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Post by laurac on Jan 11, 2011 15:38:18 GMT 1
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Post by welly on Jan 11, 2011 17:15:48 GMT 1
I wondered about this too. In the hurricane in the USA a few years ago the horses that had been put into stables were drowned as they couldn't get away from the rising water, whereas many of the ones left out in fields were able to get away from the water.
It must be heartbreaking to see everything washed away.
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Post by treacletart on Jan 11, 2011 20:17:13 GMT 1
LorraineL, thinking of your family in Toowooomba, how horrific. My goddaughter and family are about an hour away on a mainly arable farm, to the left, in Condamine Plains, and their brother an hour the other way, in Ipswich. Its an awful feeling being helpless, how do you feel? How are you offering support? All I can think of at the minute is to pray and hope that once the water has found the sea, the pressure will be removed from the water. What do others think? I have looked at different websites regarding animals and can only find positive feedback saying horses are being forced to swim to safety behind boats. (But i dont mind that word forced being used as it is a matter of survival!) From what i can gather, and please correct me if i am wrong, evacuation is taking place as soon as people know where the water is travelling. Off to find cattle websites now.
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Jane
Olympic Poster
Colo ("koala")
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Post by Jane on Jan 11, 2011 20:24:09 GMT 1
I'm glad that people's families and friends are OK. My friends in Toowoomba are, thankfully, alright, as are their animals. Now concerned for people we know in Tenterfield, inland in NSW.
To answer the original question, a lot of horses are dead and missing. The forums are full of questions about them and the Facebook pages set up to reunite animals and owners, alive and dead, are very distressing.
Being out in fields doesn't help when the entire field is underwater, the fences are underwater and the water is moving so fast that no creature could possibly remaining standing or even swimming. In the slower water, sometimes people can cut fences so trapped livestock and horses can reach higher ground, but there's not always somebody there.
The country's in shock - floods are terrible, but what happened in Toowoomba and the downriver areas from there is horrific. That was a freak event that nobody saw coming.
The next town north of here (50 minutes) flooded yesterday, but it was the river breaking its banks rather than 'dangerous' flooding as seen over the border west of Brisbane. I just thank god that my friends are well and safe.
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Post by treacletart on Jan 11, 2011 20:29:40 GMT 1
I stand corrected with the info i read and repeated. Thank you Jane for posting. Cant imagine what you are really experiencing. It must have been difficult for you to type, but it is appreciated. x
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Post by gem on Jan 11, 2011 20:36:51 GMT 1
i have been thinking alot about all the poor animals, it must just be devastating
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sam1
Novice Poster
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Post by sam1 on Jan 11, 2011 21:14:00 GMT 1
It brings its all home to us how helpless we are against wind, water and fire.
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Jane
Olympic Poster
Colo ("koala")
Posts: 938
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Post by Jane on Jan 11, 2011 21:34:27 GMT 1
No, it's not a problem for me to type it :-) I'm not going through anything at all other than taking in the awful news, like everyone else here.
I've got links on my facebook page to the animal support pages: Balanced Horse (no time to copy them over as I'm off out soon). I warn you that some of it makes heart rending reading.
The TV news is on at the moment - so many people are missing. Some were in houses that just got swept away. There are stories of children being swept off. It makes you feel sick with horror to watch it.
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Post by maryanne on Jan 12, 2011 9:19:06 GMT 1
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Jane
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Colo ("koala")
Posts: 938
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Post by Jane on Jan 12, 2011 9:30:23 GMT 1
TV coverage earlier of TBs trying to scramble onto a building roof in Brisbane... racetrack horses, I should think (they are kept close to the tracks here). I didn't see it but others did. Not sure I'd want to see that.
Some lovely stories of horses found waiting at gates, but plenty more of horses that are missing. I saw one post of someone asking for news of their two WB yearlings, another for an older Clydie mare with bad legs... it just goes on and on.
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Post by 2 bays & a grey:D on Jan 12, 2011 11:05:28 GMT 1
Its just so so sad. I can't watch stories like this, it upsets me too much. . I suppose its natures way of 'controlling' the population
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Post by specialsparkle3 on Jan 12, 2011 13:55:43 GMT 1
Just seen your thread with U Tube footage Jane. It's just unbearable to think how you would feel if it were your own horses swimming desperately looking for dry land.
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Post by wabuska on Jan 12, 2011 14:11:51 GMT 1
I would suggest that anyone easily upset, stay away from some of these images. There's nothing you can do, and it just fills your head with this awful stuff. We really do live in paradise.
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Post by jennyb on Jan 12, 2011 14:57:11 GMT 1
Saw those two horses on the news swimming next to a submerged house, trying to get onto the roof and get out of the water. An awful sight, choked me up. It just doesn't bear thinking about, my heart goes out to those suffering, both human and animal.
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Post by mrsfields on Jan 12, 2011 15:46:33 GMT 1
it's absolutely heartbreaking all round! just got really upset just now reading about a 13-year-old boy who sacrificed his own life so that the rescuer could save his little brother first... just all so tragic...
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