-first published in the April issue of The Equiery

The dangerous weather in March put us in mind of the stormy weather to come during the spring and summer. Fortuitously, MHC received a Maryland Horse Industry Board (MHIB) grant this year to create an emergency preparedness binder for horse owners. We will share more information about it in the coming months.

In the meantime, we put together this list of top ten things to help you prepare for an emergency with the help of Tyler Frame, who is, among other things, a Second Chances graduate, a Level 2 Animal Care Technician (ACT-2), and a Technical Large Animal Emergency Rescue Operator (TLAER)

  1. Know how to take your horse’s temperature, pulse, and respiration (TPR), and know your horse’s baseline TPR.
  2. Look at your property through the eyes of a first responder— where are water sources? Can you open doors and gates wearing thick gloves?
  3. Have an equine first aid kit on hand. Check it regularly to keep it up to date. Know how to use everything in the case.
  4. If you are an equine professional with a barn, learn CPR and learn how to use Narcan.
  5. Check electrical cords regularly. Make sure outlets are free from dirt and cobwebs. Get a Carbon Monoxide Detector for the barn and any sealable rooms.
  6. Consider having 2-way radios for intra-staff communications — they are quicker to start than phones and they don’t rely on cell tower signals.
  7. Check flashlight batteries regularly. Have headlamps available and charged to free up your hands.
  8. Have an emergency evacuation plan. Practice it regularly with staff and boarders.
  9. Take a Technical Large Animal Emergency Rescue course to learn how to deal with an emergency situation.
  10. Make sure your farm has back ups for daily requirements. Pipes can freeze. Electricity can go out. Well pumps can fail.

Stay safe everyone!