“IT WAS the most horrific thing I’ve ever witnessed – a big ball of white light hit and all three of them were dead before they hit the ground.”
Lynne Brierley fought back tears as she relived the devastating loss of her three beloved horses, killed instantly when they were struck by lightning on Wednesday night.
“I was only four feet away – it sounded like someone had fired a gun right next to my ear.”
Ms Brierley runs Kehsarra Clydesdale Rescue at her property in Tarpeena, where she cares for unhealthy or unwanted Clydesdale horses.
A bolt of lightning hit her paddock during Wednesday night’s thunderstorm, one of over 200,000 lightning strikes across the state in 24 hours.
Speaking to The Border Watch about the unlikely tragedy, Ms Brierley said she was lucky to be alive.
“I was checking on six horses and a foal when it happened,” she said.
“They were all in the paddock together and what looked like a soccer ball of bright white light crashed down.
“The other horses took off – Hercules has arthritis and muscle degeneration and I’ve never seen him move that fast.
“I was just about to go over the fence, I would have been less than a metre away.
“I was wearing rubber boots and I think that was the only thing that saved me.”
Ms Brierley said she felt traumatised after witnessing the violent act of nature.
“I can’t get the image out of my head,” she said.
“I was outside with the other horses all night, they were terrified.
“They have never had a problem with thunder before, but they have been really spooked by it today.”
Two of the horses killed were surrendered to Kehsarra Clydesdale Rescue, while the third was Ms Brierley’s own horse, Asha.
“They were all young horses – Will was a big softy, he was a thoroughbred and a former racehorse and he was about 11 years old,” she said.
“Billy was a retired show horse and he was around 10.
“My horse Asha was only three years old.”
She said the unfortunate event occurred exactly one month after the rescue organisation had lost another horse to illness.
“It hasn’t been a good month for us,” Ms Brierley said.
“We have a two-month-old foal, Kelly, who was orphaned last month when her mum died.
“That actually happened a month ago to the day.”
Still processing the shocking loss, Ms Brierley did find solace in knowing the animals had died painlessly.
“From what we’ve been reading since, we were lucky they were taken out immediately,” she said.
“If they survived they would likely have had mental issues or they would have been blind and suffering – if ever there was a way to go, instant is better.
“They were beautiful, gentle animals – they will be dearly missed by all of us.”
