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  Discussion on In or out in an electrical storm?
Author Message
Member:
Mwebster

Posted on Wednesday, Jul 12, 2006 - 8:52 pm:

We had a whopper of an electrical storm yesterday. It took a branch off our willow tree (direct hit), took out the transformer in our furnace (which heats our hot water), and fried our cable modem. But aside from that "light damage", we were very worried about the horses, since the strike that hit the willow was only 80' from the house... the thunderstorm was right overhead and the lightning was fierce. We have lightning rods on the house, and the garage next to the house... don't know if they've ever been "used"...

Which raises the question of what's the (statically) best approach -- put the horses in the barn? or leave them out? We've got rubber mats over stonedust, the horses are shod. There are low spots in the pasture where they could be standing in water in case of a deluge like yesterday's. If we're home I guess we'd know right away if the barn was hit... We don't have lightning rods on the barn -- should we? We turn off the electric fence during storms like this one (we also have a device on the charger to protect it from a big surge)... but are there other things we should do?

Our horses are in/out, and chose to be out during the storm until we locked them into their stalls... do they know something we don't?

Melissa
Member:
Vickiann

Posted on Wednesday, Jul 12, 2006 - 9:22 pm:

In a really bad lightning storm my horses want no part of being in my barn -- perhaps quite wisely since it is on top of a hill. They pick their place away from the fence line, part way down the hill, and not under trees, until the lightning passes. I believe in letting them decide. My boys are very wise in this regard, and I prefer not to over rule their choice. Of course, I have enough property that they have a large range of choices, and that makes a difference. In the area where I live ("lightning capital of the world") horses are struck inside the barn as well as outside and sometimes peoples' homes are burned down due to strikes.
Member:
Canter

Posted on Wednesday, Jul 12, 2006 - 9:59 pm:

There was a great discussion about this topic about a month ago, sadly prompted by a member's horses getting struck.

Go to: Care for Horses>>Tips and Tricks>>2006 Add New Care Tips Here>>Discussion on Lightening Strike. I think you'll find everything you ever wanted to know so you can make a very informed choice for your horses and hopefully avoid another tragedy.
Member:
Tuckern

Posted on Thursday, Jul 13, 2006 - 7:02 pm:

My horses get as far away from the barn as they can during a lightning storm. They stand near some pine trees I've got, but not under them, point their butts to the wind, and wait it out.

Nicole
Member:
Mwebster

Posted on Thursday, Jul 13, 2006 - 10:35 pm:

Thanks so much for your posts, and for the link to the thread from June.
Melissa
Member:
vickiann

Posted on Friday, Feb 2, 2007 - 8:43 pm:

Greetings from tornado country. Death and destruction happened only about a mile from my home. That destroyed church shown on TV is where our voting precinct was located. It was built (block, and steel reinforced) to withstand 150 MPH winds, but it is all gone. Our best friends and horses are accounted for, and for that we are very grateful. Many who we know are not accounted for. The horses we know, in various locations, did their survival thing in the area. In large pastures, area horses fared just fine, while homes just on the other side of the fences trapped and killed their human owners (including well-built brick/block homes).
Member:
mrose

Posted on Friday, Feb 2, 2007 - 9:38 pm:

Vicki, so glad you and your horses are o.k. I was about to post to see if any HA members were in the area hit. I have several relatives evidently not too far from you My cousin lost some roofing and trees and had one horse get cut on the nose, the rest are o.k. as are my other relatives.

What a terrible storm!! And worse because it hit while people were asleep.
Member:
ilona

Posted on Saturday, Feb 3, 2007 - 10:49 am:

Vicki,
I'm glad you and you horses are OK. Tornados frighten the heck out of me. I hope those you know will be accounted for. How very distressing. Nature is so repeatedly humbling.
Member:
adriaa

Posted on Saturday, Feb 3, 2007 - 11:23 am:

Glad you and yours are ok Vicki. How terrifying. I have friends who just came back from Disney on Weds. they are feeling quite lucky! Tornadoes scare the heck out of me and I don't even live in tornado country. We had a big one 10 years back that did a lot of damage and killed 7 people, very rare for here. Lightning... a few years ago 5 horses were killed by lightning in one night, that really scares me. I have lightning rods on both my barn and my house, no horses in there yet however. Once lightning hit a rod on my house, a big pop and flash where the ground wire met the ground, so I think they work. Being the paranoid I am, I would put mine in the barn, close all doors to make that "box" they speak of which protects against strikes. Standing under a tree does not sound safe, at least they advise people not to stand under trees in lightning storms. I'm the kind of person that if there is a tornado watch, I'm in the cellar, with cats, birds, kids, dogs (sorry fish!) and if the horse would fit them too! But I live in New England so tornados are a big thing.
Member:
zarr

Posted on Saturday, Feb 3, 2007 - 11:34 am:

Vicki, grew up in Kansas and experienced a really bad twister my folks house heavily damaged and we were in it hiding under a mattress in the hall! As Sara said I know that part of Florida is horse country and prayed all came thru OK. My heart goes out to all that lost so very much! Coming out from under rubble to find everything gone is unforgettable, so glad you and yours are good! Cindy
Member:
quatro

Posted on Saturday, Feb 3, 2007 - 2:09 pm:

So glad to hear you and yours are ok Vicki. I just got on to check all of our member friends were safe. There seem to be quite a number of Floridians on this site.
We do live in Tornado country here in Iowa. Last year 2 horses were lifted up in the tornado, about 2 miles from here. One was impaled with a piece of lumber in his hip. Both survived, and are on the mend. The nite time storms are the ones that really scare you.
I moved to Iowa from Arizona, where they don't talk much about Tornadoes. I've worked at schools for years, and they always had fire drills. The school psychologist and I were in a conference when the bells went off for a drill. We continued chatting, and walked outside like you always do in a fire drill, However, when we got outside, we were alone. After extracting the pretend glass from our bodies, we sheepishly walked into the interior tornado shelter, feeling just a bit foolish.
Learn something new every day!
Suz
Member:
tpmiller

Posted on Saturday, Feb 3, 2007 - 3:30 pm:

Melissa-

Some info on lightening rods and statistics on this thread-

https://www.horseadvice.com:80/cgi-bin/advisor/show.cgi?3/71776

Our horses will be in a barn, on rubber mats, with proper lightening rod protection, at any hint of a coming electrical storm.
Member:
jojo15

Posted on Saturday, Feb 3, 2007 - 11:36 pm:

Vicki, if you hear of anyone in the area that needs anything let me know. Luckily (if you can say that) there are many close by that can help. not like in a hurricane where everyone is affected within hundreds of miles. If not, though, i can be up there in a minute. (well 3 hours)... From one of my other lists, a horse farm in Deland got it bad.. horses are all ok, though. and a farrier and wife died leaving a young son. (don't want to say name till confirmed). Couple of goat farms got it too.

It seems the worst hit that retirement community.

vicki not sure where you are, if you are in the area, of altoona,(42 and 19) i have an old friend (jack) on demko road. from the look of the map he is in the direct line from lady lake to paisley. I haven't spoken to him in ages, and the number i have could have changed. if you are out and about and close by give a drive by? he's the last house on the right on demko (near the cemetary). I'm trying to find other friends around there to confirm that area wasn't hit.
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