Freaky Winds

      Today a giant warm front barrelled into Vermont at about 50 m.p.h. The high winds sound like a roaring freight train with spooky overtones of whistling and whirling noises. I can't begin to imagine what being in a hurricane is like.
     The melting snow has uncovered last fall's leaves and branches which are being blown across the lawn and pasture where Chance is currently freaking out. He's a pretty stable fellow generally, we discovered as he's settled into his new home here with us over the past 2 months, but he most definitely does not like wind.
     Like all prey animals, horses survive by being alert to possible danger and by being able to run away from it. Today's wind sounds like a bad customer indeed, and invisible at that!  Can you imagine how nasty are the Tasmanian Devils he thinks are about to jump on his back and sink their claws into his neck? 
     The poor guy couldn't even finish his hay this morning. He'd rip out one quick mouthful and whip his body around to face the wind, chewing frantically but absentmindedly, with half of the clump of hay blowing away in the gusts. Just as he'd work up the courage to go back to the hay rack, another mini-tornado would arrive and the scene would repeat itself. When a particularly frightening burst howled through, he'd abandon his hay post and skitter around to the larger back pasture where he felt safer in the open space. I could put him in his stall, but he hates being confined even more than he hates the wind, so there it is. Hope he doesn't go through the electric rope.
     He's going to be 10 pounds lighter tonight from all his nervous activity, that's fer sure. Wish I could say the same about myself!
     What is your horse frightened of and how do you calm him?