Photo: Nowhere to run - horses stranded without feed in a flooded paddock west of Rockhampton (Weekly Times).

 

While horses perished in the Queensland floods, horse owners in Victoria have had time to prepare.

They have been able to move stock and gear above flood level as the waters inundated 43 towns and surrounding farming areas.

Many events were cancelled, including Lang Lang's Agricultural show, the Catamut Showjumping Club's competition and the Kingston Summer Horse show.

The Australian Pony Stud Book's state championships still took place at Bendigo, and Cockatoo Pony Club's jumping trials still attracted 250 keen young riders.

The Royal Summer Horse Show begins tomorrow at Werribee Park, and although the event has attracted good entries for some years, it's expected some exhibitors will not attend, staying at home to deal with flood damage.

Meanwhile, in Queensland, while the human cost of the devastating Queensland floods is almost impossible to evaluate, the heartbreak suffered by the owners of thousands of drowned horses is felt by horse lovers around Australia.

As reported previously on Horsezone, stories include the loss of an entire Standardbred stud of 80 horses, including 17 racehorses and 15 yearlings at the Lowood breeding facility, Cold Mountain Stud in Moore, South East Queensland.

While in many cases the water moved in too quickly for anything to be done except open gates and hope, those who managed to move to higher ground have been faced with the problem of what to do next.

Locally, people with yards, paddocks and stabling let internet forums and Facebook know they were willing to help and the Equestrian Federation of Queensland carries a list of people willing to assist with agistment.

The Thoroughbred Breeders of Queensland Association has donated thousands of dollars worth of hay and chaff to breeders and trainers affected by the recent floods.

Equestrian Victoria offers several avenues for Victorian horse owners who wish to help. Truck loads of hay have already been organised from Victorians, who remember only too well the help received during Black Saturday.

Tasmanians are working with the Bass Strait Ferry company to transfer hay to the mainland to be forwarded onto Queensland.

 

Story & photo: weeklytimesnow.com.au