Horse Community Coming Together to Assist in Dramatic Rescues During Houston Flood
The Lanoue’s truck that’s now underwater. Photo courtesy of DeDe Baxter Lanoue.
By: Brittany Bevis
By now, many of our readers have seen the gut wrenching videos of horses and humans struggling to escape rapidly rising floodwaters in Houston, Texas. Thanks to help from community members, volunteers, the Sheriff’s department, and emergency rescue personnel, many lives have been saved. Sadly, recent news reports indicate six human deaths have been attributed to the flooding. The number of horse casualties is unconfirmed at this time.
Sadly, Houston residents must now sit and wait as rain continues to pelt the area. With nearly 18 inches of rain falling within 24 hours on Monday, The National Weather Service has the area under a flash flood warning through this morning.
Photo courtesy of DeDe Baxley Lanoue.
One of the reported deaths from flooding occurred in Waller County, where APHA and PtHA horse trainers DeDe Baxley Lanoue, Jamie Lanoue, and Becky George all reside. Other friends in the horse industry, Nancy and Kevin Smith and Peyton Weldon, live in Montgomery County, which is located nearby. According to DeDe, everyone is waiting on pins and needles praying the rain will stop.
“We’re sitting here in the barn, and, as we speak, it’s raining again,” DeDe says. “They’re saying we might get another three to four inches.”
The Lanoue’s house and truck underwater. Photo courtesy of DeDe Baxter Lanoue.
When DeDe’s husband, Jamie, woke at 4:00 am on Monday morning, he was shocked to find himself stepping in water as he made his way to the bathroom. Immediately, they began using towels and blankets to block the water that was pouring in over the door thresholds. Unfortunately, the water level rose so quickly that it overtook one of the Lanoue’s trucks, their car, and flooded the lower level of their home.
Thankfully, the Lanoue’s barn is located on higher ground, so all of their horses are safe. However, some of their neighbors weren’t so lucky. “We swam out ten horses from a barn down the street,” she says. “Every horse had water up over their backs, and they were swimming. We took in another 15 that are staying with us here until the water goes down. Right now, we have 32 of our own horses in the barn.”
“Honestly, we’re ok. There is a really good horse community here in Houston, with myself, Becky, and the Smiths all living with a ten mile radius. Becky couldn’t get home from the AQHA Level 1 Championships in Oklahoma City, so she went on to the Big Country Quarter Horse Association Show in Waco. My ex-husband drove through hours of flooding to load up three of their horses to take to Waco and bring three others back home. The roads are flooded, but her place is high and dry.”
Rescue efforts by boat. Photo courtesy of DeDe Baxter Lanoue.
DeDe says she hasn’t seen flooding this bad in the area since Tropical Storm Allison in 2001. “We got over 20 inches in a 24 hour period here in Waller County. There are so many new roads and buildings that it’s completely changed the watershed. My house is built up 20 feet above what’s considered to be the flood plain.”
The Lanoue’s were able to get back into their home yesterday to begin assessing the damage. After sweeping out excess water and ripping out carpet on the lower level, they’re now waiting on a call into an insurance company about the replacement of the two vehicles that were lost.
Photo courtesy of DeDe Baxley Lanoue.
Even though DeDe is keeping an extra 15 horses on her property, she says everything is under control as far as feed and hay are concerned. If people are interested in helping out horses truly in need, she’d like to direct their attention to Sovereign Farm, LLC. “The people that the horses belong to (that are housed at our place) have been coming every day and bringing in hay and feed. The big one that needs help is Sovereign Farm.”
According to DeDe, Sovereign Farm is the facility that housed more than 50 horses rescued earlier this week from floodwaters that inundated Cypress Trail Equestrian Center. “All of those horrible videos of horses drowning and swimming out… that’s right next to a barn I used to work out of. I can’t tell you how many times in the past that I have swam horses out of that property. In 1999, I personally swam horses out three or four times…” She says 40 of the rescued horses have been moved to temporary housing at the airport, but several of the badly injured still remain at Sovereign Farm and are in need of veterinary care.
Jamie Lanoue and DeDe Baxter Lanoue. Photo courtesy of Gordon Downey.
DeDe would like to express her sincere gratitude to members of the horse community who have reached out to offer help. “Thank you to all of the people in the horse community, especially the Paint Horse people, who have reached out to us. People as far as Georgia and Missouri have called to help. In fact, Olin Parker texted me yesterday and told me that if we didn’t get another truck by the time we needed to go to the Memorial Day horse show that he would have someone bring one of his. People are coming out of the woodwork offering help and it’s amazing. I want to say thank you.”
Our thoughts and prayers are with the horse community of Houston.
