How to Protect Horses from Hail: Shelter, Turnout and Storm Checks

What happened in Caapucú

On the morning of October 21, 2026, a storm lasting about 15 minutes brought hail, strong wind and rain to Curucaú, a rural community roughly 17 km from the town center of Caapucú, in Paraguay's Paraguarí department. ABC Color reported fears of damage to homes, and Mayor Gustavo Penayo asked Paraguay's national emergency agency, the SEN, for help. El Nacional published video of hail falling persistently that morning.

The storm was not a surprise. According to ABC Color, Paraguay's weather service, the DMH, had forecast it. Later that morning, at 11:04, the DMH issued a warning for thunderstorms, strong gusts and occasional hail across the center, south and east of the country's Eastern Region, including southern Paraguarí.

A Paraguayan radio station also shared a short clip of two horses left out in the open in the hail, wind and rain near Caapucú. We won't dwell on it. Every spring, storms catch good owners off guard, and most of the risk can be removed with a plan made on a calm day.

How to protect horses from hail: the short answer

To protect horses from hail, make sure every horse can get under a solid roof before the storm arrives: either a sound barn or a sturdy run-in shelter in the paddock, big enough for the whole group. Then secure anything the wind can throw, keep horses away from lone trees, water and wire fences while lightning is around, and check every horse and fence once it is safe to go out.

Hail does its damage in two ways:

• Direct hits. Bruising and welts on the back, croup and head, and in bad storms, injuries to the eyes and eyelids.
• Panic. Horses that bolt in wind and noise run into fences, gates and each other. Cuts, lameness and loose horses often come from this, not from the ice itself.

So you are solving two problems at once: a roof, and a calm, hazard-free space.

Why spring is the danger season

In Paraguay, northern Argentina, southern Brazil and Uruguay, spring brings warm, humid air colliding with cold fronts. That mix produces frequent thunderstorms, and some of them carry hail and damaging gusts. The DMH's outlook on October 21 warned that storms in the following days could be locally intense and severe, so this is a live issue, not a one-off.

Read forecasts and alerts like a horse owner

Most storm injuries happen because horses are still out when the first hailstones land. The fix is deciding early.

• Follow your official service. In Paraguay that is the DMH (meteorologia.gov.py), which also posts on WhatsApp, Facebook and X. Neighboring countries have their own national services; save their alert pages or channels on your phone.
• Read the words, not just the icon. When a warning mentions occasional hail, strong gusts or severe weather for your department, treat it as a reason to bring horses close to shelter that day.
• Don't count only on your phone. Horse Illustrated's thunderstorm safety guide notes that mobile coverage can be spotty in very rural areas, and the Kentucky emergency management official it quotes recommends a battery-powered weather radio. A battery radio and a neighbor's call are good backups.
• Set a deadline. Plan to have horses where they need to be before the first thunder. Trying to catch a frightened horse in hail is dangerous for you; see our guide on how to catch a loose horse.
• Cancel the ride. If you hear thunder or see the sky darken while riding, head back or find shelter. Don't push on.

Storms often build in the afternoon, but Caapucú's hit mid-morning, so check the forecast at breakfast.

Barn or paddock? How to choose

There is no single right answer, and the experts are honest about that. John Bobel, an emergency management official in Lexington, Kentucky, told Horse Illustrated that the safest place for people at the barn is a fully enclosed building with wiring and plumbing, and that wood structures are safer than metal. For a horse used to living out, though, he says you are usually better off leaving him turned out than shut in a stall where thunder could agitate him. University of Florida extension, writing about hurricanes, says horses are often best kept out at pasture and recommends keeping them indoors only if the building was built to withstand hurricane-force winds, because horses can be trapped if the structure fails. A Texas A&M veterinarian has noted that if a tornado hits a barn, stalled horses are considerably more likely to be hit by debris, and he considers horses safer outside their stalls as storms grow more severe.

A practical rule: if hail is the main threat and your barn is sound, bring horses in. If extreme wind is forecast or the barn is fragile, a large, safely fenced paddock with a sturdy shelter may be the safer bet.

What makes a good shelter

• A roof that won't lift or shed sheets of metal in strong gusts.
• Enough space that a low-ranking horse isn't kicked out into the hail.
• A wide opening so horses can't get trapped or pinned.
• Placement away from the lowest, floodable corner of the field and away from water.

Why lone trees and wire fences are risky in lightning

Horses naturally huddle under trees when it rains, but tall, isolated trees are common lightning targets. Bobel specifically warns against the single tree on high ground. Because horses bunch together, one strike can hurt several.

Wire fences are the other hazard. Lightning can travel along fencing and reach animals touching or standing near it. Ponds, streams and riverbeds also conduct electricity, so keep horses away from them during storms. Our safety section covers more barn hazards.

Before the storm: secure the place

Work through this list when hail is in the forecast:

1. Loose objects. Store or tie down buckets, tarps, sheet metal, wheelbarrows, jump poles and feed bags. In a gust, any of them can become a projectile.
2. Gates and latches. Close and chain gates. A gate banging in the wind spooks horses, and a latch that pops open lets them onto the road.
3. Halters. University of Florida extension suggests removing nylon or rope halters from turned-out horses and using breakaway gear instead.
4. Fly masks. The same guidance recommends fly masks to help protect eyes from flying debris.
5. ID. Make sure every horse can be identified if fences come down.
6. Hay and water. Keep hay dry and covered, and store some clean water in case lines or pumps fail.
7. Vehicles and trailers. Park them away from trees.
8. First aid and phone numbers. Check your kit and save your vet's number. Our horse first aid kit checklist shows what to stock and how to take vital signs.

For bigger events, our hurricane evacuation checklist covers the stay-or-go decision in depth.

Checking a horse after a storm

Wait at least 30 minutes after the last thunder before heading out, as Bobel recommends. Then count heads and work from the horses outward.

Horses

• Swellings and welts. Run your hands over the back, croup, neck and head. Note any heat or swelling.
• Cuts. Check legs, chest and face, especially if a horse ran into a fence.
• Eyes. Look for squinting, tearing, swollen lids, cloudiness or a closed eye.
• Lameness. Walk and, if safe, trot each horse on firm ground.
• Behavior. Shaking, sweating, not eating, pawing or rolling deserve a closer look. See our health basics.

Property, water and pasture

• Fences. Walk the whole line for broken wire, loose posts, nails and fallen branches.
• Power lines. If a line is down, keep horses and people away and call the utility.
• Water. Clean troughs of leaves, ice, mud and debris. If you rely on a well and the area flooded, Florida's extension service says to keep possible contamination in mind.
• Hay. Discard anything wet or moldy.
• Pasture. Hail can shred grass and leave branches and unfamiliar plants behind. If water pooled, wait for it to drain before turning horses back out.

In the following weeks, Texas A&M notes that long exposure to wet or flooded ground can soften hooves, raising the risk of bruises, abscesses and thrush. Watch skin for rain rot too.

When to call the vet

• Any eye injury, even if it looks small
• A cut that bleeds heavily, sits over a joint or is a deep puncture
• A horse that won't bear weight or is clearly lame
• Signs of colic, heavy breathing or trembling that doesn't settle
• A horse found down, stumbling or acting strangely near a tree, fence or water after lightning
• Swelling that keeps growing or is hot the next day

Describe what you saw and when; the vet will decide what treatment is needed.

What to watch next

• More storms. The DMH expects possibly intense storms in the coming days. Keep checking its alerts through the spring.
• Shelter upgrades. If this storm showed your shelter is too small or poorly placed, fix it before summer.
• Slow-showing problems. Recheck eyes, legs and hooves daily for a week or two.

For year-round routines, visit our care guide.