“This disaster was preventable and shows why the Big Lick needs to end,” says Citizens Against Big Lick.
SEAGROVE, North Carolina––Only minutes after ANIMALS 24-7 posted Year of the Fire Horse arrives early, hits “Big Lickers” in North Carolina, our initial coverage of the Callicutt Stables barn fire that on February 15, 2026 killed 36 walking horses, researcher Beth Clifton discovered a trove of photographs taken inside the barn by Callicutt family friend Ashley Brandon Ellis.
Ellis posted her photos to Facebook on Sunday, February 15, 2026, at 12:32 p.m. — only minutes before the fire that day was reported at about 12:45 p.m.
Obvious fire hazards
Each of the photos, forwarded to the attention of the Randolph County Fire Marshal’s Office, while taken only as mementos of a family outing to visit the Callicutts and their horses, documents obvious fire hazards.
Examples include a dangling extension cord showing indications of repeated repair, a poorly supported electric fan within cribbing distance of a horse, and poorly maintained electrical outlets, covered with hay dust and cobwebs, all among easily flammable hay and old wood.
Conspicuous by their absence in areas including the most heavily traversed parts of the barn are any trace of fire extinguishers, hoses, sprinklers, or smoke detectors.
Older barns, such as the 70-odd-year-old Callicutt Stables barn, always contain hay and dry wood. For that very reason, maintaining absolute safety in other respects is essential.
(Beth Clifton collage)
Citizens Against Big Lick
The conditions at Callicutt Stables, called by Charlotte Observer writer Mark Price a “cornerstone of the walking horse community,” promptly and predictably came under criticism from Citizens Against Big Lick.
The “big lick” is the equine goose-step induced in walking horses by means of excessively padded horseshoes, rollers, chains, and various substances used to “sore” horses’ legs.
Most of this was made illegal by the Horse Protection Act of 1970, but enforcement has historically been erratic at best.
“Our hearts hurt for the horses that so needlessly perished during this avoidable tragedy,” Citizens Against Big Lick began.
“While a barn fire is a horrific event that could happen to anyone,” Citizens Against Big Lick said, “the scale of this loss is a direct result of Callicutt Stables and the ‘big lick’ industry.
“Heavy stacks & pads kept horses indoors”
“Hundreds of thousands of horses are kept in stalls for various reasons,” Citizens Against Big Lick acknowledged, “but those wearing heavy stacks and pads are physically barred from living in pastures because that equipment makes it impossible for them to move safely on natural ground.
“This forced confinement meant there were far more horses trapped inside than there would have been if they were allowed to live outdoors.
“Because the industry prioritizes these artificial stacks over a horse’s ability to live in a pasture, 36 lives were lost when the fire broke out,” Citizens Against Big Lick charged.
“This disaster was preventable and shows why the Big Lick needs to end.”
“Poorly defended from fire”
Rebecca Husted Gimenez, author of the textbook Technical Large Animal Emergency Rescue (Wiley-Blackwell 2008, host of the Technical Large Animal Emergency Rescue discussion group on Facebook, and a globally recognized expert on equine housing, emailed to ANIMALS 24-7 that, “I have friends and colleagues who responded to the scene of that horrific fire in North Carolina.
“They are firefighters too,” Rebecca Husted Gimenez said, “but they went in their Large Animal Response capability with their trailer to help with primary triage, transport and support of the horses from the scene. They provided oxygen and fluids to horses on scene, supporting the veterinarian(s).
“They said the barn was the usual wooden structure, huge and poorly defended from fire, with no stall doors to the outside, no early detection equipment.
(Ashley Brandon Ellis Facebook photo)
Tractor & hay storage
“Typical of barns for walking horse barns,” Rebecca Husted Gimenez explained, the Callicutt Stables barn “was older and had a tractor and hay storage within, along with the horses.”
This is how most barns were built during the early and middle 20th century, but is no longer a recommended design, precisely because of fire risk.
Keeping vehicles in the same barn with hay amplifies the risk of sparks starting a fire.
Having haylofts above animals is a convenience that was almost a necessity back when most farm work was done by hand, before the advent of electric-powered conveyor belts to move hay, but means that in event of fire, the animal quarters are rapidly inundated by smoke and falling embers, minimizing the chances that animals can be rescued.
(Facebook photo)
“Horse barns don’t just magically catch fire.”
“Many of the horses were severely affected by smoke. The carcasses of those who died in the fire were burned beyond ability to identify,” Rebecca Husted Gimenez continued.
“Apparently several horses were let out of the barn by well-meaning responders and were running in the roadway,” Rebecca Husted Gimenez relayed, “but were eventually contained thanks to Tori McLeod of 4Hooves Large Animal Services’ direction and leadership.
“Eventually they were able to get all the horses loaded and off to veterinary care or other farms locally.
“Horse barns don’t just magically catch fire,” Rebecca Husted Gimenez emphasized.
“They are just waiting for a spark from––usually––electrical issues, because they are made out of wood, with so many combustibles inside, and in this case there was no access to the outside” from the individual stalls.
(Ashley Brandon Ellis photo, via Facebook.)
No easy way out
The only way out for the horses was through the main entrances at either end of the barn, which would have been through a gantlet of smoke, flames, falling debris, and if Ashley Brandon Ellis’ photos were actually taken minutes before they were posted, possibly a loaded manure spreader.
Spreading the manure may have been delayed by rain.
What if all of the stalls did have doors opening to the outside, as well as to the inside of the barn? How much difference would this have made in getting the horses out?
“Fires move so fast,” Rebecca Husted Gimenez said, “that it is questionable that they could have gotten all the horses out–– but doors opening to the outside certainly improve the chances, with less than five to seven minutes before a barn becomes a non-survivable place.
“Stall doors for each stall on the outside wall,” Rebecca Husted Gimenez emphasized, is one of “only two ways to solve the access and evacuation problem,” along with a run-out plan that has been practiced, and a place to put that many horses,” including separation of mares and stallions and a place to treat injured horses.
“Running out difficult to impossible”
Tori McLeod of 4Hooves Large Animal Services agreed with Citizens Against Big Lick that stacked and padded front hooves handicapped many of the Callicutt Stables horses in their efforts to escape.
“Even if the horses wanted to leave the stalls and evacuate,” McLeod said, “I would imagine that ‘running’ out of the barn would prove difficult to impossible for them to do before being overcome.”
(Ashley Brandon Ellis photo via Facebook.)
Resource list
Rebecca Husted Gimenez offered a long list of resources on preventing barn fires, especially in horse stables:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n4tEyneevXE
“I did this one for the Freisian Horse Society a few years ago,” Rebecca Husted Gimenez said. “Video starts at 3:35.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7S76flddJ4s T
“This was with equine instructor Wendy Murdoch,” Wendy Murdoch mentioned. “Video starts at 1:25 .”
Barn Fire Prevention TOOL: https://thehorseportal.ca/healthcare-tools/barn-fire-prevention-tool/
National Fire Prevention Association online checklist for barn fire prevention: https://www.nfpa.org/downloadable-resources/checklists/barn-fire-safety-tip-sheet
THEHORSE.com top 10 resources: https://thehorse.com/116929/10-barn-fire-and-wildfire-resources-from-thehorse-com/
From Chubb Insurance: https://www.chubb.com/us-en/individuals-families/resources/how-to-protect-your-barn-and-livestock-from-fire-risks.html
And finally the Animal Welfare Institute report on barn fires:
https://awionline.org/content/barn-fires
(Ashley Brandon Ellis photo via Facebook.)
Tips from Equine Edge News
Offered Equine Edge News: “In the Wake of the Callicutt Stables Fire: Practical Steps to Prevent Barn Fires and Protect the Horses We Love,” a checklist beginning with “Why Barn Fires Escalate So Quickly.”
“Barns are uniquely vulnerable structures,” Equine Edge News pointed out, because they contain “dry hay and bedding; dust and cobwebs; open air circulation; electrical equipment”; and usually feature wood construction.
“A small spark can become a fully involved fire in just minutes,” Equine Edge News explained.
“Once smoke fills the barn, visibility drops, horses panic, a nd even trained responders face tremendous difficulty.
“Because of this, the true focus must be:
• Prevent ignition.
• Detect problems early.
• Rehearse evacuation before you ever need it.
“Consistent, simple routines”
“Fire prevention often comes down to consistent, simple routines,” Equine Edge News emphasized.
“Enforce a strict no-smoking policy in and around the barn. Keep aisles clear of hay, bedding, tack trunks, and equipment.
“Sweep dust, chaff, and cobwebs — especially around lights and outlets.
“Avoid cheap extension cords and overloaded circuits.
“Unplug fans, heaters, and bucket warmers when not in use.
“Make sure doors and exits open freely and are never blocked.
“Do a 2-minute ‘fire walk-through’ during evening feed. Check cords. Look at outlets. Clear clutter. Confirm exits.
“Electrical faults & improperly stored hay”
“Electrical faults and improperly stored hay are two of the most common contributors to barn fires,” Equine Edge News reminded.
“Have a qualified electrician inspect wiring, panels, and outlets at least annually. Use caged light fixtures to prevent contact with dust or birds’ nests.
“Store hay, bedding, fuel, and chemicals in a separate building, ideally 50+ feet away,” Equine Edge News recommended.
“Never stack damp or ‘green’ hay inside — curing hay can combust internally.
“Maintain a cleared, mowed firebreak around the barn.
“Even relocating fuel cans and excess hay away from stalls meaningfully lowers fire load.”
“Preparedness is an act of love”
Equine Edge News also recommends, “Smoke and heat detectors. Barn fire alarm systems. Sprinkler systems designed for agricultural buildings, where feasible. ABC-rated fire extinguishers at every entrance. Clearly marked, illuminated exits. An accessible water source for fire crews. Clear driveway access for fire trucks and trailers. Address signage visible from the road.
“Planning around how horses actually behave under stress can save lives,” Equine Edge News suggested.
“Keep a labeled halter and lead rope outside every stall. When possible, design stalls with exterior doors. Identify a safe turnout area several hundred feet away. Create a written evacuation plan assigning clear roles: Who calls 911. Who opens stalls. Who leads. Who manages gates and trailers.
(Daniel Leventhal photo)
“Practice calm fire drills at different times of day.”
Finished Equine Edge News, “Preparedness is an act of love.”
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Sad but avoidable event. The battle for animal welfare improvements and prevention of such hazards continue. Please keep up the advocacy
So many tragedies could be prevented with logical preparedness and attention to the environment.
If these horses were worth a lot of money to their “owners,” they should have been worth enough to the stables to do everything possible to ensure their best care and safety.
These horses should never have lost their lives.
Sharing with gratitude and sorrow.
So how much money has Animals 24-7 donated? Have you donated any hay or feed to all the horses that did survive? Answer: No you did not,and no you aren’t going to! WOW! You have no proof what started the fire,yet there you are making accusations based on no facts. And you know that extension cord was in fact plugged in how exactly? You do know the barn was a boarding barn that had multiple breeds of horses right? Actually no you didn’t know that. Instead you slandered the owners for their horses AND then blamed an entire industry as being the direct cause of the fire. I hope both the barn owners and TWHBEA sues the shit out of you for slander and libel
So, Emily R. Lettin, have you ever fought a barn fire as a firefighter & heard the animals screaming as they burned to death? I did, in 1986, & as a journalist on animal news beats have been encouraging fire safety in barns ever since. Have you ever worked around & cared for horses kept for a practical, useful purpose? Beth has, as a former mounted police officer, an occupation requiring riding all day, in which no participant would ever ride a horse crippled by “Big Lick” accoutrements because the safety of the officer depends hugely upon the health and safety of the horse. Both of us are painfully aware that tens of thousands of mammals and hundreds of thousands of poultry per year are burned alive because of neglect of fire safety. There is no “freak accident” aspect to an absolutely predictable and preventable event such as the Callicutt Stables barn fire. The Callicutts and their customers need to be held accountable, need to be held up to the barn-owning community as a bad example of what can happen, & some of those customers who lost horses worth tens of thousands of dollars have a good case for suing whatever is left of their asses off for not maintaining safe conditions.
I sent an email to you earlier about the unauthorized usage of my photos and the false information you put into your article. For one it was winter these picture are summer and years ago. The one photo you stated was blocking a way out wasn’t even a doorway. There were more than two ways in and out. Also, number one you posted pictures of minor children without permission. I have reached out to a lawyer and I do have legal grounds. I kindly ask you take down my photos that you did not have permission to post, especially since the all have minors in them.
Hello Ashley. We have not received any emails from you; neither are any in our spam filters. We have, however, posted your comment, with our response, below.
We did not state when you took the photos of the Callicutt Stables barn in question; obviously we could not know.
We did report that you posted them, as the time stamps on them show, 13 minutes before the Randolph County Fire Marshal’s Office said it received the first fire calls.
If those conditions prevailed “years ago,” that speaks worse to the circumstances of the fire, because it suggests longtime neglect of fire safety.
If “The one photo you stated was blocking a way out wasn’t even a doorway,” what was it?
Concerning this, “There were more than two ways in and out,” what we actually reported, based on the account of firefighter and horse rescuer Tori McLeod of 4Hooves Large Animal Services, who was present, “The only way out for the horses was through the main entrances at either end of the barn,” since, also as she stated, to barn fire expert Rebecca Husted Giminez, whom we quoted, whose quote Tori McLeod affirmed, there were “no stall doors to the outside.”
Concerning your request to take down your photos:
Section 107 (17 USC Section 107) of the Copyright Act states:
“The fair use of a copyrighted work, including such use by reproduction in copies or phonorecords or by any other means specified by that section, for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching (including multiple copies for classroom use), scholarship, or research, is not an infringement of copyright.”
We are under no obligation either in your state or ours, or under the applicable federal statutes, to obtain your permission, or anyone else’s, to publish photographs pertaining to news coverage.
Neither do we need your permission, or anyone else’s, to publish photographs pertaining to news coverage that include minor children, though as a courtesy we blurred their faces, since they were not essential to the newsworthy aspects of the photos.
You may save yourself the trouble and expense of hiring a lawyer by consulting credible online references that address the relevant questions.
For example: Child Photography or Videotaping Consent Laws, at https://legal-info.lawyers.com/personal-injury/types-of-personal-injury-claims/child-photography-or-videotaping-consent-laws-are-changing.html.
Note this passage, for instance, as well as the entire section headlined “Editorial use is generally acceptable”:
Can someone upload images of your child to social media or a blog?
Basically, with a few exceptions, it is actually perfectly legal for strangers to photograph or videotape your child, and they are free to post or publish the images as well. Contrary to what many parents believe, they do not need to give their consent or sign a release.
We hope this clears up any misunderstanding.
Best wishes,
Merritt & Beth Clifton, editors
Whatever people wrote this article are disgusting, piss poor excuses for human beings. Someone’s barn burned down. Had this not been a Tennessee Walking Horse barn everyone would be giving their condolences and potentially having a constructive conversation on what can be done to prevent barn fires and what can be done in the event of a barn fire. Instead, here you disgusting people are twisting a tragedy into some “big lick” bullshit. The pads would not stop the horses from exiting the barn as clearly shown in some of the footage that has been posted on social media about this horrible incident where it shows a padded horse outside on the road having zero issue keeping up with the non-padded horses that guess what. Were also in the barn. Not every horse in the barn was padded.
Only seven horses out of 43 escaped. That speaks for itself.
The implied question “Had this not been a Tennessee Walking Horse barn” is best answered by pointing toward our extensive previous coverage of barn fires, in particular horse barn fires. Two examples: Florida barn fire kills 21 horses, rekindling awareness & bad memories and Springcliff Farm thoroughbred barn blaze adds shock to AWI exposé.
But that Callicutt Stables was a “Big Lick” walking horse operation adds a dimension of note: it is not surprising that people who are indifferent to the chronic pain inflicted on horses to induce the “Big Lick” are also indifferent toward fire safety.
Please help me understand. Were these pictures taken just prior to the fire? All the noted issues, were photographed prior to the fire?
What we know, according to the Facebook time stamps, is that the photos were posted minutes before the fire department acknowledged receiving the fire call. We do not know when exactly they were taken, but the lack of fire safety awareness the photos show should never have been evident at any time.
Just seems odd that whoever took the photos was there just minutes prior to the fire, then those same photos were used to point out issues. 🤔
We don’t know whether photographer Ashley Brandon Ellis “was there just minutes prior to the fire”; what we know is when Facebook says she posted the photos. Again, whether Ashley Brandon Ellis was there on that day at that time is immaterial; what matters are the fire hazards she documented, which a responsible stable owner would not have allowed. The hazards included both sins of commission, for example dumping sawdust in front of an exit, a no-no at any time, and sins of omission, e.g. the absence of any fire extinguishers in the main passageway through the barn.
People are closing ranks around the big lickers and the horrific barn fire in NC where 36 horses died, getting their friends to buck up about my statement that BARN FIRES ARE PREVENTABLE. Telling me how I should be gentle with their feelings, etc.
I am tired and pissed off enough to just say it. And I’m gonna keep saying it:
“Y’all are wearing me out trying to keep up with and respond to comments and keep trying to educate folks. THANK YOU TO EVERYONE who shared this, read the comments, looked up some of the educational resources, amd responded to the stupidity in support of better efforts in the future. I see you and I appreciate it.
Those 36 horses DID NOT HAVE TO DIE. And they certainly didn’t deserve to have their lungs melt or their skin congeal from the heat, endure the terror and toxins from the smoke of something that is PREVENTABLE WITH JUST A MODICUM OF EFFORT.
All the photos from this barn demonstrate it to be a fuel-loaded facility just waiting for a spark, with beloved beautiful souls that trusted the owner of this barn to PROVIDE A SAFE PLACE FOR THEM.
That’s the responsibility of a business owner, as well as of any human being who owns animals.
This was beyond preventable. Since some of the jackasses on this thread have decided to make it negative, I’ll up your game. To me, it’s CRIMINAL to have a facility in such horrible dangerous conditions and act like it’s okay.
Where were the exits to the outside wall for each stall (known best practices to facilitate evacuation)?
When was the LAST TIME that either Callicutt Farms or any of the other barn owners complaining about my comments hosted a SAFETY MEETING and educated all your clients about fire prevention and response?
Have you ever done a fire drill?
Where were your fire extinguishers? How many, what size, and did you train anyone on how to use them?
Why was there hay stored in the barn above those animals that you profess to love so much? Did you know that each one of those square bales is essentially a gallon of diesel fuel just waiting to get a spark? One spark. That’s all it takes.
When did you last update the electric service to the barn… was everything in conduit and did you have GFCI circuits for all the fans and appliances you’re running in there? (That’s also best practice for any facility, not just agricultural).
How far was it to an exit for each animal––less than 50 feet? Nope. Looking at photos before the fire, its longer than that. Egress is a big deal both people, as well as for animals. I’m so glad no humans died on this fire. That could easily have occurred.
I’m not gonna argue with anyone about this fire. It was awful. Horrific really. Stories from the scene responders are horrifying and I hope they get mental health help because of their images of animals burning across their bodies while still alive, or perfectly quiet as they died because they couldn’t scream when they inhaled toxic smoke and hot air that blocked the oxygen carrying capacity of their lungs, or literally fried the lung tissue as they attempted to breathe.
Barn fires should MOTIVATE EVERY ONE OF US TO DO BETTER. TO LEARN. TO LOOK AROUND AND REALIZE THAT IT CAN HAPPEN TO US TOO.
But mostly what makes me mad as hell is that some people want to act like I’m a bad person for telling the truth. Why you would want to cover for people who caused so many animals to suffer and die like this makes me wonder WHAT KIND OF PERSON YOU REALLY ARE?
Actually… no it doesn’t. I KNOW WHO YOU ARE. And it’s not becoming to you.
I retired from a fire department. Almost all fires (generally, excepting freak acts of nature) are not only preventable but foreseeable. End stop. The only question is whether facility and private barn owners will take the issue seriously and perhaps be inconvenienced by mitigating the risks, most of which are pretty darn basic.
Yes many are and that’s true. But there are also some that are not always practical for everyone, such as having outside doors from the stalls. The thousands of dollars of added cost to add that to ALL barns is not always a practical endeavor. Money plays a very critical roll in building a barn or retro fitting an already existing structure
If you can’t afford outside doors from all the stalls in a horse barn, you really can’t afford a horse, let alone the cost of trailing horses all over the region to “Big Lick” shows.
What does it take to install an outside barn door? A power saw, a drill and bit, a couple of two-by-fours, a set of heavy-duty hinges, a barrel-bolt latch, a hammer and nails, a measuring tape, and a screwdriver.
It takes about an hour per door, & I know because I’ve done it myself.
Money plays a very critical role in defining priorities, & you make it very clear that “Big Lickers” priorities are NOT the safety, health & well-being of their horses.
It is a sad situation that could happen any where at any time. Certainly hope the best for all!
No, the Callicutt Stables barn fire could NOT “happen anywhere at any time.” As Rebecca Gimenez Husted pointed out, “Horse barns don’t just magically catch fire.” As Husted, ANIMALS 24-7, and Equine Edge News have all pointed out at length, there were many, many precautions that the Callicutt Stables owners could have taken, both to eliminate fire hazards and to ensure that the horses could have been quickly evacuated, but did not.