WILTON, Calif. — Horse ranches and equestrian centers in Wilton spent Saturday afternoon completing the last of their preparations ahead of a new storm.
The Wilton area and nearby Highway 99 saw flooding during the New Year's Eve storm just one week earlier.
Mugleston Ranch & Equestrian Center in Wilton spent the day clearing debris left behind by the storm from downed trees to damaged corrals.
"We have two ponds here in the back and they filled all the way and the water started moving closer and closer and we got about four feet of water," said Kasha Arno who manages Mugleston Ranch & Equestrian Center..
They were able to divert the water away from where the horses are housed and Arno said only two stalls took on water.
Around 40 horses stay at the ranch, from race horses to horses that compete in western-style competition.
While the first shower of rain came in Saturday night, the worst of this series of storms is yet to come.
One of the top priorities is making sure all the horses stay safe and dry. Some ways to ensure that’s done is by digging trenches and clearing debris on the ranch.
"When the weather gets too crazy, we just try to make sure that we keep the water moving around the property so that it stays away from the barn, stays away from the arena,” said Barbara Fletcher, a horse trainer.
The team will be in the storm, moving water away from the property if flooding occurs and keeping a close eye on the horses.
"We've been doing pretty good out here, keeping them dry… we're not dry, but they're dry,” said Arno.
Other properties in Wilton saw flooding, including the area where Stella Lucchetti's grandparents live. The 12-year-old and her family moved horses out of the water, at times walking waist deep to get their animals to safety.
Sacramento County is warning folks in evacuation areas during recent storms to prepare for the possibility of another order to leave. Officials also suggest residents pack up important documents, pets and prescriptions ahead of time to make evacuating easier.
