We are have moved & are offering stunning river rides and camping out at The Ranch on Clarence. Andalusian Horses available for Weddings & Photoshoots.
03/03/2025
Cyclone Preparation
Here on the east coast of Australia we are being inundated with warnings about the impending landfall of Cyclone Alfred.
When It comes to our farms and horses, there are a few things we can do to be prepared, and I thought I would share with you what we are doing here at home.
Firstly, there are many people saying “they always warn us and nothing comes of it”. This might be true, but in this case the cyclone is very real, sitting off the coast and all models show it making land, the question is not if but rather where and when. So my first bit of advice is to take early action - at best it will be a great exercise in testing your emergency plan. They didn’t do fire drills at school for nothing - its great to practice these things.
This is what we have done and will be doing over the next couple of days around our place;
Horses
High Ground. Nows the time to move your horses to flood free areas.
Know what happens in your paddock - back in 2009 our horses were caught in a terrible flood, we were lucky that we didn’t lose any although we came very close. Our paddock at the time had high ground, but the creek running through the middle rose first, pushing them towards the boundary creek rather than up the hill, this is how they were caught. Our paddock now when the creek rises pushes them up to higher ground.
Hay. In wet weather grass is waterlogged and horses are often isolated to high patches which rapidly become overeaten. Rain and wind cause your horse to use more energy to stay warm, and hay is the best thing to help them keep their warmth up. We have stocked up on hay so we can feed out multiple times a day in the worst of it.
Salt. In poor weather horses can tend to not drink enough, you can keep the salt up to encourage drinking.
Fresh water. With all the water around we sometimes forget that it can be contaminated and non palatable, make sure your horses have access to clean, fresh water at all times.
Feet. Water brings bacteria, now is the time to make sure your horses trims are up to date, and I also treated my horses feet with a beeswax and bluestone mix in any cracks. This will help to resist mud and bacteria settling into these areas.
Rugs. The horses we have in small paddocks that are flood free will be rugged with a canvas rug to help them remain warm due to having limited access to move around and seek shelter and warmth with the herd. Our herd horses will remain rug free - rugs can become entangled with debris, can be waterlogged or at worst, can catch on something and tether your horse in a dangerous spot. Note these horses have plenty of high ground in this paddock, and water pushes them up onto it. They are not at risk, but I still won’t take the risk of them having rugs on in stormy weather.
Zinc. I have put zinc on our pinked nose horses to form a barrier against bacteria and being wet for days on end, pink skin is so sensitive, this will offer some kind of protection.
First Aid kit - make sure you have a stocked first aid kit in case your horse does injure themselves and you are unable to get a vet in for a few days.
House
Power. Be prepared for the power to go out, pull out your candles and torches and put somewhere handy, along with checking the batteries. Freeze some large containers of water to help keep your fridge and freezer cool in case the power is out, and have supplies of water and food for at least a few days, along with cooking facilities that don't require power.
Supplies. If you are likely to be flooded in, make sure you have essentials like pet foods and medications for a few days.
Batteries - charge anything with a battery - laptops, phones, iPads, torches.
Fireplace. If you are fortunate to have a fireplace, bring some dry wood in as you may want to light it to dry everything out!
First Aid - don't forget to stock up on the human first aid kit too!
Yard / Paddock prep
Cyclones come with big winds - secure anything you don't want to lose, or anything that can become dangerous (which is everything!) - remember winds are so strong, so even things you think are quite heavy may need to be secured down. If you have time cut overhanging branches from fencelines.
Horse trailer - make sure you shut the windows and vents - Your welcome!
Cars, trailers, caravans. Don’t park under trees or near rising waters. Make sure cars have fuel - especially those that are capable of going through water.
There are many other checklists circulating the internet, some far more comprehensive than these, preparation is key.
Stay safe everyone, leave any more tips in the comments.
T x
Photo from 2009, Phil and the ever reliable Alby, swimming Rosie and Squizzy out of floodwater.-
