5 Ways to Prep Your Horse for Drought or Disaster

5 min read

When disaster strikes, the last thing you want is to be caught off guard. From droughts to fires, being prepared can make all the difference for you and your horses. This guide from Dr. Chris Mortensen offers practical strategies, expert advice, and real-life insights to help you protect your horses, your property, and your peace of mind.

My journey into disaster preparedness began in 2005 as a PhD student at Texas A&M University. Like many Americans, I watched in horror as Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans. The images of flooded homes and drowned animals, hundreds of them horses, were burned into our memories.

Just weeks later, another dangerous storm named Hurricane Rita spun toward College Station, Texas. With over 200 horses in our care at the university, we were unprepared. As faculty and students, we scrambled to create emergency shelters in our covered arena, grabbing laundry hampers and kitchen pots to serve as water buckets. We didn’t even have a basic checklist, let alone a plan. Calls flooded in from horse owners across Texas, home to over 750,000 horses, seeking advice we didn’t even have for our own animals. That experience left a deep impression on me.

After completing my PhD, I became a professor at Clemson University, and I was South Carolina’s State Equine Specialist. Later, my work continued as a professor at the University of Florida. At both universities, I made disaster planning a cornerstone of my educational activities, knowing full well that disasters come in many forms: cyclones, wildfires, floods, and more. With careful planning and a teamwide approach, horse owners during my tenure in South Carolina and Florida were able to withstand multiple natural disasters that hit us over the years. Still, one of the most overlooked disasters we experienced hit us. Drought.

In 2007, a severe drought hit the southeastern United States, lasting well into 2008 and covering nearly 500,000 square kilometres. Over 1 million horses were affected, and I once again found myself fielding desperate calls from owners trying to keep their animals alive. Pastures dried up. Hay became scarce. Trucks carrying emergency levels of hay often never made it to our region, diverted to other drought-stricken states.

In the absence of grazing and long-stem forage, we turned to alternative fibre sources to support horse health and stretch hay supplies. Some of the most effective options I recommended then, and still do today, include fibre alternatives to support your horse’s daily requirements.

When pastures dry out, maintaining fibre intake becomes the top priority. Ideally, horses should receive around 2% of their body weight in hay per day (e.g. 8 kg for a 400 kg horse). However, during drought, hay supplies may be limited or costly, and 1% of body weight (e.g. 4 kg) becomes the bare minimum we would suggest you feed a horse. In these situations, having reliable forage alternatives to increase fibre intake is essential to support your horse’s health. 

• Lucerne (Alfalfa) or Grass Hay: Ideal if available. 
• Chaff, Oat Hay, or Wheat Hay: Helps stretch forage. Avoid seeded versions high in sugar/starch.
• Beet Pulp (e.g. SpeediBeet): High in digestible fibre; feed soaked.
• Lupins or Copra Meal: Fibre-rich and energy-dense; good for supplementing low forage diets.
• Complete or Senior Feeds: Must contain 15%+ crude fibre to be used as a hay stretcher or emergency feed. This could be your last resort as a full daily feed in the absence of hay or other long-stem forage sources. 
  • Examples: EasiFibre (Prydes), Zero (Hygain), Fibressential (Hygain)

It’s important to know that horses should never go without food for more than 24 hours. Beyond this, gut microbes begin to die off, increasing the risk of colic or life-threatening refeeding syndrome.

Disasters often force abrupt dietary changes, leading to digestive upset. Supporting the gut before a disaster can help build resilience in the gut and help your horse during these times of diet uncertainty. It also helps horses maintain microbial balance and nutrient absorption during times of high stress that negatively impact gut health: 

• Digestive EQ or Digestive HP: Comprehensive gut support from stomach to hindgut, ideal during stress or poor forage periods.
• Stress Paste: Provides fast-acting gut support during acute stress (e.g. transport, evacuation, abrupt feed changes).

In times of drought, horses will instinctively overgraze, putting both pasture plants and their own health at risk. Overgrazing can kill the grass, leaving your paddocks barren and vulnerable to erosion. Even more concerning, when horses graze too close to the ground, they may ingest sand or dirt, thus significantly increasing their risk of sand colic.

To reduce long-term damage and keep your horses safe: 

• Do not allow pasture to be grazed below 5 - 7 cm. Grazing lower than this damages root systems and increases the risk of plant loss.
• Designate a “sacrifice” paddock or dry lot where horses can be housed during drought. This helps preserve your other paddocks for future recovery.
• Feed hay off the ground. Use hay feeders or place hay on mats or rubber to minimise sand or dirt ingestion.
• Rotate paddocks, when possible, to allow rest and regrowth after rainfall.
• Consider adding psyllium husk to your horse’s diet, which can help remove sand in the gut.

Whether it’s a cyclone, wildfire, flood or drought, having a plan in place can make all the difference. Preparedness not only protects your horses but also gives you peace of mind during stressful situations. Here are my top five tips every horse owner should follow: 

• Have a written evacuation plan and practice it. This is critical! 
• Know your evacuation routes and confirm they’re safe before leaving.
• Create a ‘go-kit’ for each horse (ID, halter/lead, photos, vet records, meds, proof of ownership).
• Stockpile 3 - 5 days of feed and water for each horse. Bring with you if you evacuate.
• Clearly identify your horse (microchip, brand, luggage tag weaved in a mane, or even livestock marker with your contact information).

Furthermore, connect with your local emergency management or agricultural agencies for guidance. They can help you develop a disaster plan and advise you on safe evacuation sites or shelters for your animals.

Disasters are unpredictable, but your response doesn’t have to be. With proper planning, emergency feed alternatives, and gut health support, you can protect your horses in even the most difficult situations. Whether it’s a cyclone or a creeping drought, having a plan is the single most important step you can take. Your horses will thank you for it.

At Horseland, we’re here to help care for your horse’s well-being. We offer all the essentials to keep your horse healthy and happy. Head into your local Horseland store or browse our range of horse health products online.