GA Folks - hope everyone's OK - tornadoes!!!

[RunForIt]

Its been a very rocky night around here...tornadoes within 5 miles in no less than 3 directions - what's happened out in Newnan? Cobb? Murray? Gwinett? not to mention Oconee, Greene, on down I-20...????

just hope all is well,

We got the horses into the barn - threw hay, my car in the barn aisle, the dear ol truck in the shavings shed, and ice in the cooler - then all hell broke loose....:eek:

[HorsesinHaiti]

Wow - Grateful that you're OK.

[Dakotawyatt]

We had a bad storm come through Cherokee County earlier. I was standing in front of our covered ring talking to some moms, and all of a sudden a WALL of thick black clouds came barelling towards us. I thought it was a freaking tornado, and ran like mad into the barn! Got the hail right after the clouds covered us (for about 30 seconds), and it was over. Scary, scary. Hoping everyone down south is staying safe!!!

[Windy Willow]

NOTHING HERE at all down way south!.Looked stormy all day and very windy My horse was not real good while schooling.

I heard it was going to be bad tonight . Looks like its totally north of us.I keep checking the radar. I had slaved all afternoon putting shavings in all my stalls and prepared to leave the horses in........... and nothing. Oh well

Hope everyones safe

[TB_eventer]

it got pretty ugly here for a little while, and we even had a tornado warning for awhile. Unfortunately I wasn't able to be with my horse, and I bet he was outside :( The place I board doesn't usually change their turnout schedule because of weather, unless the humans don't want to get wet... :( Oh well, he's fine.
Glad everyone seems ok :yes:

[ChaseTheDream]

Forsyth/Hall/Gwinnett is good. we just got some heavy rain.

maybe sosme hail and wind in the forsyth/cherokee line..

:D

hope everyones alright in the other places....

[CookiePony]

RFI-- did you have any damage?

[RunForIt]

RFI-- did you have any damage?

No damage, just lots of time in the basement, and tree limbs everywhere. The initial storm appeared out of damn-nowhere! So we had to run and get the horses in big-time FAST!!! We're in this little pocket where 3 other counties besides Newton come together...all the tornadoes were coming our way - right out hwys 81 and 212 - they all bounced about 3 times and missed us - headed out to Monticello and Eatonon. Once we had the horses in the barn, my heart sorta got quiet...but, because Billy played golf 3 days in a row, we hadn't unloaded hay, so the grandfather truck had to go into the shavings shed, my car - literally - went into the barn aisle cause there was so much hail reported coming (you should've seen ARLO when it started and he put his head out out the dog/cat door - so freakin' funny!)...

Thanks for checking on us...just checked on the ponies, fed more hay, I still have to put sheets on the bed and Billy's asleep on the sofa, with one cat on his tummy and another on the sofa back, Aussie Kerry is guarding them all and Arlo is out now checking for turtles...all is well at Run For It Farm...

[Debbie]

It was pretty wild down here after dark. I can't BELIEVE I left my horses out in it, but they did fine and when I went out with my flashlight and umbrella after the worst of the wind and hail, they looked up from the hay pile (not the two hay piles in the run in of course, but the one outside) like I was bothering them.

Tornado did touch down about three miles away and one horse was killed and one house destroyed and many homes damaged. :cry:

[Absolut]

Here just north of Madison. We saw the super cell headed toward Bishop where it did so much damage. We got the horses in, vehicles up and prayed it would miss us. It went between us and Bishop so we could not be more thankful.

My husband was flying into Atlanta and I was so afraid they would have trouble after seeing that radar of one super cell after the other. He made it in fine and watched them driving east on I 20 saying there were so many it was surreal..

[ChocoMare]

The worst of the worst went south and north of us. We just had the huge rain and hurricane-force winds. I left the mares out but our co-boarders, who live 1/4 mile from the barn, probably went and chucked them in for me. I put hay in the managers just in case.

I know Carrollton/Roopville got walloped by hail and a possible tornado. I need to call Dr. Rose Coker and see if she/Dr. Mike are ok.

[bludejavu]

It was pretty wild down here after dark. I can't BELIEVE I left my horses out in it, but they did fine and when I went out with my flashlight and umbrella after the worst of the wind and hail, they looked up from the hay pile (not the two hay piles in the run in of course, but the one outside) like I was bothering them.

Tornado did touch down about three miles away and one horse was killed and one house destroyed and many homes damaged. :cry:


Don't feel bad - I left some of ours out too before I realized just how bad it was going to get and then I couldn't bring them in because it was lightning so much I didn't dare chance it. I live in Covington and a neighbor called me last night and said she heard a tornado touched down further down the road from me. I don't know if it really did or not but I haven't heard confirmation of it today. I can live without this kind of weather!

[FLeckenAwesome]

My guys were left out too.... partly cause I'm not sure which is worse... being stuck in my barn that is possibly likely to come down during a bad storm, or free where there is tons of sheltering trees... Seems like a catch 22 whichever way I choose!
Everyone was fine though... the only damage was a fence board but I think I have to blame that on the geldings... not the weather!!!


Very sad about the horse that died :( I'm very thankful mine are all happy this morning.

Good luck to everyone else that had damage!

[JDufort]

At least one cell touched down just south of Farmington in south Oconee County - Hwy 441 was closed for a few hours, as well as the alternate route - Salem/Old Farmington Road. My partner was caught enroute from Athens to Madison and had to just sit in the car until the crews could reopen the roads. There were huge trees tossed everywhere!

[Absolut]

Marisa and I had just returned home from Athens an hour prior. My mother called and told me it looked bad while we were driving home.

Apparently Kim's farm and horses are fine, I emailed Kerry. I felt sure they were close to being in the path. The guy that is breaking Larkin for me said it went right over his farm and his Dad lost his barn. They are coming next Wed to enlarge the shed from behind so my trailer will fit. I was so afraid they were a week too late!

Goodness, I hate tornadoes!

[Lori T]

Wow, I had no idea! Glad everyone survived, sorry to hear about the one horse though. We are slated to get the storm system next, it is around Ocala right now and coming for us around noon. I left my horses out last night so they could stay in today. It looks really nasty outside.

[maxxtrot]

yea, called some friends in the atlanta and surrounding towns to make sure all was well last night.just a lot of rain and thunderstorms but all are ok. we were going to be getting the storms, but thank god it weakened before it hit us. gainesville was getting hail this morning i ran out to get the horses done, but it hit before i could get them all in. but no big deal. just some heavy rain for about 15 minutes or so. then a light rain, half of them did not even lift their heads from grazing. it is sunny and warm here now, just beautiful. hope everyone is ok south of us as well. and so sorry for the one horse and the people that have damage.

[Sudi's Girl]

Wow - poor horse that died! :( How sad! So glad everyone here is alive and well though!

Gosh I hate tornados and bad storms like that! After being out at the barn for a really bad storm last year, I think I'm scarred for life.

[EventingChase]

Yes, I got home from work last night with hail following me. Kim was in the arena riding Tate :) Crazy girl! Hope finally had to come down and drag us to the house. So it was the three of us in the basement with 7 dogs, some beer and chick fil a. A pretty good time actually. Everyone was fine this morning. All the animals and the farm were good. Bishop on theway to work had a lot of trees down though!

[kookicat]

How scary! I hope everyone comes through it okay. So sad that one family has lost their house/horse. :(

[LSM1212]

My friend lives in GA (outside of Atlanta) and just sent me this link.

http://projects.ajc.com/gallery/view/metro/0219-storm/

Be forewarned that pic #13 is disturbing. But makes you think again... horses in or horses out during tornadoes???

Hope everyone is okay.

[ChocoMare]

I saw the interview with the man who lost his horse/farm house. At least TV didn't show that part. :(

Just heard from the Cokers....they had lotsa hail but no tornado or damage. Whew.

[FLeckenAwesome]

so... speaking of... what is the best thing to do... turn them out or lock them in??

I'm always afraid lightning will hit my barn or a tree will fall on it or the wind will blow it down... or they'll spook inside and harm themselves, but... if I leave them out... there's still lightning, falling trees, spooking into whatever, etc....

I suppose it would be an easier question if my barn was a bit more barn like and not so..... piece of crap like!

[RunForIt]

Mine tend to run with wind, so despite the slightly "less than stellar barn", I err on the side of get them out of lightning's way...if they won't come to me and its lightning, I close the gate, wish them well, and head for the house...and PRAY!!!!! :eek: :cool:

[bornfreenowexpensive]

so... speaking of... what is the best thing to do... turn them out or lock them in??

I'm always afraid lightning will hit my barn or a tree will fall on it or the wind will blow it down... or they'll spook inside and harm themselves, but... if I leave them out... there's still lightning, falling trees, spooking into whatever, etc....

I suppose it would be an easier question if my barn was a bit more barn like and not so..... piece of crap like!


Trouble with lightning is at least if you put a lightning rod on your barn and it strikes the barn...they have a good chance of living. I've unfortunately known more than a few horses killed by lightning.....all of them were out in their fields. So my vote is to get them in....but still....you can only do so much.

As for tornadoes....I have know idea what is the best thing to do other than pray. They scare the crap out of me....we luckily only get them once in a while.

Glad most folks are ok....sending jingles and positive thoughts to those that were not so lucky.

[cloudyandcallie]

Yes, north and central GA got the bad weather, here in the SE we escaped. We had the "mildest" tornado late last spring, I think they called it a "1".

Hope all are OK up there. I always put mine in as the lightning is what I fear most. Yes a barn can be imploded or be struck by lightning, but flying debris outside can kill an animal also. I lived in Atlanta when the tornado hit the governor's mansion and cars were then picked up off of the interstate, so a horse outside can be lifted and killed that way. I've boarded where there were trees by barns and where there weren't trees by barns, and Cloudy and Callie did fine in their stalls, even when a limb fell on one barn (but I saw Callie weave for the first and only time then.)

Hope everyone is OK. TV reported that Coweta Co got hit hard and there are lots of horse barns up there. Is Lori OK up at Sunkissed?

[mbarrett]

I don't think there is a "right" answer to horses "in" or "out" during a tornado. When the tornado hit Parkersburg, IA last year horses were killed or severely injured when left in the barn or out in a pasture. Both places are terrible: barn collapsing and shredded or being out in the wind with the flying debris. Pick your poison.

I think if a tornado is bearing down on you, you'd better save your own bacon and head for the basement, cellar or a ditch.

I have thought of that many times when I have been at the barn and a storm rolls in. We bring the horses in to the barn and stick by the radio. IF there is a tornado, we have to make a choice. The BO's house has a cellar, but if she's gone and the house if locked, we'll head to the culvert under the road. It's about 4' tall. It's not ideal, but that's the safest place.

If you live in "tornado alley" or have seen pictures of the destruction, sometimes there is no "safe" place to be in a tornado. Remember the pictures and video of Parkersburg, IA? It was literally wiped off the map last year. It's amazing ANYONE survived.

[cloudyandcallie]

Oh you are right, but I am at peace with my decision of IN during storms and tornados, and any kind of bad weather. Of course I'm an IN most of the time, being as wussie as my horses.
Predestination, with some variation.:lol:

[Jenesmane]

As I live in a NY 20 minutes from canada, hearing all of this makes me think that a little snow is okay compared to tornados like down there!!:eek: I will think twice next time I have a fit over a foot of snow.

So thank you. You make me appreciate something I have despised for too long!:lol:

[FLeckenAwesome]

Good point... now I just need to find a lightning rod for the barn.... Though my house has so many trees... Maybe I'll just put the horses in the basement with me!!! I think that's my new plan :)

Luckily I only have to panic about stuff once a year or so it seems.... some day I'll have that fancy new barn and won't have to worry.. they'll be in and safe! (Hopefully!)

[bornfreenowexpensive]

Good point... now I just need to find a lightning rod for the barn.... Though my house has so many trees... Maybe I'll just put the horses in the basement with me!!! I think that's my new plan :)

Luckily I only have to panic about stuff once a year or so it seems.... some day I'll have that fancy new barn and won't have to worry.. they'll be in and safe! (Hopefully!)


no kidding...sounds like a good plan to me! The farm that I'm a is on top of a BIG hill. The BO put lightning rods on all the buildings....including the turn out sheds...all grounded. So while it is no guarantee...it makes me feel a bit better! But if they know there is a big storm coming, the bring the horses in. I don't know if I could live in tornado alley....I'd have to build a basement for my horses too!

[spirithorse22]

It was pretty wild down here after dark. I can't BELIEVE I left my horses out in it, but they did fine and when I went out with my flashlight and umbrella after the worst of the wind and hail, they looked up from the hay pile (not the two hay piles in the run in of course, but the one outside) like I was bothering them.

Tornado did touch down about three miles away and one horse was killed and one house destroyed and many homes damaged. :cry:

Are you Coweta? That barn was freaking flattened. *wide eyes* We drove by on our way to get some drinks and MAN that house, that barn? Squashed. I abandoned the barn apartment last night. lol Fled to the property owner's basement. ;) The owner had a generator (we lost power way early in the evening) and could play movies. Watch flicks vs. sit in the pitch black listening to the wind try to pull my shingles off...hmmm. Tough decision. :eek::no:

I was a dumb a$% and didn't have matches or a flashlight nearby and when the power went out, I had to stumble around using my cell phone. I love my cell phone. Texting got me a rescue! :yes:

Sounds like most everybody is fine though. Pretty wild weather.

[GAEventer]

We got a lot of hail in our area, and just south of me in Moreland, GA, where I hunt with Bear Creek Hounds we had a lot of damage. Bear Creek lost their huge hay barn, the run-in sheds are severely damaged, lots of their big beautiful oak trees are down, fences down, metal,wood & debris all over the pasures. The huntsman's house was narrowly missed by a huge tree and one of the guest houses lost some of the roof. The house down the street was completely demolished, luckily the family was safe in the basement. No human/hound/horse injuries to report luckily!

[spirithorse22]

Hope everyone is OK. TV reported that Coweta Co got hit hard and there are lots of horse barns up there. Is Lori OK up at Sunkissed?


We got hit hard in Coweta. :no: There are news vans/reporters all over the place here. :eek::no: The roads are a mess. I thought about driving somewhere last night -not for fun, just for better cover- but I wouldn't have been able to go anywhere anyway. Trees down everywhere!

[fivehorses]

Ok, I am going to be new to Aiken, and heard about the tornado warnings...I thought I was moving to a place where tornados were unheard of.

So, now I have some questions for you seasoned southerners, more use to tornados than I am.
What do you do?
Do you keep the horses in? Do you turn them out?
What about yourself?
I wanted to build a basement, but I have been told that basements are not useful in the south since there is too much humidity...can't one use a dehumidifier?

Anyhow, any help on how I can or should deal with this. I am building, so I can plan to build something to protect me and the horses.

thanks, and glad to hear most everyone is ok. So sad about the horse and the family who lost their home.

[GAEventer]

Ok, I am going to be new to Aiken, and heard about the tornado warnings...I thought I was moving to a place where tornados were unheard of.

So, now I have some questions for you seasoned southerners, more use to tornados than I am.
What do you do?
Do you keep the horses in? Do you turn them out?
What about yourself?
I wanted to build a basement, but I have been told that basements are not useful in the south since there is too much humidity...can't one use a dehumidifier?

Anyhow, any help on how I can or should deal with this. I am building, so I can plan to build something to protect me and the horses.

thanks, and glad to hear most everyone is ok. So sad about the horse and the family who lost their home.

We put ours up. We've had some near misses with trees & lightning when they were out, so we put them in! A lightning rod for the barn is a smart move. Something else some people don't realize, is that if a tree (on your property) knocks your fencing down, and your horses escape, and damage someone else's property, get hit by a car, cause an accident, etc, YOU are held responsible. Our farm was on a highway, so we always put our guys up, during bad storms, tornadoes, etc or move them to a secure paddock away from the road and trees.

Basements are very popular here in the south, my family has been in home building for more than 15 years, and much of what we build has a basement. A dehumidifier will do the trick!

Something that I've seen here on occasion, and even more so in the northeast, is barns built into the side of a hill. This provides security in a storm, and is similiar to a basement on a house.

[DQ Eventer]

I can't say enough about getting a text message warning! Free sign up at https://registration.weather.com/ursa/alerts/step1?from=svralrtpg&initAlerts=SVR

[cloudyandcallie]

12 tornados in GA??? :eek::eek: We might as well be in Oklahoma.

[AUeventer]

I ride at two farms in Moreland. Both got lucky but I heard about Bear Creek getting hit pretty hard. Both the farms I ride at are just a few miles from there and my horse was out, but its funny that all the poles were still in the jump cups in the arena. Just goes to show how bad it can be in one area and then fine right beside it.