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Horses and thunderstorms: Why we need to respect this phenomenon

horses-and-thunder
horses-and-thunder

Thunderstorms are neither man's nor the horse's best friend. When it rumbles and the sky lights up, it is hard not to think of your horse. Is it scared? Will lightning strike near it? And what should you do to avoid it? The question is whether horse people really have enough respect for the thunderstorm. And how do we act most appropriately? Let us take a closer at this natural phenomenon.

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When a horse is struck by lightning

Even if you think that the risk is minimal, almost every year lightning does strike horses. And it does not necessarily affect only one horse. In fact, there are examples of crashes in which an entire herd has been killed. For example, in 2008, six horses were killed by lightning that was so powerful that even the fence wire melted. Likewise, seven horses at a warm-blooded stud were all killed by a single lightning strike in 2016. There was no doubt that the horses had been killed by lightning. Many of them had grass in their mouths and, moreover, had been completely healthy just hours before. One can perhaps take comfort in the fact that their deaths occurred very quickly. They suffered no major distress. But either way you look at it – it is sad.

It was also about to get really scary when a lightning struck a few meters from a warm-up area at a competition in Denmark in 2015. Below you can see a video recording of it. It is clear that neither horse nor rider feels this is okay. You could argue whether or not the riding club should have canceled the event when the storm pulled up. We dare not even think about what would have happened if the lightning had hit a few meters closer. What do you think? Should there be guidelines for cancellations in extreme weather situations like this?

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During a thunderstorm, lightning strikes a few meters from a horse and rider at a competition warm-up area in Denmark in 2015. It could have had a really scary outcome. Photo: TV2. Watch the video.

Should we respect the weather and thunderstorms more?

And where are we going with this? In fact, we just want to point out that it actually does happen that lightning strikes and kills horses - not to mention humans. And maybe we should have more respect for the erratic weather? Whether we are talking about a long-planned event that it would be a real shame to cancel. Or if it is just a matter of getting the horses in from the field for a few hours. Never underestimate the danger of a thunderstorm. In the worst case, you can lose your horse, or horses. Maybe even also a rider.

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You may also like to read: Top 10: Dangerous things seen through your horse’s eyes

The stable is not necessarily the safest place

So how do we best take care of our horses when a thunderstorm is on its way. Many people will quite wisely choose to go get the horses from field or stop the training - and in most cases it is really wise. However, some horses become more afraid of the thunderstorm if they cannot see it. Perhaps they can do even more harm to themselves if they are locked in a closed stable. In other words, there is a big difference in how horses react to a sky filled with flashes of light and thunder. The individual owner should therefore assess the situation and pay close attention to the horses.

Tall trees and buildings nearby

Whether one should let the horse outside or bring it in when a thunderstorm arises, depends on who you ask. First of all, it all depends on how your horses react. Second what are the surroundings like. Horses walking around near a forest are less likely to be struck by lightning than horses walking in a completely open landscape.

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If you choose to leave your horse outside, then one of the best things is to have tall trees or buildings near the field – but definitely not in the field itself. However, a completely naked landscape, where the horses are the only ones standing out will not do either. It is best to have something high around the field with a good distance to the fence. In order to be able to lead the lightning away. Although there are never any guarantees as to where the lightning strikes, you can at least minimize the chance of it hitting the horses.

"Some protection can be added from tall trees or buildings near the paddock - but definitely not in the paddock"

A thunderstorm is on its way when:

  • The clouds become large and tall - almost shaped like cauliflower or candy floss. 
  • The air pressure drops, and the wind increases and rises upwards. 
  • You can hear the rumble and see flashes of light in the distance. 

A thunderstorm is close to you when:

  • You hear the sound of thunder 15 seconds after seeing the lightning. Then it is about 5 km away. 
  • You hear the sound of thunder 5 seconds after seeing the lightning. Then the lightning has struck nearby. 
  • A lightning bolt moves at 300,000 km / s - approx. 900,000 times faster than a sound wave. That is why, you see the flash of light long before you hear the rumble if the lightning is far away.
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