Considering that we are starting the stormy and tornado season, what does everyone do with their horses? Do you put them in when the storms are coming? leave them out? why?

I’ve heard unless you have large acreage to turn them out on it’s a crap shoot.  They in just as much danger in the barn as they are in a few acre lot next to the barn. 

Ours have access to the barn or their couple acre dry lot.  We are down on a bottom and our 25ac pasture is up above us.  We’ve lost a few calves over the years up on top of the pasture to lightning, so we keep the horses down below.

All of my horses want to be inside during bad weather...so, essentially, i have let them make the decision. LOL

Where we are located...lightening strikes are the usual biggest hazard. So...they are put in stalls whenever we can during storms.  They have large overhangs off the barn to use as well if we are not there.  2 of them scurry to the shelter of the overhang when the first raindrops start to fall.  The other two will be out grazing through the pouring rain/thunder. 

Mine come in at the first hint of rain -- their decision; however, if there is extremely severe weather predicted, i.e. high winds, hail and lightning, they are locked inside with barn closed up.  

I keep mine out. He's most comfortable outside and less stressy. I figure if there is flying debris or whatnot, he can at least move away from it potentially. In a stall, he is trapped within the walls. 

outside - 

We try to get them in when it's crap outside.  Mostly because our new barn is a 2010 model, there is forest on the back and end of the lot (about 2-3 acres) and the old barn, which makes up a corner is from 1923.  

So...with the tin failing on parts of the roof, we take our chances with them inside.   Between the trees and roof, I feel better with them inside.   IDK if I'm right or wrong! LOL  The new barn could take a dump just as fast at the old one really. 

We don't have anywhere that they could truly get away from things. 

Thats a tough call, just depends if its a tornado heading your way I say outside for sure, but if heavy rain and hail then leave them in. I know a tornado can happen anytime in a bad storm, but if you do have some warning about tornados that could form then I would leave them outside. 

I leave mine out, unless it's an electrical storm, then they go inside. I've left them out in the past and watched them between lightning strikes, in a panic, lap the 40 acre pasture they reside in....no thanks. My horses don't get stressed when stalled, so they go in. 

I also have a 12 foot lean to off my barn, so sometimes I'll just lock them in the corral and they'll stand under the lean, but if it's really severe they are going inside.

I give mine the option to come in most of the time, and they always do. Last night I didn't leave the gate open to the dry lot/their stalls, and my husband said they were huddled under a cedar tree for cover when he went out around midnight before he went to bed. He opened the gate and they scurried in. 

Edited to add....I had thought we were supposed to just get rain last night. Tonight, when I know they're calling for heavy thunderstorms/high winds/etc, I'll definitely put them in. 

I'm in Moore Oklahoma so I've been through a few. Flying debris kills more people and animals than anything unless it's a direct hit. Unless you have a large acreage so they have a chance being inside is always better.

Agreed. My sister lives in AR and a few years ago they had a big one come thru ... she put her horses up in her barn. Her neighbor, less than a mile away left theirs out. The tornado didn't directly hit them but there was major debris and the neighbors horses got cut up really badly by flying tin.. one horse lost her ear and another had a gigantic gash thru his chest and abdomen. I put my horses in the barn if the weather starts getting dicey ... they usually let me know if they need to come in, because theyll run towards the barn and wait for me to get them in, otherwise they stay out in the far end of the pasture if it's just a quick rain coming thru. Hail, lightning high winds and heavy rains... they get stalled.