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PREPARING YOUR HORSE FOR A HURRICANE “Preparation through education is less costly than learning through tragedy” - Max Mayfield, former Director, National
Hurricane Center.
BeforetheStorm: Keepalistofphonenumbersavailable, including your local sheriff/law enforcement and Animal Rescue/Control, who will be leading operations following a hurricane.
Your horse should have at least two of the following forms of identification: microchip, tattoo, brand, or a waterproof label. The label should contain contact information for someone outside the storm zone, as phone service may be unavailable.
FEATURE | a g r i e d u
FROM 4-H
Have your Coggins test and a recent health certificate (if your evacuation site is out of the state) safe in case of evacuation. Your horse should be up to date on vaccines: Tetanus, West Nile, Rabies, Rhino/Influenza, and Encephalitis viruses. Make sure to have current pictures of your horses for identification purposes and for proof of ownership if your horse is missing. Have a stocked, waterproof first-aid kit accessible after the storm.
On the farm, potential projectile objects should be stored carefully and all large objects should be tied down. Fill large water troughs and large containers with water to make sure the horses have water during and after the storm. Turn off electricity to the barn.
During the Storm: Flood plains/coastal areas should be evacuated. Ideally, evacuate more than 48-72 hours before storm winds arrive. It’s dangerous to transport horses in winds over 40mph and emergency services cannot travel until winds are below 40mph.
If evacuation is not possible, outdoors is best with strong fencing (not barbed wire/electrified). Horses should be on high ground with feed and clean water. If a secure hurricane safe indoor facility is available, leave sufficient water and feed with each horse; you may not be able to reach your animals for days. Extra feed and water should be stored in water/ rodent proof containers for after the storm has passed.
After the Storm: Examine each horse for injuries and seek veterinary care if needed. Walk the pastures inspecting for downed power lines and toxic plants. Remove any debris and repair all fencing. If your horse is missing, contact the Disaster Response Team, local law enforcement, or
Animal Control/Rescue.
For more information and
to Five Rings
O Polk County Student Shoots for the Olympics
by ANDREA REEVES
ON THE OUTSIDE, it seems as though Ryan Waldman is an average 16-year-old boy from Haines City. However, he is more than just a typical high school student. Ryan is a champion. Member of the Bullseye 4-H Club in Winter Haven, Ryan recently represented Polk County in the Archery Recurve division of the 2014 National 4-H Shooting Sports Invitational.
if you have further ques- tion please check out the Polk County Sheriff ’s Office website: www.polksheriff.org/FAQsFig- ures/Pages/Hurri- canePreparedness- forLivestock.aspx
BIO: Dr. Katie Hennessy graduated from the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine in 2008 with a degree in large animal health and equine medicine. She completed an advanced internship at The Equine Medical Cen- ter of Ocala and is currently the owner and practicing veterinarian at Polk Equine. Her expertise ranges from small and exotic creatures to large animals, specializing in equine medicine.
“I do it for the fun of it, the competition— I've always been a competitor; it’s just what I love doing,” explains Waldman, who has been shooting competitively for three years. Ryan qualified for Nationals by placing fourth overall at the State 4-H Archery competition back in March. He earned the opportunity to compete in Grand Island, Nebraska, along with three other students from Marion County and other shooting competitors from across the country, at the National competition. As a team, the four Florida shooters placed third overall in the Archery Recurve category. Ryan placed seventh individually in Archery Recurve, out of over 50 students.
“It was a little bit of a surprise. I didn't think I was going to place seventh,” says Waldman, who also qualified for Nationals last year, but decided to take an extra year to practice and improve his craft. High school students are only allowed to compete in a category one time at Nationals and he wanted to make it count.
There were two archery divisions, along with other categories, like shotgun and air rifle shooting; the two archery categories were Archery Recurve and Compound. While compound bows are equipped with a pulley-like system, a recurve bow is more traditional-looking, one you can catch in movies like The Hunger Games and The Avengers.
“Recurve is what you see in the Olympics,” elaborates Waldman, who chose to shoot recurve partly for that reason. Because what was originally just a recreational past-time has now turned into a possible career venture for Waldman. For Ryan, placing seventh overall in the National Recurve Archery competition is just one notch on the belt; it’s one step closer to the bigger goal . . . the biggest goal:
38 | CFAN
FloridaAgNews.com
by DR. KATIE HENNESSY
ARCHERY COMPETITION is just one notch on the belt; it’s one step closer to the bigger goal . . . the biggest goal: making it to the Olympics.