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