| What to do to reduce the dangers if caught in a | | | | and then goes back to the ground again. If you |
| thunderstorm while horse riding. With summertime | | | | don't put your heels together, lightning could go |
| coming, one's thoughts carelessly leap to the idea | | | | through your heart and possibly kill you. |
| of trekking across wild terrain with not a soul for | | | | Once the storm has moved on and you have a |
| miles, except for the beautiful beast beneath you. | | | | 50 second gap between lighting strikes and |
| But like hikers and golfers, when the black clouds | | | | hearing the thunder, you can mount up and get |
| start to roll in, and distant thunder is heard, the | | | | under way again. |
| prudent horseback rider must take into account | | | | If high winds are part of the storm as well, once |
| his or her safety, and that of their horse, when | | | | again get to the lower reaches of the landscape. |
| this situation arises. More riders are killed in local | | | | Get behind rocks or large boulders, but not trees. |
| thunderstorms than in hurricanes or tornados. If | | | | Get inside a sturdy building if at all possible. |
| you are planning a ride always keep an eye out | | | | Another danger could well be a heavy hail storm. |
| for local weather forecasts. | | | | Once again seek lower land levels, but also try |
| As long as you are aware of the dangers, there | | | | and find overhead shelter. If there is no shelter, |
| are many things you can do to lessen the risk to | | | | dismount, and lead your horse. If you can, find a |
| the pair of you when caught out in the wilds in an | | | | clump of bushes, not trees, and try to |
| electrical storm. Don't forget, the danger is not | | | | manoeuvre your way in the bushes, pulling your |
| just of dangerous lighting strikes, but of flash | | | | horse in with you. Leave the horse's saddle on |
| floods, and even hail storms. Do not think that | | | | and if you have anything else to hand, try to |
| lighting is only apparent at the eye of the storm - | | | | cover the horse's head. Also, try and get your |
| if you are within 10 miles of it, lighting strikes can | | | | horse to lower his head. Just as horses do, turn |
| still occur. If there is a time lag of less than 50 | | | | your back to the storm, keeping your hat on. |
| seconds between seeing lighting and hearing | | | | Don't forget also the danger of sudden rising |
| thunder, you are probably in the danger zone. But | | | | water. Keep well away from gullies or depressions |
| beware of particularly violent storms - there may | | | | in the ground that lead from uphill. These could |
| be so many strikes it's difficult to know which | | | | soon fill up with fast moving water in the event |
| flash is associated with which peal of thunder. | | | | of a flash flood. Once again, stop and dismount, as |
| If you are caught in the open and there is lighting, | | | | lots of accidents happen when riders keep going in |
| get off the high point of the terrain as quick as | | | | the rain and poor visibility. Ground current is one |
| you can, but do not go into stream beds or low | | | | reason horses and cattle are especially susceptible |
| lying areas - that is tempting fate from other | | | | to lightning strikes. Because they are four-footed, |
| directions. The lower reaches of sloping land or | | | | livestock are killed by "step voltage," which occurs |
| rolling hills is probably the best to get to. Dismount, | | | | when lightning's ground current radiates out from |
| and tie your horse to a low bush, but do not | | | | a struck object. While ground current only affects |
| tether him to a tree or fence, especially one with | | | | the feet and legs of a standing person, it is a |
| metal components. Move about 40 or 50 feet | | | | common cause of death among horses and cattle |
| away, in case he is startled. Don't lie down, but | | | | whose vital organs are in the current path. If you |
| squat down, balancing on your feet. Lightning | | | | are at an outdoor event when a storm comes |
| safety experts have invented a "lightning crouch" | | | | up, and there is no building cover, get your horse |
| that is very important to know about if you are | | | | back in his trailer and close the ramp. Make sure |
| caught in a thunder storm and you can't find a | | | | that any safety chains are not connecting with |
| shelter. If you think that this position looks hard to | | | | the ground - they could conduct a strike up to |
| do, you are right. It is. So practice it until you can | | | | your trailer, and its contents. You should get in the |
| stay in it for several minutes, because it could | | | | towing vehicle, making sure that once again |
| save your life. There are several reasons for | | | | nothing such as cables, ropes, chairs, chains, are |
| doing the lightning crouch. Remember, lightning | | | | touching the ground. |
| usually hits the tallest thing around and this is one | | | | Once again, remember that the prudent rider, |
| time that you don't want to be tall. Remember | | | | even if they are not worried about their own |
| that it is not safe to lie flat on the ground. With | | | | safety, should consider their horse's life, and be |
| your heels together, if lightning hits the ground, | | | | especially careful in these sorts of conditions. |
| electricity goes through the closest foot, up to | | | | If in doubt - stay at home. |
| your heel and then transfers to the other heel | | | | |