UC Davis.

The TLC for Horses program is personally overseen by the Director of the Center for Equine Health. For more information, contact their development office at (530) 752-7024 or send an e-mail to tlcforhorses@ucdavis.edu.

TLC Brochure  You need Adobe Reader to open this .PDF document.

In The News on This Topic

Living Trusts on the Web

What can happen if you don't prepare is illustrated by the fate of "Haps", who fortunately was rescued. 

California's Governor Schwarzenegger is considering SB685, a law that would make Horse Care Trusts firmly enforceable. Read article from The Horse.

UPDATE 8/5/08: California's Governor Schwarzenegger signed SB685 into law.   It takes effect January 1, 2009 enabling Horse Care Trusts to have an enforcer, be funded by life insurance, and pass the remainder of the trust to a horse rescue or sanctuary after the horse passes on.

Emergency Assistance                                            (Top of Page)

In the event you have no backup fund or plan to care for your horse when disaster strikes, please do not despair.  Most of us try to shoulder our own burdens to their conclusion or until we finally see light at the end of the tunnel.  Horsepeople are very stoic, nursing an injured or sick horse for months, and mucking stalls in freezing and broiling temperatures.  However, there comes a time when people need help.  The American animal-loving and fundamentally generous private community has many ways of supporting people and horses in temporary need.  Please reach out to one of these groups for temporary assistance in a time of trouble.  Most of the people who answer these calls have "been there, done that" and survived to pick up the pieces and get life back to normal.  They are there to help others get through a "bad patch" and keep their horse.  They may donate funds, or supplies, or even horse care while you are at the hospital attending a sick relative.  Some have a "war chest" and volunteers set aside just for this purpose!

	Church Aid Groups, or Your Own Church or Synagogue
	Local Horse Rescue, Adoption, or Sanctuary  visit our Adoption page. For example, in Arizona, the horse rescue Care for the Horses in Sierra Vista has a special program to help horse owners who cannot afford emergency veterinary care, feed or board, shoeing, or euthanasia due to a financial crisis.  Others may do the same.
	Horse Forums and Bulletin Boards serving your kind of horse, your horse sport
	United Animal Nations
	Local Animal Welfare Groups (if there are no horse-specific groups in your area able to help.)
	Military Companion Animals Rescue, Foster and Adoption subsidiary of Netpets.com
	Guardian Angels, a subgroup of Soldiers' Angels, provides disaster rescue and fostering, and other assistance with the farm animals or companion animals of armed forces personnel.
	Raise the money yourself using new web social media fundraising tools such as: ChipIn.com or GiveForward.org
	Hold a car wash, bake sale, garage sale.
	Collect used cell phones to recycle (you do not have to be a non-profit organization):CellularFundraiser.com

NEW! Central Oregon horse owners strapped for cash who need help feeding their horses have a Good Samaritan couple.  Bend's Meghan Evans and her husband,  veterinarian Doug Evans, established a hay donation program.  Up to thirty days worth of hay can be provided to owners who agree to allow inspection to confirm the hay is being fed to their horse(s).  A permanent non-profit is in the works.  In the meantime, to donate hay, call Evans at 541/408-6079 or e-mail grassroots@bendbroadband.com. To contribute cash, call the Humane Society of Central Oregon at 541/382-3537.  More specific in the story at TheHorse.com

NEW! The Kentucky Horse Council Equine Safety Net provides emergency feed for up to two horses for qualifying private Kentucky horse owners who have experienced a job loss or medical event.  Please visit their website for more information about the qualifications and how to apply.  Owners who receive the assistance volunteer time at KHC activities or events in return.  The Kentucky Horse Council has other programs that might be able to provide emergency assistance for horse owners who do not qualify for the Equine Safety Net.

If you know of another emergency assistance program in your state, please Contact Us.

Emergency Assistance for Rescuers                                             (Top of Page)

For 501(c)(3) equine rescue groups and sanctuaries ONLY, the ASPCA has Hay Supply Grants for 2008 and 2009 to alleviate conditions caused by rising feed costs, farm foreclosures, increased assistance/surrender volume, reduced donation receipts and poor weather conditions.  Over $500,000 has been distributed to equine welfare agencies in more than 40 states in 2008. 

For 501(c)(3) equine rescue groups and sanctuaries that are not start-ups, the 2009 Equine Fund of the ASPCA provides grants of $400 to $5,000, not to exceed 10% of the agency's operating budget for emergency hay, feed, or medical care for large seizures or impounds. 

Petfinder.com Foundation is located in Tucson, Arizona.  In partnership with Merck (Merial), Petco Foundation, and others, it offer grants for responding to crises, disasters, special situations, and for capital improvements for animal disaster relief responsiveness. Recently, Petfinder.com Foundation awarded $40,000.00 to Habitat For Horses, Inc. to help rebuild the ranch after Hurricane Ike devastated their organization. Full story. The foundation also awards grants to veterinarians assisting with disaster relief, or whose practice or clinic was hit by a disaster, or who are treating special cases.

United Animal Nations Lifeline Assistance Program.  Crisis Relief Grants for 501(c)3 organizations.

American Humane Second Chance Fund for medical care and rehabilitating an abused animal for animal rescue organizations.

American Humane Meacham Foundation Memorial Grant for shelters. 

American Humane Foreclosure Pets Grants for shelters.

Low Cost Assistance for Owners                                                                (Top of Page)

Euthanasia

NEW!  7/2009 The Arabian Horse Foundation was formed in 2007 by the Arabian Horse Association to accept donations to continue the AHA youth scholarship program, formerly its only philanthropic activity, and to add the missions of aiding Arabian horses via assistance to rescue and disaster efforts and veterinary research for conditions affecting Arabians.  In 2009 as of July 19th, the Arabian Rescue and Research Committee of the AHF has awarded two grants thanks to donations from individuals:

1. Nor-Cal Equine Rescue, which provides low-cost or free evaluation for rescue, rehabilitation or euthanasia and appropriate disposal clinics for families with horses in distress that are financially unable to provide appropriate care.  During the clinic professionals provide immediate care, owner education, and networking opportunities, and veterinary evaluation as to whether euthanasia is appropriate.  If indicated, humane euthanasia with peace and dignity for the horse and family is provided free or at low cost ($125-$150.)  The purpose of the AHF $2,500 grant is to enable Nor-Cal to produce a manual for other rescues that want to provide this much needed service in their communities.  Nor-Cal has offered this service monthly since November of 2008 and it is well-received by the clients.  Located in Oroville, California, Nor-Cal was founded in 2003 and has been featured on the Animal Planet television channel.  In nearly six years of operation Nor-Cal has rescued 929 horses.

Hay and Feed                                                                                      (Top of Page)

2. Mountain View Rescue, for a "hay bank" for local owners in financial difficulty.  Mountain View rescues horses of any breed.  Assisting owners with hay to get through a crisis, rather than moving the horses to a rescue or foster home, is frequently the best intervention to care for the horses until people get back on their feet during tough times.  While Mountain View acknowledges the AHF $2,000 grant with its logo on the Sponsors page, there is no information on the website as of 10/27/09 about its hay bank program or how to apply.  Use the "Contact Us" method or telephone for details.  

NEW!  10/2009 Food Stamps for Horses, West Palm Beach, FL is a 501(c)(3) Non-Profit that receives public donations specifically to assist struggling horse owners and horse rescues with feed for their horses.  Founded by Christy Cotton, an experienced professional Appaloosa breeder, trainer, show competitor, riding instructor and stable operator, the concept and mission of Food Stamps for Horses is simple and straightforward.  You may be able to obtain feed for free or at a reduced cost during these difficult times.

Low Cost Stallion Gelding Assistance                                  (Top of Page)

NEW!  Since November of 2008 Nor-Cal Equine Rescue offers a low-cost Gelding Program as monthly clinics.  Teaser stallions and unprofitable breeding stallions, and colts that owners cannot afford to campaign on the show circuit or train for riding or driving abound in the economic downturn.  Small breeders and speculators struggle with a collapsed market, rising farm expenses, dried up financing, and even foreclosures. 

The best hope for these stallions is to make them eligible for another job.  To neuter them and train them to be using (rideable or driveable) horses that are sellable as pleasure horses, or can give lessons, hayrides, trail rides, or carriage rides gives stallions that are not in the top 5% of their breed a new lease on life.  Some are backyard horses that were never intended for breeding, not even registered with a breed, but the owner got a colt by accident and could not afford, or did not know he should, geld the horse.

With a matching grant from Rosie's Remedies, in 2009 Nor-Cal will be able to offer Gelding Service by subsidizing $125 of the cost, while owners pay $25-$75 to the vet, depending on the animal's age.  Nor-Cal anticipates serving 40 stallions via this program in 2009. 

Many sanctuaries, rescues, rehabilitation farms and adoption agencies across the country would like to emulate Nor-Cal and offer affordable Castration Clinics in their areas.  According to a May, 2009 article in theHorse.com, "Equine groups across the country are attempting to reduce the number of unwanted horses at the source, through subsidized castration clinics aimed to reduce the number of foals hitting the ground."

When it is Too Hot                                                (Top of Page)

Just as it can be too hot for you to be riding on some days or during the hottest hours of many summer days, it can be too hot for your horse to be exercising.  It can even be too dangerously hot for your senior to be standing in the shade.  He could need your help.

Here in Arizona, we can experience two weeks straight of daytime temperatures over 110 degrees Fahrenheit, with nights cooling off to 98 degrees. 

• Under these conditions, it is difficult for an aged horse to get any rest even at night, so the cumulative effect of several days of high heat can be debilitating. 

• Water that has been sitting in the sun in a metal stock tank or automatic waterer feels like it is nearly boiling, which discourages a thirsty horse from drinking. 

• Metal shoes standing in the sun become hoof frying pans.  This can be more than uncomfortable, it can lead to "heat founder". 

• The sand in the arena bakes to over 150 degrees by mid-day.  You can't fry an egg on it, but it will raise the temperature of a horse standing still on it for even a few minutes and the combination with metal shoes can lead to "heat founder".

To understand where to draw the line, begin with what is dangerous for people (see below).  Then take into account the differences for the equine species, and your mature animal's age and condition.  Then use your observation, skin pinch test. Make all mistakes in judgment on the side of caution.

NOAA's National Weather Service Heat Index                       (Top of Page)                   

The NOAA Heat Index combines Air Temperature and Moisture to chart dangers to healthy adult people at rest.  Children, elderly, and persons with existing health conditions (especially heart conditions and weight, drug, or alcohol problems, or taking various medications for other conditions) are generally less able to cope than healthy adults.  People who are actively working or engaged in a sport or exercise, even walking, outdoors will be dehydrating faster and more affected than people at rest in the shade.

How to Read the Chart

To find the Heat Index (HI), look at the Heat Index Chart below. As an example, if the air temperature is 96°F (found on the top of the table) and the  relative humidity (RH) is 65% (found on the left of the table), the HI-or how hot it really feels-is 121°F. This is at the intersection of the 96° column and the 65% row.

IMPORTANT: Since HI values were devised for shady, light wind conditions, EXPOSURE TO FULL SUNSHINE CAN INCREASE HI VALUES BY UP TO 15°F. Also, STRONG WINDS, PARTICULARLY WITH VERY HOT, DRY AIR, CAN BE EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS TO HUMANS.

Based on the Heat Index Chart, even with the Arizona desert's low humidity — "It's a dry heat" —  neither well-acclimated healthy people, nor young fit horses, should be exercising strenuously or for long periods in temperatures over 100°.  In warm weather, the best time to work with your senior horse is as close as possible to dawn, when the temperature has cooled as much as possible overnight, and not begun to rise yet with the sun.

Signs of Heat Exhaustion in Horses                                               (Top of Page)

Watch for signs of heat exhaustion which include:

	dehydration,
	muscle tremors,
	dangerously high body temperatures,
	weakness,
	heavy sweating, or
	anhidrosis (lack of sweating) by a horse that normally sweats.

All these can lead to collapse and death, which can happen immediately or up to several hours after work has finished.  After-effects of dehydration can include:

	exertional rhabdomyolysis ("tying up")
	impaction colic, and
	synchronous diaphragmatic flutter ("thumps"), which is horse hiccups,

all of which require immediate veterinary attention.

Prevention and Treatment for Overheating                                    (Top of Page)

Now that we know when you must stop exercising and get out of the heat, let's see when you need to increase the shade, or take other cooling measures to prevent heat stress, heat stroke, heat-related colic or electrolyte loss cramping in your senior.

The energy-neutral temperature zone for horses is 15 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit.  Lower temperatures and they need to burn calories to maintain their body temperature, warmer temperatures, or working, they need to sweat.

Sweating is a good normal function, since it is the horse's method of dissipating body heat. However, a horse can sweat away nearly four gallons of water and electrolytes in an hour in very hot weather. After a loss of more than four gallons of fluid (about 30 pounds of body weight), a horse might be dehydrated. Losing nine gallons or more of water via sweating can be fatal.

Horses should always be given access to water (keeping in mind that in extreme heat a horse can drink more than 20 gallons of water a day) and shade throughout the day during the warm seasons.

Overweight. heavy-coated, and very large horses, as well as older horses have a harder time dealing with heat. Horses with anhidrosis (inability to sweat) are also at risk.  If your senior has Cushing's, he probably has a heavy coat and difficulty regulating his body temperature by sweating.  Horses with heart or respiratory conditions do not move the oxygen as efficiently as is necessary to manage their temperatures and to move water from the intestines to the skin to sweat.

 

	Work and exercise should be minimal during the hottest part of the day. Limit activity to morning and evening hours; Plus, if the combined temperature and humidity of the air is over 105, owners and caretakers of all horses should take extra caution. No exercising, even for horses in prime condition.
	Include in a senior horse's exercise routine a warm-down period (mounted) of walk on a loose rein of 5 to 10 minutes, to flush lactic acid from his muscles and return circulation to organs from muscles.  Then dismount and immediately unsaddle and remove leg wraps to speed evaporation from his back and legs, and give your senior a cool-down period (dismounted) of at least 10 minutes of hand walking, preferably in the shade.
	Leave barn doors open as much as possible to allow proper ventilation;
	Place large fans around the exercise and stabling area, taking care to keep cords out reach of horses and to not overload circuits, not use ungrounded or worn extension cords, or leave fans running at night;
	Of course, you need to hose sweat off even a cool horse, because it is very salty and itchy and can cause rub sores as well as entice flies and mats your senior's coat so it does not insulate him properly.
	When hosing horses down after exercise or when they are distressed by the hot weather, start with the legs and work upward to avoid shock; scrape the hot water off and repeat with fresh cool water as many times as needed. Go ahead and use the coldest water you can get, even ice water and ice packs that you normally use for injuries. Although old beliefs hold that ice water is harmful, heat stress studies have shown that using ice water is actually one of the most beneficial and efficient ways of cooling a hot horse. It's important to scrape the ice water away as soon as it warms from the horse's body heat, otherwise the water traps the heat making the horse's temperature rise.
	If evaporation is poor due to high humidity, use a liniment or rubbing alcohol on legs and areas where arteries and veins are close to the skin to pull heat away, taking care to avoid face, mucous membranes or wounds.
	If you can't hose the entire horse for some reason, concentrate on the most strategic points for effective cooling, which include the underside of the neck and barrel (the horse’s belly) and the inside of all four legs.
	A hot horse can be offered water in small amounts.  Old beliefs held that the horse needed to cool completely, or at least start cooling with a dropping heart rate, respiration and temperature before offering any water.  However, modern studies show that a half gallon (about four to six swallows) every 10 minutes will help cool the horse and quickly begin replacing lost fluids without causing cramps or digestive upset.  Drinking too much too fast, however, before circulation has redirected to the gut from the muscles, does not help.  Once the horse is cool, make sure your senior gets to drink all he wants.
	Some horses may require extra electrolytes, which you can buy premixed and flavored, or make your own as a mixture of three parts salt (sodium chloride) and one part lite salt (potassium chloride). Unfit horses are more likely to lose more electrolytes and protein when they sweat than horses in good overall condition. Fit horses that have free access to a salt lick usually replenish electrolytes rapidly enough if they are not sweating excessively.  A horse in distress due to loss of electrolytes may refuse to drink; then oral electrolyte paste may be needed. Consult your veterinarian in that case.
	Don't give electrolytes routinely to a horse with chronic anhidrosis who has regular access to a salt lick, because a horse that doesn't sweat doesn't need over-salting.
	Sweat can evaporate rapidly during hot weather with low humidity, as in the desert.  You can sometimes see the white salt on a horse's back, heart girth, poll, throatlatch, neck inner hind legs, and flanks from the evaporation.  Just because the sweat has dried rapidly does not mean the horse is cool!  He is just dry, and now the salt itches.
	Wait until a horse is completely cooled out and rehydrated before feeding him or allowing access to his hay in his stall.
	Clip a hairy older horse to his former "summer" coat length,
	Give a horse that has endured an extremely hot day a shower and scrape in the late afternoon before serving his evening meal.

Feeding or Turning Out a Senior Horse in Hot Weather               (Top of Page)

Do not feed horses during the hottest hours of the day, especially high-protein food.  If you normally feed supplements mid-day in winter, switch to an earlier hour in summer.  If your horse is turned out most of the day, avoid allowing him to graze during the hottest hours when the sugar-content of the grass is at its peak.  If possible, feed your senior in the shade.  Make sure he has access to enough shade for his entire body, not just his head and the feed.  Often the shade of a tree moves to the other side of a fence or wall for the hottest time of day.   See also our Feed Water or Hauling pages in this Seniors section for more tips to keep your aged horse comfortable and safe in hot weather.

When it is Too Cold                                             (Top of Page)

Even areas that normally experience mild winters can be hit with a major snowstorm or extreme cold. Winter storms can result in flooding, storm surge, closed highways, blocked roads, downed power lines and hypothermia.  An overnight freeze can make water undrinkable and footing dangerously slick.  A winter coat that is soaked loses its insulating properties and develops a reverse effect, trapping cold moisture rather than body heat against the skin.  Joints suffer.

Even in the Arizona desert, we get several weeks of freezing nights and days that barely climb above freezing by noon in mid-winter every year.

Horses handle cold weather much better than humans do. Their natural comfort zone (energy-neutral, in which they don't need to expend extra energy to maintain normal body temperature) is from about fifteen to sixty degrees Fahrenheit if weather is not wet or windy. The horse's body is better adapted for creating and conserving heat than dissipating it.  The problem for older horses is lack of condition and thriftiness, and other conditions of maturity, such as failing eyesight or arthritis, making winter harder.

Generally a horse with a nice fluffy, dry, well-groomed winter coat, in good condition with a little fat under his skin does very well outside in fresh air in cold temperatures down to thirty or more below zero!  He even shivers more effectively than we do when he is cold, though shivering burns many calories.  His muzzle, ears and legs are better protected from frostbite than our extremities are.  A run-in shed to get out of the wind or the rain and to lie down on soft dry ground is what a horse in good condition who is well groomed daily needs.  A blanket can flatten his coat and actually make him colder, unless it is protecting him from rain, which flattens and soaks his coat and makes him colder than snow does.  If he is clipped to make cooling out, and grooming before and after exercise easier, either a blanket or stabling or both can be warranted.

	Extra hay or senior feed to replace calories burned to keep warm, preferably served as an extra meal, rather than larger meals
	Water that is not frozen or too cold to drink
	A buddy to snuggle with
	A run-in shed with a soft dry surface to lie down on and safely rise from
	No slick icy spots to slip on around the gate or the water or the shed.
	Prevent muddy spots with mats, subsurface grids, changing the location of stock tanks and feeding spots, and other remedies.  Prolonged exposure to mud and rain can cause fungal or bacterial invasions a senior horse's less efficient immune system may not defend against well.  Rain rot, scratches (mud heel), and sometimes seedy toe (white line disease) are some of the consequences of wet skin and mud.  Dried, caked mud destroys the insulating properties of the horse's coat.
	Groom in a dry well-lit place daily with a cactus cloth and good stiff brush to break up and remove mud and restore the loft of your senior's coat.
	Include a dismounted (tacked) warm-up by hand walking before exercise, and a mounted warm-up at the walk with the rider in half-seat (two-point) position at the walk and then trot or jog for a good 5 to 10 minutes to let the senior back muscles gradually warm up as well as the rest of the horse before sitting.
	Rub and brush dry thoroughly after work; sweat causes a winter coat to mat and lose its insulating properties.

There's a great article in TheHorse.com about horses trapped in snow in an area that is used to severe winters: "Two horses trapped in the harsh winter snows of interior British Columbia since September were freed on Christmas Eve. It took more than a week for a large group of volunteers to dig out the horses, but the mare and gelding are expected to live. "  Read the rest of the story at The Horse online magazine.

Besides discontinuing riding or driving in some cold conditions, you may also need to take extra measures to keep your senior horse comfortable and healthy when he isn't working.  See also our Feed Water Bedding or Footing pages in this Seniors section for more tips to help your aged equine through cold temperatures.

Emergency Supplies                                             (Top of Page)

"Americans live in the most severe weather-prone country on Earth. Each year, Americans cope with an average of 10,000 thunderstorms, 5,000 floods, 1,000 tornadoes, and an average of 2 land falling deadly hurricanes. And this on top of winter storm, intense summer heat, high winds and other deadly weather impacts."  Source: National Weather Service Storm Ready website. Notice the list didn't include wildfires, earthquakes, dust storms, droughts, blizzards or ice storms, and lightning strikes, all of which occur in America as well.

Don't get depressed, but do make some prudent plans to care for your senior horse(s) as well as yourself, family, and possibly neighbors or barn friends.  You'll be glad you did, even if none of those emergencies ever happen to you. 

Emergency Plan and Practice                                            (Top of Page)

Having an emergency plan and kit, and knowing how to use the supplies, is especially important for caregivers.  Whether you are caring for your immediate family, children at a school, camp, or stable, the elderly or people with special needs, or horses, your foresight, leadership, and reliability will be critical to managing an emergency well, and will inspire cooperation.  Like horses, people are reassured when a leader is able to act in a situation. 

If you board your senior horse, ask the barn manager to share the stable's emergency and disaster response plan with you, and the locations of the horse and human kits.  If you have  the time to create as well as stock a plan and train other people who may be at the barn when you are away, visit the FEMA Preparedness website, Ready.gov, or your county's emergency management website for suggestions for large animal owners and planning tools and education.  If you or the stable would like help creating a custom Emergency Plan and Disaster Response Plan, that address shelter-in-place or evacuation or both, please Contact Us for a quote.

Take this quick mental horse emergency readiness assessment quiz:

1. The person(s) presently at the stable know where the fire extinguisher is, and how to operate it.  I  know it is fully charged.

      q Yes       q No

2. The person(s) presently on duty at the barn know how to evacuate the horses, and where on the premises to take them.

        q Yes       q No

3. If a horse at the barn appears to be colicking, the person(s) present know where the horse first aid kit is, it is appropriately stocked, and the person has access to the horse's normal health information, veterinarian's telephone number, and a telephone.  Either the person speaks English, or if necessary, the veterinarian speaks Spanish fluently.

        q Yes       q No

4. If a person experiences heat exhaustion, hypothermia, an injury, or collapses at the stable, a person on the premises certified in First Aid and CPR is on site, and has access to the human first aid kit, and a telephone.

        q Yes       q No

5. If there is a thunderstorm at the stable in the next fifteen minutes, with or without lightning, the person(s) at the stable know what to do to protect people and horses.

       q Yes       q No

6. Due to a sudden severe flash flood warning, the 5 mile area surrounding the stable has been ordered to evacuate for an expected 72 hours.  The person(s) at the stable can access the stable's plan for evacuating the number of horses currently there, and can evacuate the horses and people within 3 hours before the roads close.

   q Yes       q No

    

7. Due to heavy overnight rains, there is flooding all over the farm and the neighborhood.  Roads are unusable, power is out, and wells/water supplies are contaminated.  The county emergency management authorities advise everyone to shelter-in-place for the next 72 hours.  The person(s) at the stable can access the human and horse 72 hour kits that include adequate food, water, sanitation, and emergency light, power and communications.

       q Yes       q No   

Score your stable's "Yes" answers: 

• 0-2 = Unprepared, Need to give this immediate attention.

• 3-4 = Somewhat Prepared, Need to upgrade and improve preparedness to meet or exceed best practices standards. 

• 5-6 = Prepared.  Need to revisit the plan periodically as horses, resources, and personnel change.  Congratulations, and consider sharing your plan with neighboring farms.    

Advance Warning and Current Local Data                           (Top of Page) 

One of the best defenses you have against discomfort or danger for your senior horse, or extra work, discomfort or danger for yourself, is to be informed.  Keep a high quality modern weather station at the stable where you will glance at it frequently without having to go out of your way.  If you board your senior horse, keep one at your home too.  Another valuable information tool to install where you will automatically see it as you go about your routine is a rain-snow-hail gauge, or at least a garden rain gauge.  

These information tools are useful for all farms and ranches for ordinary operations, especially if people and horses are present, or forage is grown in pastures.  See our Feed page for Seniors for additional uses, and the Too Hot and Too Cold topics on this page.

Power Independence and Savings                                           (Top of Page)

If you lose power to your well pump, your barn, or your home during a storm, flood, earthquake, blackout, or construction in your area, what will you do?  If your energy bills keep rising faster than your take-home pay, where can you turn?

You can make your own solar and wind energy at a fraction of the cost of retail products.  It is easy to do —  you do not need to be a handyman or electrician.  School children do it as an after-school or school break project.  Learn how to find inexpensive materials and follow step-by-step instructions from this leading figure in the solar energy field. Click Here!

Feed and Water                                                                    (Top of Page)

For minor emergencies (such as a power outage, road closure, water main break, well pump broken, delivery truck breakdown) as well as natural disasters such as windstorm, flood, fire, earthquake, etc. you need some minimum supplies on hand.  In either case, keep on hand at all times a three (3) day, or 72 hour supply of feed and water for the number of horses in your care.  The feed can be pellets, hay cubes, or hay, depending on your regular feeding and storage capabilities.  Never allow feed and water stores to fall below these levels.  If circumstances snowball, and you suddenly find you have less than a three day supply of feed or water when there are no grazing resources or potable water on your ranch or farm, call for help.  It may take some time for emergency assistance to reach you.  You may be one of many needy barns on the list and must wait for conditions to improve, or for barns ahead of you to be helped.  If there is no area-wide problem, you may still need to wait for a water tanker to be filled, or a hay truck to be loaded.  If this situation was caused by a financial crisis, funds must be released by the group giving assistance so they can get feed and water to you.  Since several people may need to be contacted to set the help chain in motion, don't wait!  Remember, horse people know that "there but for the Grace of God, go I."  Some day, you will be someone else's Good Samaritan.

Horses find comfort in routine, and are stressed by sudden or constant change. 

Ensuring you always have the necessary feed and water available at regular mealtimes is especially important for your aged equines.  You may have to wait an hour for a thunderstorm or dust storm to pass over before feeding and watering.  Life happens.  But delays of four or more hours go beyond mere frustration and "acid indigestion" and may result in dehydration, ulcers, or colic, and can upset insulin levels in horses with laminitis, or hormone levels in Cushing's horses.  Hungry horses are more likely to "bolt" their feed, resulting in choke or colic.  Thirsty horses are more likely to re-hydrate too quickly, overfilling their stomach before the intestines can absorb the water and send it out to the rest of the horse.  That overfull stomach can show up as colic symptoms.

Ensure the "emergency" feed is rotated regularly so it doesn't get too old or spoil.  Store it off the floor or ground, such as on a pallet, protected from moisture, mice, birds, and weather.  For concentrates (pellets and cubes) large metal trash cans with lids, labeled for contents with wide permanent marker, and duct tape for the rotation date, work best.

Every barn must have backup 55 gallon water drums in the event of fire, earthquake, hurricane, tornado, flood, or other loss of water supply leaves horses in danger.  This is part of your comprehensive emergency plan. If your stable does not have a disaster plan and the appropriate supplies, give them our website or e-mail address so we can help pull it all together for them.

Water makes up about 65% of a mature horse’s body weight. For a 15.2-hand, 1,000-pound horse, that amounts to 650 pounds or 85 gallons of water! 

 Brigade Sand 5 Gallon Water Can If you prefer smaller containers, that is fine, so long as the total amount of water is enough for your number of horses for 3 days.  Just be certain that the containers are appropriate for water, everyone knows where they are located, if water is used from them it is replaced immediately, and they are labeled.  We like the military-specification water containers available from Brigade online.

Power and Lighting                                    (Top of Page)

One of the first utilities to fail during major storms, grid overload, or local construction projects is electricity, which most stables depend upon for lighting.  In an emergency, you need to be able to see!  When your horses must be checked on during the night, due to storms, illness, or injury, you want targeted, adequate lighting.  Reliable portable power is an absolute necessity on a farm or ranch.

We've located several emergency power and lighting sources that you can use for either short periods or long.  Some are small enough to tuck handily into a saddle cantle bag or horn bag for rides, or into your equine and human first aid kits.  Some can power many items for hours, or just a few.

It's a good idea to have a combination power source, emergency beam, and radio in the truck as well.

Gas During Emergencies    (Top of Page)

Gas needs to be turned off during severe emergencies and then turned back on by the gas company after checking for possible leaks.  Every home, and every stable that has a gas pipe line needs a Gas Shutoff Wrench.

Quakekare has many items.  Here's the link to a water drum.

911supplies.com also offers products for your kit

Del Camino article web page on Equine Disaster Planning

Your emergency kit includes much more than a barn first aid kit for horses and a barn first aid kit for people.

Emergency Transport                                                   (Top of Page)

For more help with transporting your horse, visit the Del Camino Hauling page.

TIP: If you must move your horse(s) during an emergency, you may be forced to take a route you did not anticipate due to road closures or congestion.  Stay in touch with a "base" person so that all drivers can check in with a single point-of-contact.  That person can also call ahead to your destination with progress reports.  A good tool under these conditions is a combination GPS two-way radio.  The GPS locates you en route, the two-way radio helps you meet up at rest stops or crowded emergency boarding, like an unfamiliar racetrack.

More trail riders are carrying these handy units into the back country, as they can contain trail maps as well as road maps.  They have been very popular with hikers and backpackers for some years, and are becoming more affordable, reliable, and complete in their databases.

Emergency Communication with Stable Hands and Grooms     (Top of Page)

Does the stable where you board your horse employ grooms, stable hands, or farm workers or landscape maintenance workers who do not speak English?  If so, would you be able to ask for their assistance in an emergency, such as a loose horse, or your horse was not fed, or you were hurt?  If one of them, or one of their children, was hurt in a farm accident, would you be able to help them?  If you speak the Latin American Spanish these workers use, you are in luck.  If not, it is a good idea to learn it.  If you don't have time to attend classes at your local community college, or don't want to spend hundreds of dollars  on Rosetta Stone as advertised on television, then Click Here!

Accessible Health Records                                    (Top of Page)

In an emergency, others may suddenly become caregivers for your horse, who is also suddenly in contact with strange horses or exposed to disease agents.  Large animal emergency teams, or your neighbors, need to know if your horse has had a tetanus booster in the event he is cut or punctured by debris, for example.  A great way to keep these records up to date and readily accessible, even if your computer or filing cabinet is ruined, is to put them online.

Here's an easy online calendar from Intervet for tracking health records.  It can be an excellent tool to collaborate with your boarding or retirement farm, a good link to include in a packet for others who may horse-sit while you are on vacation, and is certainly a cost-free way to get started with good records on your horses from the beginning. Even though to focus is on broodmares and foals, there are excellent tools for keeping adult horse records on vaccinations, worming, trimming and other maintenance: http://www.foalcare.com/

Horse Identification                                                  (Top of Page)

In disasters, emergency large animal rescue may mean moving your horse(s) and perhaps also those belonging to other farms in your area.  People who do not know your senior horse will be handling him, hauling him, and possibly giving first aid for cuts and punctures from debris, smoke inhalation, dehydration, burns, and so on. 

It is critical that your horse have identification attached to him that also identifies you if there is any possibility you could be separated in an emergency, or he could be separated from your barn manager.  It must attach safely to the horse, not his halter or blanket.

The rest of the time, you need identification on your horse that is clearly documented by description, diagram, and photos, in a separate file to which you will always have access, along with other proof of ownership.  Freeze brand, lip tattoo, microchip, are all means of permanent identification.  Ranch and breed brands are insufficient, because they do not specifically identify the individual.  While a microchip is definitive identification, and enables you and others to have immediate electronic access to identity and ownership, it also requires the availability of a microchip scanner to use.

During an emergency, you may still need a way to provide critical care or handling information for a senior horse, that is attached to him.  A microchip does not contain any special feeding, handling, or current condition, vaccination or medications information.

Two microchip sources and more information:

Avid Equine ID  complies with AAEP and USDA NAIS standards, national central database of registration numbers in HorseTrac.  For a nominal additional fee you can get a wallet ID card with your horse's photo on it like this one.  More law enforcement, animal control, and animal emergency response teams and collection centers and veterinarians have scanners every year.

NetPosse sells microchipping supplies and property warning signs:   It might dissuade a thief to see a notice that the horse is microchipped. 

Theft or Accidental Escape                                                 (Top of Page)

Theft or accidental escape can occur in any state, any county, in any climate, to any horse.  Either situation can be particularly traumatic for a senior horse.

According to Stolen Horses International and NetPosse, as many as 55,000 horses are stolen each year in the United States.  That is half the number of horses presently shipped to Canada and Mexico for slaughter.  Some are stolen by jealous competitors.  Some are stolen by unscrupulous resellers.  Some are stolen in family disputes or lease or sale agreements gone bad.  Some are stolen to be children's presents around birthdays and holidays or following the loss of their own horse.  The reasons are endless.  If your senior horse doesn't wear a sign that says "I'm too old, you really don't want me" it can happen.

Have you ever seen a loose horse?  Accidents happen.  A fence rail down.  A stall door not completely latched.  A pasture gate opened by a child at play.  A startled horse separated from its handler or rider and out of the yard and down the street before anyone can shut the front gate.  A picket line improperly set on a horse camping trip.

Should such an event ever occur with your own horse or one in your care, you must be able to quickly provide critical information to authorities and agencies, and you must quickly prove ownership.  Those who believe they have the horse in hand cannot go by color, size, breed, age, mane and tail length, etc.  The horse must have definitive individual identification on its body.  Period.

Theft Prevention                                                                       (Top of Page)

In our modern America, many people depend upon city, county, state or federal laws or service agencies to prevent accidents, natural or man-made disasters, or crime.  Some of them have doubts about response times, and add home and business alarm systems, including ones that contact a private security firm.

Regardless of how the initial call for help occurs, they depend upon city, county, state or federal law enforcement or service agencies to respond to the accidents, natural or man-made disasters, or crimes immediately with outstanding resources, supplies, facilities, equipment, and trained and experienced personnel to solve the immediate emergency or crime.  Then they expect more government agencies to immediately reimburse all financial losses and rebuild the person, animal, or building back within days to what he, or it, was.

No horse owner should ever, ever, make such mistakes.  The truth is, words written in a book as a result of a judge's decision or people agreeing to do so in a committee called an elected body can never control whether an accident, natural or man-made disaster happens, or a crime is committed.  Further, there can never be any such thing as a perfectly trained and equipped response team that is able to swoop onto the scene within minutes to put Humpty Dumpty back together again as if it never happened.

Fortunately, some horse owners live in rural areas and have a life long connection to the land and self-reliance and neighbors helping one another. 

Unfortunately, more and more horses are stabled in urban or suburban environments where no one, not even the barn manager, has ever been trained in and practiced, or responded to an actual emergency involving large animals. 

Further, more and more of the workers in the rural horse barns are non-English speaking minimum-wage laborers who have never received any training in household, barn or farm safety, emergency procedures, or human first aid, much less large animal emergency response.

Some of the unsafe "repairs" and equipment and electrical handling practices, not to mention animal handling, we have seen at boarding stables where all the staff have worked on farms all their lives would absolutely curl your hair.  This includes stables catering to expensive show horses belonging to owners paying top dollar for board and care.  Do not mistake high fees for value or or low fees for the lack of it.  Some people are safety-conscious and everything they do is quality work with the right tools and materials.  Others are in a hurry, take shortcuts, or simply never learned to do the job properly.  That difference in attitude and experience has nothing to do with whether the barn is a luxurious showplace or an economy ranch.

Senior horses, horses with disabilities like blind or lame horses, pregnant mares, and foals are especially vulnerable, and require special handling, during emergencies.

It is up to the modern horse owner to:

1. Take prevention seriously in the care and maintenance of his horse, and be educated and involved to the extent possible.  If he keeps his horse at home, he must know much more about prevention than the owner who pays others to do so.

2. To be prepared to respond to an emergency.  If he keeps his horse at home, he must be able to respond himself until help arrives, as well as call for help.

3. To advise emergency responders such as police and firefighters who have not handled large animals how to safely assist in, for example, after a trailer accident or during barn fire or water rescue if he keeps his own horse.

4. To require professional caregivers, trainers, haulers, and other handlers of his horse to be properly staffed and prepared with training, supplies, and plans to respond to an emergency, and to advise first responders like police and firefighters properly.  This is a reasonable standard of care for persons being paid as horse experts, whether they operate an economy or deluxe business that cares for horses.  It is sometimes lacking when stables are left unattended for long periods or left attended by untrained low-level staff with minimal English communication skills.

Self-reliance proactive things you can do to deter theft of your senior horse:

1. Ensure gates are locked, and post an appropriate notice that the property is private.

2. Install motion-activated security lighting around stables, pens and parked trailers.  Solar-powered ones will work when power from regular sources is not available or interrupted.

3. Install security cameras.  Basic systems you can install yourself are readily available now and inexpensive.

4. Post signs notifying people that the stable is monitored.  Note: if you have a horse business or non-profit, see our pages discussing additional signage advantages and resources.

5. If non-English speaking laborers work regularly in your neighborhood, learn to speak their language.  If you don't have time to attend classes at your local community college, or don't want to spend hundreds of dollars on Rosetta Stone as advertised on television, then Click Here!

 Things you can do with neighbors to help one another as a community to deter horse, tack and feed theft:

1. Meet with surrounding neighbors for coffee to exchange names and phone numbers at a local spot.  Invite the deputies or patrol officers assigned to your area.

   - It is OK to just meet everyone the first time you get together.  You don't have to agree on anything.  Being able to put faces and names with addresses and phone numbers of people who live on either side of, behind, and across from your horse property is valuable.  Once you know one another, the ability to check on suspicious activity or ask for help is easier. 

2. Invite the deputies or patrol officers assigned to your area to walk your perimeter and make security suggestions.

3. Ask employers of workers in the neighborhood to use E-verify to confirm worker eligibility status.  Encourage them to recruit neighborhood residents for even temporary low-skilled or manual labor jobs.  Every neighborhood today has Americans who would take that work if it was offered to them.  A few decades ago, all the lawns were mowed by local youth earning money for a musical instrument, car or college.  Those days are back, just add iPods, iPhones, iTunes to the list.  Locals have the added advantage of being able to walk or bicycle to work, which is environmentally positive, and speak the manager's and the customer's language.

Fire Prevention and Response                                      (Top of Page)           

I was in a Southern California box canyon wildfire running for my life with horses in the 60's that destroyed homes around us and killed horses at one home where no one was home.  Here in Phoenix Arizona in the 90's, a large stable where trainers we knew had their businesses and friends had horses, burned, killing horses and a groom.  More horses escaped into the desert never to be seen again.  Then a teenage boarder of ours started a fire in her horse's stall bedding in our metal barn with sparks from a box fan she had washed and turned on with the horse in residence!  Fortunately I arrived right then with a bucket of water and was only a few feet from a fire extinguisher.  Then we had the Rodeo-Chedeski (Show Low/Heber) fire in June of 2002 that brought horses all the way to Phoenix for shelter.

NEWS: January, 2009, a barn fire in Lincoln, CA killed 12 valuable performance horses at a top reining and cutting stable http://www.kpho.com/video/18548718/

Now you know why we think this section is important.  No place is immune from fire.

"Every year in the United States approximately 4,500 barn fires occur and even higher numbers of barn and horse accidents. The number one solution is being trained and prepared to handle an accident or fire with a horse or other large animal. It is estimated that less then 10% of the emergency workers across the country have ever handled a horse and even less have been trained to handle a horse in an emergency situation" - Emergency Training Systems  (both photos from their website.)

Laurie Loveman has a calling.  It is studying barn fires and educating horse owners on how to prevent them or respond to them and evacuate their horses.  She has assembled statistics that would surprise many stable managers who believe that barn fires are a thing of the past, or can't occur in metal buildings.  In Western states, wildfires are a concern as well.  She has also written many great articles.  Visit her site: http://www.laurieloveman.com/barnfires.html or http://www.firesafetyinbarns.com

Other Resources                                                              (Top of Page)

The Del Camino Products and Services catalog offers some horse products of interest to owners of senior horses.

The AAEP has issued updated vaccination guidelines as of January 2008. 

UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine Center for Equine Health

Technical Large Animal Emergency Rescue

The Emergency Equine Response Unit, Kansas City, Missouri

Large Animal Rescue, Northern California

Hast, PSC, Floyd, Virginia

Emergency Training Systems, Inc.

Horse Welfare Statistics

The American Fire Sprinkler Association can help you find a contractor who understands the unique needs of stables if you want to protect a whole barn -

Firewise.org helps communities living in wildfire susceptible areas learn how to prepare with everything from fire retardant landscaping to better evacuation planning for their livestock.

Equinezone Horse Supply -

Equine Now

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