The good news coming out of Southern California is that horse owners learned early evacuation lessons well from the fires four years ago, with only minor equine injuries being reported.

Mark Martinelli, DVM, MS, PhD, Dipl. ACVS, of California Equine Orthopedics, continues to give The Horse an eyewitness view of the situation in San Diego County. He is stationed at Vessels Stallion Farm, a Quarter Horse and Thoroughbred racehorse breeding facility in Bonsall that’s currently serving as an evacuation point. The farm is harboring 300 horses in addition to its 400 permanent equine residents.

Vessels has allowed Martinelli and Steve Colburn, DVM,  to set up a treatment clinic in the farm’s breeding shed in case it is needed. “They are full other than about 15 stalls we have reserved for injured horses,” said Martinelli.

Martinelli said today that all the horse owners and veterinarians he’s spoken with thus far say there is tremendous property loss due to the fires, but people and horses fared well