Cleanup efforts are underway after Sunday’s heavy rains flooded a local mainstay for many North Texas families and the home to several championship horses.
It was a first along East Parker Road.
Brown Ranch Creek swelled so high and so fast, it looked more like a river.
Mill-Again Stables, home to several championship horses, was right in its path.
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“One of the worst floods that I’ve ever seen come through this farm and I’ve been working here for about 40 years,” said owner Candee Carlson.
Carlson and her team scrambled Sunday afternoon as torrential rains poured into the barn.
Cell phone video provided to NBC 5 shows water up to the hood of a pickup truck, racing past empty trailers.
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Concern quickly turned to the 57 American Standardbred Performance horses in their stalls.
“The horses were up to their knees in water and we knew we couldn’t leave them like that,” she said.
Fortunately, the animals are all alive and safe.
The flash flood left behind waterlogged stalls. It destroyed the training and lessons arena, flooding the property.
“Everything was underwater,” said Carlson. “All our bedding, gone. Which is crazy-expensive.”
Just as quickly as the rains came in, so did Carlson’s ‘barn family.’
“I’ll try not to cry,” said Carlson pausing. “They just rallied. And as you can see, everybody just rallied for us and the stalls are dry. Our horses are on dry footing. People have donated pallets of shaving, feed, money.”
A GoFundMe has been set up to help in the recovery efforts.
Employees and customers have also chipped in to get this local staple back on track.
“It’s just heartwarming. It really is,” she said.
Carlson said donations and volunteers are welcomed. The team asks that donations not be dropped off at the farm.
Those interested in donating can do so by contacting D&L Farm and Home in McKinney at 972-562-9995 to donate alfalfa and coastal hay to feed the horses.
There’s also a big need for shavings for stalls and grain for horses, which can be purchased through Farmersville Grain at 214-683-4478.
