Conference noted::equitation

787.0. "When Lightning Strikes" by OHOH7::HEWSON () Wed Nov 23 1988 16:11

    I wanted to add this note as a warning to check your horses after
    you have a close lightning hit.  
    
    The end of September my barn was hit by lightning which killed one
    horse (in her stall) instantly and almost killed my other horse.
    It hit about 11:30 at night and just about jolted my husband and
    I out of bed.  I looked out the window to make sure there was no
    fire in the barn and then decided to wait until the rain let up
    to go out and check things.  We realized that one of our TV's was
    broken and started looking around the house to see what else was
    wrong.  On smelling a burning smell in the back of the house near
    the switch to the barn spotlights, we realized that the lights would
    not go on and there was a problem in the barn.  We went out to find
    the one dead horse and the other one bleeding from the nose and
    mouth (a pink foam), having a hard time breathing and sweating
    profusely.  The vet got there about an hour later and was not sure
    that we could save him.  We stayed up all night with him to keep
    him from lying down and filling up his lungs.  Luckily he pulled
    through and is fine now, although it took a few weeks to get the
    fluid out of his lungs.
    
    We were lucky that we did not have a barn fire and we were lucky
    that we did go to see what happened in the barn.  If we had gone
    back to sleep as many people might, we probably would have had two
    dead horses in the morning.  At least we were able to save one of
    the two.
    
    Diana Hewson
    

    Diana,
    
    How horrible for you and those poor babies! I'm really sorry to
    hear that. At least you were able to save one of them. 
               
    Which leads me to ask this question: My mother bought me a beautiful
    copper horse weathervane for the barn roof. I have been reluctant
    to put it up for fear of lightening. If grounded properly (any hints on
    how to?), is it still possible that lightening will strike the 
    weathervane and cause a fire?       
    
    T.
    

    I really do not know what to say about the copper weathervane. 
    We have done a little research into lightning rods (and will probably
    do more) and have found that there is really no conclusive evidence
    that they help.  Some people say that they are a must as you are
    channeling the lightning to go to ground.  But other people say
    that lightning rods attract lightning when it may not hit there.
    In reality, I do not think that there is enough data to know for
    sure since thunder storms are so random.  
    
    My feeling is that if lightning rods really do help, they would
    be a requirement in building codes for all buildings.  Normally
    you only see them on real old barns.
    
    Diana
    

Re: .2

Maybe lightning rods enabled those "real old barns" to get old.

A properly installed (grounded) rod will be more attractive to
lightning than a barn or house without a rod.  But the lightning
charge, should it hit the rod, will be harmlessly absorbed and
dissipated into the ground.

Dave