During the Australian, Queensland floods, horses were recorded swimming for 36 hours without letup. As they swam, contaminated flood waters drained down their nostrils, into their lungs and stomach. For those who survived, ingesting flood waters has left many of them with serious illnesses. Horses were swimming mile after mile after mile and still no ground to stand on. Owners were beside themself with grief, unable to do anything to help them. Many hundreds of horses are still unaccounted for.

Whilst swimming, horses became tangled in wire fences, rooftop guttering, vehicles, etc; all hidden under the flood waters. Many that survived were left with horrific leg injuries, especially involving the hind legs. Many horse owners had moved their horses to high ground, only to watch that ground also be swallowed up by raging waters. Helplessly, terrified owners watched their horses be forced to swim for their lives.

Waters moved so fast that entire stable complexes were engulfed with the horses still in their stables. Anyone and everything in the water’s path was engulfed. Vehicles were not able to get in to rescue horses or move them anywhere. Sixty-foot craters have opened up on people’s properties, and lakes have now totally filled with silt.

Brisbane’s University of Queensland Equine Hospital became a Noah’s Ark during the floods, housing all sorts of animals. They also doubled as a distribution center for hay and hard feeds, donated by Barastoc, Pride and so on. Horses are stoic, strong and noble and they had to use every quality they possessed as they fought valiantly for their lives. Tragically, too many horses and ponies and donkeys drowned. However, some remarkable survival stories have emerged.

Tilly: flood survivor

The town of Grantham, in the Lockyear Valley, was the epicenter of the floods. It was utterly destroyed and almost wiped off the map. Many people died in Grantham and so did many animals.

Jan 20th: Tilly was found wandering in the aftermath of the floods and no one came forward to claim her. QEW (Quest Equine Welfare) Secretary Beth Parker rescued Tilly,  tirelessly combing through reels of information, contacting vets whilst trying to locate her owner. A very compassionate vet was aware of the injured and unclaimed horse. This vet provided Tilly with basic care but knew Tilly needed critical care in order to survive. Upon the vet’s recommendation, Tilly was transported to Brisbane’s UQ Equine Hospital. Public donations would pay for Tilly’s medical bills.

UQ Equine Hospital Surgeon, Dr. Phillpe Manchon, presented the horse Tilly: “She is a nine-year-old mare, who was seriously flood affected. She had extreme exhaustion from swimming for her life over many hours. All her legs were encrusted in mud and puss, which hid the severe lacerations underneath. Amazingly no tendon or ligament damage was done.”

Massive chunks of flesh were torn away from Tilly’s hind legs. They had begun granulating. Tilly was sedated and her legs scraped back and dressed. She also arrived with a serious eye injury. Unfortunately for poor Tilly, if her eye injury had been treated early, it could have been corrected. Tilly is now blind in this eye. “The horror of what she has undergone, only she will know,” said Dr. Manchon.

Jan 25th: Tilly’s owner arrives! Tilly is actually called “Mishka.” I look forward to bringing you an update on Tilly’s recovery and relocation back home to Grantham. Without public donations, QEW would not have been able to transport Mishka and have her treated by the Equine Hospital vets.

Mare & Foal : flood survival story

Jan 22nd: Flood affected and both critically ill, one-month-old foal “Puzzle” arrived at the UQ Equine Hospital, with his acutely ill mom, 12-year-old thoroughbred “Dream”. “The foal’s legs were swollen and red raw, excessive sunburn on his face, multiple bald patches on his body and he was extremely lethargic. The mare had lost half her body weight and had an acute injury on her shoulder that required emergency surgery or she would die due to infection. The foal was trying to nurse from his mom. Upon arrival at the clinic, the mare was given IV fluids to address her severe dehydration, and x-rays performed.”

The mare and foal came from a property that had over ten feet of water coverage and no vehicle access for almost three miles. Vet, Dr. Louise Cosgrove, had to wade through deep water for miles to get to to the mare and foal.  The mare would not survive without emergency surgery, so QEW arranged for them to be immediately transported to the UQ Equine Hospital.

Jan 23rd: Dream and Puzzle’s owner arrives at the Equine Hospital. “Dream’s condition has just been diagnosed as so much worse. She has actually broken two bones in her wither (top of shoulder.)  The infection is so bad from the flood conditions, Dream will need an incision over a foot long to clean it and remove the excess tissue and puss. Puzzle’s (baby foal), legs are subsiding and the swelling and redness settling down, now she is out of the flood waters. Dream (mom) took a bad turn and had to be sedated today. Surgery is first thing in the morning.”  (The owner is beside herself with grief and gratitude.)

Jan 24th: Dream survived her surgery! “The fistula over her withers contained a large amount of necroti material, including bone as an abcess had extended into the dorsal aspect of one of the thoracic vertebrae. She had an excellent recovery from anaesthesia” and will remain on medicines for some time.

 This horse and foal were saved through generous public donations to QEW, who used that money to pay for Dream and Puzzle’s hospital expenses at the Equine Hospital. In the near future, I hope to bring you an update of a happy and healthy mom and bubba foal.

You made me feel loved

A most poignant video, made from a collection of still photographs, captures one Queensland family’s horses’ plight.  Several horses are photographed in flood waters, including a piebald pony. As the photos move, the horses are now are on high ground, but the piebald pony is missing. Accompanied by haunting instrumental music, text attached to each photo reads: “I know you are thinking of me, even though I am all alone. I want you to know that I will never forget you. I know there is nothing you can do. Remember those times when you made me feel…LOVED…They were my favorite. So I thank you.”

The last still photo of the video holds to the tragic scene of a young boy kneeling over his fallen piebald pony whose body gave way and dropped, unable to swim any more.  The child’s despair at losing his beloved pony truly captures the raw pain which has affected so many during these tragic floods.

Horse owners

Equine owners in flood-affected areas: if you see ANY wounds or injuries on your horses, ponies or donkeys, seek prompt veterinary attention for assessment. The risk of horses developing a wound infection is VERY high, even in wounds that appear quite superficial. Left untreated, wound infection can quickly lead to sepsis and death of the animal. To assist distraught horse owners of flood-affected horses, QEW are compassionately offering euthanasia grant payments, made directly to attending vets.

I wish to thank Rebecca Atkins, President of Quest Equine Welfare, for allowing me to use their photographs and access their media reports. Please note: at the time of publishing this article, QEW horse sanctuary properties are now being severely flooded in Victoria. If you wish to donate to QEW, please go to Paypal, then type in Quest Equine Welfare Inc. All donations go directly to aid suffering horses.

Tagged as: Australia flooding, horse rescues, Quest Equine Welfare