Horses & Tornadoes: How to Be Ready

When it comes to severe weather, horse owners have an extra worry: ensuring their animals are safe from tornados. In this article, you’ll learn about my experience caring for horses when the F5 tornado leveled much of nearby Joplin, Missouri as well as general advice for preparing your horse & farm for tornado season.

Tornadoes can be an especially dangerous form of severe weather for horse farms. They can cause severe damage to property and can quickly turn into life-threatening situations. When a tornado warning is issued, horse owners should take immediate action to protect their animals. “Domestic horses are totally dependent on humans to care for them, especially in emergencies and disasters.”

Some sources state that horses should be left in a pasture during a storm (due to the risk of building collapse) while other sources indicate that horses should be moved to a shelter during a storm (due to the risk of flying debris) As you can see, directives are not entirely clear in how to prepare horses for tornadic storm.

It’s best to keep horses in an area that is away from trees or other large objects that could fall and injure the horses. Once in a safe location, keep horses calm and quiet. Try not to let them run or panic, as this could cause them to injure themselves. If possible, keep them in their stalls or pens so they cannot roam freely. Horses are resilient animals, but they can still be injured or killed in a tornado. By taking proper precautions, horse owners can help ensure their animals stay safe during severe weather.

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Tornadoes

Tornadoes Are Common in the US

Over the past several years in Missouri, we’ve witnessed many severe storms, and the term “tornado season” seems to apply more more and more of the calendar year. As much as we anticipate winter’s end, we don’t look forward to the worst part of spring. Taking care of horses makes tornado season much worse because they can stray too far away in pasture, and they’re not the easiest animals to move around. And good luck trying to fit your horse or pony in a bathtub or basement!

In 2012, the U.S. experienced over 930 confirmed tornadoes, in 2021, that number jumped to 1,313Although there are states that have a higher risk than others, all states are still at risk of tornados.