I'm writing this column during the devastation and heartbreak in New Orleans and thinking about the lessons in this that apply to us as endurance riders. While property is important, our family comes first, and after that, our equine partners are very high on the list of irreplaceable parts of our lives.

I'm located in southeast Texas south of Houston and 30 miles from the gulf coast, about 30 feet above sea level. This is higher than New Orleans certainly but the small town IÕm in had 43 inches of rain in 24 hours in a past hurricane. Something similar to this will most likely happen again in my area. There are many other endurance riders living in the Southeast and all along the East Coast where a disaster like New Orleans could easily happen.

In other parts of the country, blizzards can cause a similar long-lasting emergency. In California, it's not a question of if there will be a devastating earthquake -- it's when. A terrorist attack near any large city is another possible long-term emergency. Wildfires in the West are another.

While there will be state and federal help in rescue operations, you are very much on your own for those first few days or more. The lesson I'm receiving from what's happening in New Orleans is: (1) be prepared, and (2) develop a plan and practice it. Have a plan for evacuating with your horses, or be prepared to stay where you are and survive using your plan.

I'm not going to try to detail a plan in this column. It depends on where you are, the type of emergency, how long you may need to plan for, whether you board or have your horses at home, and many other factors. The important part is -- make a plan.

There are links on the Internet to obtain plans and checklists that can be modified for your situation. These include: