Hurricane tips from readers: IDs for your horses

While Hurricane Irene is slowly making her way up the east coast, the News-Review is asking for help from its readers. Send all your storm damage photos and news tips this weekend to [email protected].

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Here’s a tip submitted submitted by Patrick Henagan of Ridge:

“Having been through a few a few hurricanes (think this is number 23), I have some tips for all the horse owners around here. Put halters on your horses and write your cell phone number in large clear characters on the halters AND on the horse with a sharpie! If you have a horse with white on it, write the number there as well.

This makes it easier for your horse to get back to you if your horse gets out. The halter makes it easier for whomever comes across it to snag the horse and the cell phone allows them to get in touch with you even if you had to evacuate Writing the number directly on the horse is a backup in the unlikely event the halter gets separated from the horse.

When things blow over, you can remove the number from the halter with rubbing alcohol or Goof-Off.  This is the method we use on our horses in the Carolinas and Louisiana.

I’ve been hearing a lot of people say they were going to braid tags or material with contact info into manes.  This is hit or miss – there can be a lot of debris around that can snag a braid and pull it out.  Also, someone coming across your horse may not try to catch it if they don’t know anything about horses, and thus not see info in the mane or a tag.  Your number written on the halter can be seen without having to grab the horse.

Patrick Henagan
Ridge