Barn fire-Update on horse
Posted: Mon Jul 23, 2018 2:30 am
I tend to not read barn fire stories because they're so heartbreaking. Today, it happened to me. End of story first: Barn ok, no one hurt, all horses ok.
I was finishing up barn chores today and noticed that some horses at the end of the barn were agitated. I looked out the end of the barn and saw strangers with hoses and I thought WTF, that's strange? So I peaked my head out and saw the barn help's trailer engulfed in flames. A total loss. It sits on a hillside near the barn and under many trees. This is in N. California in drought/wildfire territory so could have quickly engulfed the barn. I turned right around and yelled, "fire, get the horses out."
We immediately started pulling horses out of stalls. Geldings went into the arena and mares went into a turnout far away from the barn. 2 horses are nutcases so they went into the end stalls far away from the fire and got heavy doses of Ace but were easily evacuable if needed.
So purpose of this post:
1) Have a plan. I can't stress this enough. My trainer and I rehearse evacuation plans every time we drive to UC Davis. Usually, these involve wildfires which would have been a different scenario than today. Today, was just get the horses the F*** out of the barn
2) Every horse needs to have a halter and lead rope that functions. I had so much trouble today with the halters with the throat latch clips. I'm not used to putting the halter over the ears and then doing the throat latch. Not my thing. And sh!tty lead ropes. Come on? Also one horse had a halter that barely fit.
3) Even if you're just a boarder like me, have an idea of which horses are ok for someone to handle and which are @$$holes. I ended up directing traffic so I had to make the decisions for which horses could go out together.
4) Strangers show up out of nowhere. They want to help. See #3
5) Thank your firefighters. Bow to them. Kiss their feet.
6) 9 months of rehab probably down the drain. But heck, he's alive.
I was finishing up barn chores today and noticed that some horses at the end of the barn were agitated. I looked out the end of the barn and saw strangers with hoses and I thought WTF, that's strange? So I peaked my head out and saw the barn help's trailer engulfed in flames. A total loss. It sits on a hillside near the barn and under many trees. This is in N. California in drought/wildfire territory so could have quickly engulfed the barn. I turned right around and yelled, "fire, get the horses out."
We immediately started pulling horses out of stalls. Geldings went into the arena and mares went into a turnout far away from the barn. 2 horses are nutcases so they went into the end stalls far away from the fire and got heavy doses of Ace but were easily evacuable if needed.
So purpose of this post:
1) Have a plan. I can't stress this enough. My trainer and I rehearse evacuation plans every time we drive to UC Davis. Usually, these involve wildfires which would have been a different scenario than today. Today, was just get the horses the F*** out of the barn
2) Every horse needs to have a halter and lead rope that functions. I had so much trouble today with the halters with the throat latch clips. I'm not used to putting the halter over the ears and then doing the throat latch. Not my thing. And sh!tty lead ropes. Come on? Also one horse had a halter that barely fit.
3) Even if you're just a boarder like me, have an idea of which horses are ok for someone to handle and which are @$$holes. I ended up directing traffic so I had to make the decisions for which horses could go out together.
4) Strangers show up out of nowhere. They want to help. See #3
5) Thank your firefighters. Bow to them. Kiss their feet.
6) 9 months of rehab probably down the drain. But heck, he's alive.